Global blasting player Enaex is doubling down on its expansion into the Australian mining scene, with two new acquisitions solidifying its presence as a serious competitor in one of the Australian mining market.
Enaex has purchased 100 per cent of Australian blasting accessories company MTi Group and 45 per cent of Portuguese blasting software company O-Pitblast, adding important complementary services to its Australian offering.
MTi Group is Australia’s largest distributor of blasting accessories, supplying major mining companies across the country.
Enaex Australia chief executive officer Edmundo Jimenez said the addition of MTi Group to the Enaex portfolio enhanced the ability of both businesses to provide customers with added value, agility and innovation.
“Over the last 20 years, MTi Group has built a solid global reputation as a leading manufacturer and distributor of blasting accessories,” Jimenez said.
“With a production centre here at home in Australia, plus three more in China, the United States and South Africa, MTi Group has a strong commercial presence across the globe.
“We believe that by working together, Enaex and MTi Group can make a positive, impactful difference on-the- ground at the mine site.”
These latest acquisitions come off the back of similar moves in 2021, which saw Enaex Australia formally enter the market through the acquisition and consolidation of the established ‘Downer Blasting Services’ and ‘Davey Bickford Australia’ businesses.
Strong investment into Enaex Australia over the last two years has seen its operating footprint continue to grow in underground and open-cut operations across all main mining regions and commodities in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.
With a core business focus on explosives and blasting and a full product and service offering, Enaex Australia draws support and expertise from the global Enaex business and financial backing from its parent company, the Chilean conglomerate Sigdo Koppers.
The acquisition of a 45 per cent stake in Portuguese blasting software company O-Pitblast means Enaex Australia can now offer its customers an Enaex backed blast design software option.
“We recognise that adding an in-house software solution to our offering is an important step forward in building on our competitiveness in the Australian market,” Jimenez said.
“O-Pitblast is the leading provider of blasting software in South America and has built a solid, long-term working relationship with Enaex over the last five years.”
According to Jimenez, the use of O-Pitblast software will be offered to Enaex Australia customers on an as-need, opt-in basis.
“Our Enaex Mining Technical Solutions (EMTS) engineers have intimate knowledge and experience working with the O-Pitblast software, using it to deliver blast design services to our customers across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific.”
Enaex has more than 100 years of operational experience in Latin America’s explosives and blasting industry. The company’s growing global footprint covers all main mining regions with its headquarters in Chile and operations throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific.