Patents and Trademarks Insurance Employees Environmental, Health and Safety Matters Available Information Item 1A. Risk Factors x Worldwide general economic, business, and industry conditions have had, and may continue to have, an adverse effect on the  Company’s results. The Company owns or has the right to use approximately 320 patents and approximately 878 trademarks related to its business. Our patents expire between 2014 and 2036. Our trademarks continue indefinitely. The Company believes that its rights under its  existing patents, patent applications and trademarks are of value to its operations, but no one patent, application or trademark is  material to the conduct of the Company's business as a whole.  The Company maintains liability and property insurance and insurance for business interruption in the event of damage to its  production facilities and certain other insurance covering risks associated with its business. The Company believes such insurance is  adequate for the operation of its business. There is no assurance that in the future the Company will be able to maintain the coverage  currently in place or that the premiums will not increase substantially.  At December 31, 2013, the Company employed 1,978 persons, of whom 1,010 were employed outside of the United States.  The Company’s operations are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws an d regulations relating to the environment and  health and safety. Certain of the Company’s operations involve and have involved the use and release of substances that have  been  and are classified as toxic or hazardous within the meaning of these laws and regulations. Environmental operating permits are, or  may be, required for certain of the Company’s operations and such permits are subject to modification, renewal and revocation . The  Company regularly monitors and reviews its operations, procedures and policies for compliance with these laws and regulations. The  Company believes its operations are in substantial compliance with these laws and regulations and that there are no violations that  would have a material effect on the Company. Despite these compliance efforts, some risk of environmental and other damage is  inherent in the Company’s operations, as it is with other companies engaged in similar businesses, and there can be no assura nce that  material violations will not occur in the future. The cost of compliance with these laws and regulations is not expected to have a  material adverse effect on the Company. Laws and regulations are subject to change. See Item 1A, Risk Factors, for information regarding the possible effects that  compliance with new environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to climate change, may have on our businesses and  operating results.  Under the terms of certain agreements entered into in connection with the Company's initial public offering in 1992, Pfizer Inc  ("Pfizer") agreed to indemnify the Company against certain liabilities being retained by Pfizer and its subsidiaries including, but not  limited to, pending lawsuits and claims, and any lawsuits or claims brought at any time in the future alleging damages or injury from  the use, handling of or exposure to any product sold by Pfizer's specialty minerals business prior to the closing of the initial public  offering.  The Company maintains an internet website located at http://www.mineralstech.com. Its reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K,  and amendments to those reports, as well as its Proxy Statement and filings under Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934  are available free of charge through the Investor Relations page of its website, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed  with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Investors may access these reports through the Company's website by  navigating to "Investor Relations" and then to "SEC Filings."  Financial information concerning our business segments and the geographical areas in which we operate appears in the Notes to the  Consolidated Financial Statements. Information related to our executive officers is included in Item 1 0, “Directors, Executive  Officers and Corporate Governance.” Our business faces significant risks. Set forth below are all risks that we believe are material at this time. Our business, financial  condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. These risks should be read in  conjunction with the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.  The global economic instability of the past few years has caused, among other things, declining consumer and business  confidence, volatile raw material prices, instability in credit markets, high unemployment, fluctuating interest and exchange rates,  8 