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Commitments
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Commitments
13. Commitments

In January 2011, the Company entered into an agreement with one of the Company’s existing suppliers to purchase from the supplier at least 70 percent of the annual kaolin requirements for the Eufaula plant at specified contract prices. The term of the agreement was three years, with options to extend for an additional six years. In May 2012, the agreement was amended to require the Company to purchase from the supplier at least 50 percent of the annual kaolin requirements for the Eufaula, Alabama plant at specified contract prices for the remainder of 2012 and the ensuing five calendar years. The agreement has options to extend the term for an additional three years. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, the Company purchased from the supplier $3,788, 3,012 and $3,205, respectively, of kaolin under the agreement.

In January 2003, the Company entered into a mining agreement with a contractor to provide kaolin for the Company’s McIntyre plant at specified contract prices, from lands owned or leased by either the Company or the contractor. The term of the agreement, which commenced on January 1, 2003, and remains in effect until such time as all Company-owned minerals have been depleted, requires the Company to accept delivery from the contractor of at least 80 percent of the McIntyre plant’s annual kaolin requirements. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, the Company purchased $1,381, $2,491 and $2,900, respectively, of kaolin under the agreement.

In October 2008, the Company entered into a ten-year agreement, with options to extend for an additional ten years, to purchase a minimum of 40,000 tons of uncalcined bauxite each year during the first three years of the agreement. Thereafter, the minimum required purchase increased to 70,000 tons annually. The bauxite is purchased at specified contract prices. After meeting annual minimum requirements for the first three years, the agreement was terminated in 2012 with no further required minimum purchases. For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company purchased $1,400 of bauxite under the agreement.

In 2002, the Company entered into a ten-year agreement with a supplier to purchase hard clay for its China plant at a specified contract price. The ten-year agreement, which expired in 2011, required the Company to accept delivery from the supplier for at least 80 percent of the plant’s annual requirements. For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company purchased $2,918 of material under this agreement.

In July 2011, the Company entered into a new agreement with a supplier to provide hydro sized sand for the Company’s Marshfield, Wisconsin plant at a specified contract price. The term of the agreement was five years commencing on July 30, 2011 and required the Company to purchase a minimum of 40,000 tons and 100,000 tons of hydro sized sand during 2011 and 2012, respectively. Effective January 30, 2012, the agreement was amended and requires the Company to purchase a minimum of 150,000 tons of hydro sized sand annually during 2012 and 2013 and a minimum of 350,000 tons of hydro sized sand in 2014, all at a stated contract price. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, the Company purchased $3,546, 2,538 and $462, respectively, of sand under this agreement.

In May 2012, the Company entered into a new supply agreement to provide kaolin and bauxite to a manufacturing plant in Millen, Georgia, once operations commence. Construction of the facility is expected to be completed in early 2014. The agreement requires the Company to purchase at least 50 percent of the plant’s annual requirements of such products, and has an initial term of five years with options to extend for an additional five years.

The Company has entered into a lease agreement dated November 1, 2008 with the Development Authority of Wilkinson County (the “Wilkinson County Development Authority”) and a lease agreement dated November 1, 2012 with the Development Authority of Jenkins County (the “Jenkins County Development Authority” and together with the Wilkinson County Development Authority, the “Development Authorities”) each in the State of Georgia. Pursuant to the 2008 agreement, the Wilkinson County Development Authority holds the title to the real and personal property of the Company’s McIntyre and Toomsboro manufacturing facilities and leases the facilities to the Company for an annual rental fee of $50 per year through the year 2022. Pursuant to the 2012 agreement, the Jenkins County Development Authority holds title to the real estate and personal property of the Company’s Millen, Georgia manufacturing facility, which is currently under construction, and leases the facility to the Company until the tenth anniversary of completion of the final phase of the facility. At any time prior to the scheduled termination of either lease, the Company has the option to terminate the lease and purchase the property for a nominal fee plus the payment of any rent payable through the balance of the lease term. Furthermore, the Company has security interests in the titles held by the Development Authorities. The Company has also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (the “MOU”) with the Development Authorities and other local agencies, under which the Company receives tax incentives in exchange for its commitment to invest in the county and increase employment. The MOU with the Jenkins County Development Authority also requires the Company to pay an administrative payment of $50 per year during the term of the Millen lease. The Company is required to achieve certain employment levels in order to retain its tax incentives. In the event the Company does not meet the agreed-upon employment targets or the MOU is otherwise terminated, the Company would be subjected to additional property taxes annually. The properties subject to these lease agreements are included in Property, Plant and Equipment (net book value of $292,190 at December 31, 2013) in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

The Company uses natural gas to power its domestic manufacturing plants. From time to time the Company enters into contracts to purchase a portion of the anticipated natural gas requirements at specified prices. As of December 31, 2013, the Company had natural gas contracts totaling $21,010, $21,009, $13,949 and $3,551 for years ended 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively.