29/07/2024 15:17
Azerbaijan's inaugural industrial explosives plant, established by AzerBlast LLC, a subsidiary of AzerGold Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC), has commenced operations in Ganja.
On July 27, Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Economy, Matin Eynullayev, Chief of the State Service on Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy and Chairman of Supervisory Board of AzerGold CJSC, Niyazi Bayramov, Head of Ganja City Executive Power, Zakir Ibrahimov, Chairman of the Executive Board of AzerGold CJSC, Juan Jimenez, Professor of the Harvard Kennedy School, and the researchers of the Harvard Growth Labgot acquainted with the plant operations during the site visit.
AzerBlast LLC was established through a public-private partnership to address the increasing demand for civil explosives and reduce reliance on imports. The 51 percent of the total shares of AzerBlast LLC belongs to AzerGold CJSC, and 49 percent belongs to DM Service LLC, a private company specialized in this field.
The plant is piloting the production of ANFO and H-ANFO explosives, catering to both dry and wet conditions, for applications in the mining and construction industries.
The Plant was built on 15 hectares in January 2023. The capital investment of the project was 11 million, and the total investment cost was 15 million manats. The project was entirely financed by the founders of AzerBlast LLC, imposing no additional strain on the state budget.The plant's location in Ganja was strategically chosen due to its proximity to Azerbaijan's primary mining industrial hub and its position along a major international transportation corridor.
The plant initiated operations with a workforce of 35 employees; this number is projected to expand to 65 in subsequent phases.Upon full operational capacity, the plant will meet domestic demand for industrial explosives, thereby eliminating reliance on imports.In its initial phase, the plant will manufacture 14,000 tons of ANFO and H-ANFO explosives annually, aligning with domestic requirements and export potential. Subsequent phases will target an annual production increase to 31,500 tons, driven by the region's mining potential in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur, expansive construction projects, and significant export opportunities.
The production line of the Plant was technologically engineered by the Turkish company HTD Kimya ve Mühendislik A.Ş. of Turkey, incorporating German, British, and Turkish equipment. Technical safety strictly adheres to national and international safety regulations and production process is organized in full compliance with environmental standards.
