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Orica Inc.:
A leader in innovative blasting solutions
Orica Inc. is the largest provider of commercial explosives and blasting systems to the mining and infrastructure markets.
Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino December 2015 | Orica
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ith a history dating back nearly 150 years to the Victorian gold fields of 19th Century Australia, Orica Inc. today stands as the largest provider of commercial explosives and blasting systems to the mining and infrastructure markets.
| Orica | 2 downturn of the past 20 years, he maintains a positive outlook for the near future and beyond. Expectations are that earnings will stabilize in 2016 in advance of an anticipated uptick the following year.
Orica – part of the vast Australia-based Orica empire that maintains operations in 50 countries and services customers in more than 100 – was established in 2000 and employs approximately 800 at three locations. The company’s blasting systems include Bulk Systems, Electronic Blasting Systems, Initiating Systems, Packaged Explosives and Blasting Services.
In a November 2015 address to the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Melbourne, Australia Mr. Calderon said: “Underlying demand and the long term fundamentals of the mining industry remain strong. Base demand will continue to grow across even the most challenged of commodities. The outlook is for continued high demand over the long term, albeit at a reduced pace of growth.”
Industry veteran Alberto Calderon has overseen operations as Managing Director and CEO since May 2015. Despite the most severe industry
In that address he noted: “The combination of falling commodity prices and rising production means there is an increased focus on capturing
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long term and sustainable productivity benefits. The challenge for the sector, though, is to go beyond cost cutting to find ways to embed long-term, through-the-cycle efficiencies.” Perhaps the company’s greatest strength is its ability to design customer-specific blasting solutions tailored to the unique needs and challenges of each client.
Safety First Given the nature of the industry, safety is of the utmost importance every hour of every day at every site. The
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“It is clear that investing in innovation is what will make the most difference and, ultimately, bring about competitive advantage.” ~ Managing Director and CEO Alberto Calderon
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| Orica | 5 company’s “No Accidents Today� mandate is geared toward ensuring the health and safety of all of its employees. In 2014, the company was a Top Five safety performer in the ASX 100, recorded its lowest ever All Worker Recordable Case Rate for injury and illness and saw a 63 percent reduction in injury and illness severity. The company continually evaluates and updates its Safety, Health, Environment and Community (SHEC) Management system.
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People Identifying and retaining personnel willing to work in the challenging climate of Canada and Alaska is an ongoing challenge. The company has developed a detailed Human Resource program to identify those individuals best suited for the rigors of the business. Bringing together those of different genders, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and ages and providing the opportunity to utilize their skills and experience in positions such as mining engineers, blasting technicians and product support specialists is a key company initiative.
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Environmental Awareness The company is 100 percent committed to its role as an environmental steward. Measures include reducing greenhouse gases and using more efficient forms of energy, responsible use of non-renewables such as minerals and fossil fuels, and minimizing waste generation during the manufacturing process and ensuing use of Orica products by its customers.
Day to Day
Technology and innovation are the foundation upon which Orica is built and the advantage it holds on its competitors. The company has long
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been a leader in the development of blast design and modeling software and blast prediction models. The company continually invests in product research and development as well as ways to improve operational efficiencies. More than 200 employees form the R&D team, which develops products such as Electronic Blasting Systems (EBS), a product family utilizing state-of-the-art technology. Additionally, the company has a number of pilot sites utilizing its new Cloud-based platform.
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“In mining, as the competitive battle has moved from building capacity to managing capacity more productively, it is clear that investing in innovation is what will make the most difference and, ultimately, bring about competitive advantage,” Mr. Calderon told IMARC attendees. “We also have long recognised the importance of investing in R&D and innovation. In fact, we routinely invest at least three times more on these than our competitors. We’ve been innovating since the Victorian gold rush … and have been pioneers and innovators ever since,” he added.
“Underlying demand and the long term fundamentals of the mining industry remain strong.” ~ Managing Director and CEO Alberto Calderon December 2015 | Orica
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The company works with a trusted core group of suppliers and is meticulous in its selection of vendors. It outsources explosives transport and maintains an expansive North American supply chain linked to the head office in Denver, CO.
Looking Ahead Restructuring is shaping a culture that makes regional executives directly
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responsible for division performance. Company-wide, Orica is striving to become more customer-centric and more attuned to client needs. Thanks to its commitment to innovation and technology and investment in R&D, Mr. Calderon believes the company has positioned itself to take advantage of an industry rebound and remain in the forefront as a developer of new technologies.
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Statistics
Company Name: Orica Inc. Country: Global Industry: Energy/Mining Revenue: N/A Premiere Service: Explosives Managing Director/CEO: Alberto Calderon Website: https://www.orica.com
December 2015 | Orica