We know our industry and we’re driving new ways of thinking
Our history is connected to every significant breakthrough in explosives technology.
Today, Dyno Nobel is a global leader in the commercial explosives industry with more than 3,770 employees, including some of the most highly trained blasters in the industry. We manufacture over 54 million pounds of packaged explosives and more than 1.2 million tons of ammonium nitrate capacity. We have 32 manufacturing facilities on three continents (including state-of-the-art initiation systems facilities in the United States, Australia and Mexico) and our Engineering and Technology team supports domestic and export product sales, as well as the use of our cutting-edge technologies around the world.
We increase customer profits through performance with our Groundbreaking Performance through Practical Innovation.
- We develop, practical and reliable solutions anticipating the future, to exceed our customer expectations
- We are global experts in explosives, cultivating and applying industry knowledge, to create value for our customers
- We are a reliable, collaborative partner, committed to achieving the best possible results for our customers
The Practical Innovator
Dyno Nobel provides customer solutions through our people, our products, and our services. Our blasters are among the most highly trained in the industry. Dyno Nobel provides a full range of reliable explosives products from manufacturing plants around the world, and blasting services from a distribution network unmatched in the industry. Our R&D is focused on practical ways to use new technologies to benefit our customers.
Industries We Serve
History of Dyno Nobel
Established over 180 years ago, Dyno Nobel has a unique history and an unsurpassed Tradition of Practical Innovation. We are a global leader in commercial explosives, creating and investing in products and solutions to help our customers remain competitive.
History of Dyno Nobel
"We know our industry and we’re driving new ways of thinking."
180 Years of Innovations
Beginning with William Bickford’s invention of Safety Fuse in 1831 and Alfred Nobel’s legacy of safety and innovation, we have a unique history and an unrivaled Tradition of Practical Innovation.
- 1831 – Safety fuse is invented by William Bickford, forerunner of the Ensign-Bickford Company, to replace black powder-filled cord. Mining safety increases dramatically.
- 1865 – Alfred Nobel, the founder of companies that laid the foundation of Dyno Nobel, invents the first blasting cap.
- 1867 – Alfred Nobel invents dynamite, another major step in explosives safety and efficiency.
- 1876 – Production of nitrocellulose starts as Nitroglycerin Compagniet (Alfred Nobel’s first company and forerunner of Nitro Nobel, now part of Dyno Nobel Europe).
- 1936 – A reliable, flexible, easy-to-use textile-jacketed detonating cord, Primacord®, is develop by the Ensign-Bickford Company.
- 1956 – Slurry (water-based) explosives are pioneered by Dr. Melvin Cook at IRECO. Later becomes part of Dyno Nobel.
- 1960’s – IRECO (Dyno Nobel) develops revolutionary inert-until-mixed site mixed (SMS™) pump truck systems for slurry explosives as well as small diameter packaged products.
- 1973 – Nonelectric initiation system NONEL® invented by Per Anders Persson at Nitro Nobel – later Dyno Nobel.
- 1980 – Dyno Nobel commercializes packaged and bulk emulsions, another type of water-based explosive.
- 1980’s & 1990’s – Continuing development of nonelectric initiation systems by both the Ensign-Bickford Company and Dyno Nobel.
- 1980’s & 1990’s – Continuing development of sophisticated bulk explosives delivery systems by Dyno Nobel.
- 1999 – DynoConsult, a specialist consulting division, is formed to improve our customers’ overall profitability through groundbreaking solutions. Dozens of successful Customer Solutions and Case Studies have been documented in coal, metal, stone and construction.
- 2000’s – JV partner DetNet, develops state of the art Electronic Initiation System Technologies to enhance productivity, decrease environmental concerns, and increase safety and cost effectiveness on mine and quarry sites.
- 2006 – Dyno Nobel develops Portable Modular Emulsion Plants allowing us to respond to our customers’ need for high quality Bulk Emulsion on site, in remote locations where raw materials may be difficult to source.
- 2012 – Dyno Nobel develops Differential Energy™, a proprietary method for controlling the explosive energy profile in the borehole; improving safety, enhancing control and decreasing cost.
Dyno Nobel: A Legacy of Innovation
Historical image of early dynamite sticks
Old miners: a historical snapshot of early mining crews
Old bulk truck: vintage equipment used in early mining operations
Recent Mergers and Acquisitions
Through practical innovation, we have grown to become the market leader in North America (the largest explosives market in the world) and the second largest supplier in Australia (the third largest explosives market in the world).
- August 2000 – Industri Kapital (IK) acquires Dyno Nobel (Dyno ASA) from the Oslo Stock Exchange and subsequently sells the non-explosives parts of Dyno Nobel.
- May 2003 – Dyno Nobel merges with The Ensign Bickford Company.
- December 2003 – Dyno Nobel acquires El Paso Corporation’s North American nitrogen plants in Cheyenne Wyoming, St. Helens Oregon, and Battle Mountain Nevada.
- May 2004 – Dyno Nobel Canada, a joint venture, is created by consolidating Dyno Nobel Ltd., Dyno Nobel Titan and Western Explosives.
- September 2005 – IK sells Dyno Nobel to a consortium of investors led by Macquarie Bank. Macquarie subsequently divests Dyno Nobel’s European, Latin American and Asian assets.
- December 2005 – Dyno Nobel acquires Nitrochem Corporation’s nitrogen plants in Maitland, Ontario, Canada.
- December 2005 – Dyno Nobel acquires the remaining shares of Dyno Nobel Canada which becomes a new business unit of Dyno Nobel Ltd.
- February 2006 – Dyno Nobel acquires St. Lawrence Explosives (Adams Center, New York) and Hall Explosives (Hershey, Pennsylvania), formerly joint venture partners.
- March 2006 – Dyno Nobel acquires Dyno East Kentucky (dba Mountain Valley Explosives) (Allen, Kentucky), formerly a joint venture partner.
- April 2006 – Dyno Nobel becomes a publicly owned company when Macquarie lists it on the Australian Stock Exchange.
- April 2006 – Dyno Nobel acquires the ETI Holding (formerly DuPont) explosives business in the U.S. and Canada.
- May 2006 – Dyno Nobel sells a portion of Explosives Energies (formerly an ETI owned distributor) to Buckley Powder, a Dyno Nobel joint venture partner
- May 2006 – Dyno Nobel sells a portion of Explosives Energies (formerly an ETI owned distributor) to Buckley Powder, a Dyno Nobel joint venture partner.
- May 2006 – Dyno Nobel sells Golden State Explosives (formerly an ETI owned distributor) to Alpha Dyno Nobel, a Dyno Nobel joint venture partner
- November 2006 – Dyno Nobel announces expansion at the Cheyenne, Wyoming ammonium nitrate production facility intended to serve growth in the nearby Powder River Basin.
- 2008 – Incitec Pivot acquires 100% of Dyno Nobel.
- 2010 – IPL Acquires 100% of Nitromak dnx.
- 2010 – Dyno Nobel Explosivos Chile Limitada opens electronic detonator manufacturing plant in Chile.
- 2012 – Dyno Nobel International is formed as the international business development arm of Dyno Nobel.
- 2012 – Dyno Nobel Moranbah ammonium nitrate plant commences operations with an annual capacity of 330,000 tonnes.
- 2013 – Dyno Nobel announces a new ammonium nitrate plant in Waggaman, LA.