Safety and Practical Innovation
Dyno Nobel traces its roots back to William Bickford's invention of Safety Fuse in 1831 and Alfred Nobel in 1865.
Over 170 years later, Dyno Nobel has become the world’s leading explosives company and a truly global supplier of commercial explosives solutions.
We currently operate on 2 continents and are rapidly increasing our presence in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Alfred Nobel and the foundation of Dyno Nobel
During the 1860’s, Alfred Nobel experimented with the packaging of nitroglycerin as a safe explosive. Within a few years, he had developed and patented dynamite, and established his first company, Nitroglycerin Compagniet.
It was this company, founded on a strong philosophy of safety and practical innovation, that later became Dyno Nobel.
The Ensign-Bickford Company and the invention of safety fuse
It began over two hundred years ago, when the first safety fuse was invented by William Bickford, saving the lives of countless coal miners working the hills of northern England.
Bickford-Smith & Company, in Cornwall, England, brought the operation to America in 1836, and the safety fuse manufacturing facility in Simsbury, Connecticut would officially become The Ensign-Bickford Company.
In 2003 The Ensign-Bickford Company merged with Dyno Nobel ASA, with the new entity to be called Dyno Nobel. Dyno Nobel can now boast the most complete range of initiation systems available on the market today - including the industry's most advanced electronic initiation system.
The IRECO acquisition and the invention of slurry explosives
Dyno Industrier ASA acquired IRECO Chemicals, the company created by Dr. Melvin Cook, in 1984 - significantly expanding Dyno Nobel’s operations in North America.
Dr. Melvin Cook's greatest commercial explosives invention was formulated in 1956 with the creation of a new blasting agent using an unusual mixture of ammonium nitrate, aluminum powder and water. Slurry explosives were born. This innovation was followed by boosters and pump tucks for their bulk delivery.
Today through our Research & Technology teams on three continents, we are driving safety improvement , maximizing productivity and reducing customer cycle times and increasing customer profitability.
Industri Kapital and the birth of Dyno Nobel ASA
Industri Kapital acquired Dyno ASA (formerly Dyno Industrier ASA) in December 1999, delisting it from the Norwegian Stock Exchange. The acquisition was completed in August 2000 and the newly privatized company renamed Dyno Nobel ASA.
Industri Kapital ( Industri Kapital ) is one of Europe's leading equity firms, renowned for its strong business analysis skills and financial base.
IK's ambition is to work with management to expand the explosives operations both organically and through acquisitions with the objective of securing Dyno’s position as the world’s leading commercial explosives manufacturer.
Macquarie Bank and the listing of Dyno Nobel on the ASX
In September 2005, Industri Kapital sold Dyno Nobel to a consortium of investors led by Macquarie Bank. In April 2006, Dyno Nobel becomes a publicly owned company when Macquarie lists it on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
Timeline
A timeline of Dyno Nobel’s major milestones can be seen below:
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2008
2007
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Incitec Pivot Limited acquired Dyno Nobel on 16 June.
Dyno Nobel announces the formation/expansion of dnx™ Drilling which includes SJL Drilling, South Miami Heavy Equipment Company and John W. Angelini Blasting, Inc., as well as ETI (Mid-Atlantic U.S.) |
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2007 |
Dyno Nobel acquires 100% of the shares of Le Groupe Castonguay, Inc.
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel acquires Mountain State Bit and associated drilling services.
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel announces the expansion of our ammonium nitrate (AN) production facility at Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel assumes 100% ownership of our joint venture partner, Minnesota Explosives (MNEX).
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel acquires the drilling assets and related operations of John W. Angelini Blasting, Inc.
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel sells Golden State Explosives (formerly an ETI owned distributor) to Alpha Dyno Nobel, a Dyno Nobel joint venture partner.
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel sells a portion of Explosives Energies (formerly an ETI owned distributor) to Buckley Powder, a Dyno Nobel joint venture partner.
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel acquires the ETI Holding (formerly DuPont) explosives business in the U.S. and Canada.
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2006 |
Dyno Nobel becomes a publicly owned company when Macquarie lists it on the Australian Stock Exchange. |
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2005 |
Industri Kapital sells Dyno Nobel to a consortium of investors led by Macquarie Bank. |
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2004 |
DetNet (which was created from merging two leading electronic detonator companies Altech and AEL, a subsidiary of African Explosives Limited) becomes a joint venture between Dyno Nobel ASA and AECI. |
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2003 |
Dyno Nobel & Ensign-Bickford Company merger completed. Dyno Nobel acquires St. Lawrence Explosives Inc. Dyno Nobel Peru and Samex merge to form Dyno Nobel-Samex. |
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2000 |
Dyno Nobel, Dyno Industries' Explosives Group, acquired by Industri Kapital. Dyno Nobel becomes a fully focused explosives organization. Dyno Nobel Latin America formed. Queensland Nitrates commenced operation to provide Eastern Australia with ammonium nitrate. |
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1999 |
DynoConsult, the specialist consulting division of Dyno Nobel, is formed. |
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1997 |
Dyno Nobel forms a joint venture with Tec Harseim in South America creating Dyno Nobel Chile. |
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1996 |
Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific established. Dyno acquires the remaining 50% share in Dyno Wesfarmers Ltd. |
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1988 |
Dyno Wesfarmers Ltd. Is formed in Australia. |
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1986 |
Dyno acquires Nitro Nobel with operations in Sweden, Philippines, India, Australia and Malaysia. |
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1985 |
Dyno acquires Hercules' commercial explosives operations. |
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1984 |
Dyno Nobel Americas formed after acquiring IRECO and its operations in USA, Canada, Brazil and Chile. |
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1973 |
Nonelectric initiation system NONEL® introduced by Nitro Nobel (Dyno Nobel). |
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1956 |
Slurry explosives pioneered by IRECO (Dyno Nobel). |
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1917 |
Production of nitrocellulose starts as Nytroglycerin Compagniet (Alfred Nobel's first company and the forerunner of Nitro Nobel, now part of Dyno Nobel). |
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1866 |
Alfred Nobel invents Dynamite. |
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1865 |
Alfred Nobel invents the first detonator. The forerunner of Dyno Nobel founded in Norway by Nobel associate and a group of Norwegian businesspeople. |
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1836 |
The Ensign-Bickford Company (now part of Dyno Nobel) begins operation in America. |
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1831 |
William Bickford invents Safety Fuse. |