Breaking news
EURENCO to build new Hexogen explosive manufacturing unit in France 72004171.
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Defense & Security News - EURENCO
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The board of SNPE, parent company of EURENCO, approved on April 11, 2017 the launch of the construction of a new Hexogen explosive manufacturing unit (Unité de Fabrication d’Hexogène - UFH) in its Sorgues facility in Southeastern France.
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 EURENCO's new Hexogene explosive manufacturing unit - virtual representation(Credit: EURENCO) |
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The investment worth about €100M is a new step in the modernization of the Sorgues industrial platform where a new NTO insensitive explosive production line was already inaugurated in 2016. 250 employees work for EURENCO in Sorgues.
The new UFH will replace the existing workshops, some of them having more than 50 years. It will be able to manufacture crude or crystallized Hexogen in various grades. It will also be able to manufacture a full range of explosive compositions needed by EURENCO’s customers. The commissioning of the plant is scheduled late 2020 after the design, construction and qualification phases. |
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 EURENCO's new Hexogene explosive manufacturing unit - virtual representation(Credit: EURENCO) |
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The Hexogen production process includes three transformation steps (synthesis, crystallization and coating) and two finishing steps (drying and packaging). The new unit will reinforce Security and Safety of the workshops and guarantee a high level of quality throughout the process. It will also be compliant with the latest environmental standards.
The unit has been designed to optimize the production process by grouping all the steps in a single 4000m2 building, automating the process and integrating new technologies (filtration, drying, digital control and command system…). The preliminary studies done by EURENCO for the “Phenix” project were used as a basis for this new unit. Hexogen (RDX) is the main explosive used in the Defense sector. Applications include for instance bombs, missile warheads, munitions of all calibers and plastic explosives used by French and international armed forces. EURENCO is the sole European producer or RDX type 1 which is especially used into insensitive munitions. |
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