MAXAM
MAXAM celebrates its 140th anniversary with its sights on international expansion
2012.12.19
Press room - News - MAXAM celebrates its 140th anniversary with its sights on international expansion
The company was founded by Alfred Nobel in 1872.
MAXAM, which is Spanish in origin, is the second global company in the sector of blasting products and services for mining, quarries and infrastructure construction.
In 20 years it has gone from a national company to invoicing to the international markets 90% of its 1 billion euros of sales in the last tax year.
In one of its latest major projects, it is working in Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolia, as the exclusive supplier to one of the largest unexploited gold and copper mines in the world.
Turnover of 1 billion euros, facilities in 45 countries and a presence on all five continents. These are the results contributing to the celebrations of the 140 years of history of MAXAM, a company of Spanish origin dedicated to the manufacture and commercialisation of blasting products and services for mining, quarries and infrastructures.
Founded by Alfred Nobel on 31 July 1872 with the name of “Sociedad Anónima Española de la Pólvora Dinamita”, its first facilities are still operating today in Galdácano (Bilbao).
Throughout its history, and owing to the merger with other companies, it has undergone several changes in denomination: Unión Española de Explosivos (1896), Explosivos Río Tinto (1970), ERCROS (1989) and finally Unión Española de Explosivos (1989), until in 2006 it changed its corporate image and identity and became known as MAXAM to reflect its global nature.
In the past two decades, MAXAM has developed an internationalisation strategy that has taken it from a local to a global company, with 90% of its turnover in international markets. MAXAM’s future resides in continuing in this line and in growing, establishing and consolidating itself wherever its clients are doing so, contributing in this manner to its efficiency.
In the words of José Fernando Sánchez-Junco, Chairman & CEO of MAXAM, “Our destinations will be those of the companies for which we work. Currently, mining activities will consistently continue to grow in very important regions of the world such as South America, Russia, China, Central Asia and a good part of Africa. Major infrastructure projects are also being undertaken in these countries, which is why they appear to be the right markets in which MAXAM can boost its presence.”
Global company
The most recent projects on which work is being undertaken by Civil Explosives, the business unit in which MAXAM is the second company at global level, are its work as the single supplier of blasting products and services to the largest unexploited gold and copper mine in the world, located in Oyu Tolgoi (Mongolia); the construction of an initiation systems factory in China or the launch of a new ammonium nitrate production line in Uzbekistan, among others.
In the area of sporting cartridges, MAXAM is the first worldwide manufacturer. In addition, some of the cartridge brands manufactured by MAXAM Outdoors have been chosen by sportspeople from the 16 Olympic shooting disciplines at the Olympic Games of London 2012.
EXPAL is at the forefront of the MAXAM Defence business area, the first Spanish defence group and a European leader in the field of demilitarisation. It invoices 90% outside Spain, to Defence Ministries and armed forces bodies of more than 40 countries. It has recently begun operations in the USA; launched a demilitarisation line in Brazil and opened a trade representation office in Malaysia.
Furthermore, MAXAM is a powerful producer of key raw materials in the nitro chemical field, principally of ammonium nitrate and nitrocellulose (MAXAM Chem). It is also developing an innovative project in the field of renewable energies based on its own resources, through the MAXAM Energy unit.
More information on MAXAM and its 140-year-old history in the SHAPING publication.
For more information
Lucas Ferreira
MAXAM
Communications Director
91 722 01 00
lferreira@maxam.net
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