MAXAM – World leader in explosive technology

By on June 17, 2013

ALLAN DAWSON, Business Manager for MAXAM Australia reports on the growth of the business and the bulk explosive product RIOFLEX.

MAXAM can trace its roots back to Alfred Nobel who founded the original company in 1872. MAXAM is a global company that has sales and operations in over 100 countries across six continents. MAXAM is a world leader in explosive technology and application with innovative products and services that are assisting our customers to maximise their production and drive process improvement.

MAXAM has a long and substantial history in the delivery of diversified explosive services within Australia. MAXAM has established services in Victoria where we have been supplying an established customer base including Holcim and Hanson, as part of a national exclusive explosive supply contracts. During this time a high standard of safety has always been a priority. The clear direction from MAXAM Senior Management is for our company to not only maintain these standards, but to strive to set new industry standards in performance but equally in Occupational Health and Safety.

MAXAM’s manufacture and supply the RIOFLEX MX series bulk explosive product into the Australian Quarry Industry. RIOFLEX is a watergel technology explosive that contains less water than equivalent “standard emulsions” supplied into small diameter blastholes in Australia. The more water in an explosive formulation reduces the energy that can be obtained from that explosive which does not lead to value for the customer. RIOFLEX also contains refined fuels which enable greater energy to be released than “standard emulsion” products on a weight for weight basis. RIOFLEX excels where extra energy is required, increased fragmentation and heave. RIOFLEX when applied in optimised blast designs will allow for pattern expansion and or reduced explosive column lengths compared to “standard emulsions”. RIOFLEX excels in cracked or broken ground as it crosslinks quickly within the blasthole limiting migration of product to areas of non ideal detonation.

RIOFLEX MX also has the ability in dry blastholes to vary the product density that allows for explosive property (rate of energy release and overall energy) variation on the bench. Due to the viscosity and the cross linking of the RIOFLEX technology MAXAM can vary these properties far greater “standard emulsions” which is a significant advantage to MAXAM customers as it allows the better matching of energy requirements to ground conditions.

Bench Practice loading Rioflex at a Victorian Quarry

RIOFLEX MX is now finding broad support due to these advantages from users in major or developing mining countries such as USA, Chile, Russia, Mali, Mongolia Brazil to name but a few.

MAXAM operate regional RIOFLEX manufacturing facilities within Australia and also manufacture RIONEL products at a facility in Baldivis, Western Australia. RIONEL is MAXAM developed surface and Downhole detonator technology.

MAXAM supply RIOFLEX from our Victorian depot located near Avenel. When new customers are added to MAXAM’s customer network we always ensure existing customers as well as the new customer can be supplied to their expectations. MAXAM have a willing and capable workforce who takes pride in delivery of the finished products and services.

For further information contact Allan Dawson,
Victorian Area Manager for MAXAM Australia 0408 456 966.

60 SECONDS WITH AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER…

What is your name?
Allan Dawson
Who do you work for and for how long?
MAXAM Australia for 7 years
How many years have you been involved in the Industry?
7 years in Extractive Mining & before this 21 years in the Forestry Industry.
What is your role at the company?
Victorian Area Manager
What does your job involve?
Safe supply of all MAXAM products and services to our customers.
What is the best part of your job?
I love the different challenges as we supply a variety of customers, all who have individual requirements, which is a pleasure that I thrive on. I don’t get bored in this role and that’s why I keep turning up in the wee morning hours each day.

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