HR Execs on the Move

John Giles came to the North Carolina mountains in 1950 to mine the region`s olivine deposits for magnesium. But it didn`t take the Michigan transplant long to learn that drawing magnesium from olivine was too expensive to be commercially viable in the post-World War II economy. In a move that would come to define the company`s character, John Giles developed a new plan. He bought magnesium oxide from seawater extraction plants in Florida, converted it to magnesium sulfate and sold it to the tanneries that ringed his new hometown. Soon the company was thriving. As more industry moved to the South, ...

John Giles came to the North Carolina mountains in 1950 to mine the region`s olivine deposits for magnesium. But it didn`t take the Michigan transplant long to learn that drawing magnesium from olivine was too expensive to be commercially viable in the post-World War II economy. In a move that would come to define the company`s character, John Giles developed a new plan. He bought magnesium oxide from seawater extraction plants in Florida, converted it to magnesium sulfate and sold it to the tanneries that ringed his new hometown. Soon the company was thriving. As more industry moved to the South, and the region grew, so did Giles. Giles opened up a repackaging plant in Waynesville in 2003, which packs Epsom Salt into cartons, pouches, jugs and jars and services the retail Epsom salt market. Repack has become a key part of our business. In 2007, Giles merged with Premier Magnesia, LLC, which mines Magnesium Oxide (MgO) in Nevada and has long supplied Giles with this vital raw material. Today, Giles is backward integrated in MgO, ensuring supply of this important product. In 2013, Giles increased our Magnesium Sulfate Crystal production capacity by 33%, ensuring we`ll be able to supply customers during seasonal high-demand. Although the ownership of Giles has changed, finding innovative solutions to customers` challenges remains our hallmark. Our production capacity may make us the largest magnesium sulfate manufacturer in North America, but our can-do attitude keeps us resourceful and forward thinking. When a customer runs into a road block, we find a way around it, just as John Giles did so many years ago.

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