INVENTION OF THE DETONATING CORD

Two centuries of technical innovation have allowed us to elevate blast design and detonation to new levels of productivity and safety. We invented the first detonating cord in 1906, opening the door to some of the initiation systems used in mining and drilling today. By 1965 we were inundated with orders for the first Daveytdet!

BROADENING OUR VISION

The 1970s were all about diversification. The wide-scale energy crisis of that decade forced a great number of mines to shut down. This compelled us to broaden our vision. It was time to think about how our innovations could be used in other fields—such as defense and security—in order to make their operations more secure. By the 1980s, Davey Bickford initiation systems were being used in military launchers and fighter jets including ejector seats.

EXPANSION

The 1990s saw further expansion into new territory. Davey Bickford built a programmable detonator with a built-in delay and command bus, for which a patent was issued in 1991. And thus, we saw the birth of the Daveytronic system. The following year, we created our own Automotive Safety division, pioneering and then manufacturing the initiators for airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners.

The turn of the millennium saw a much-needed turn towards environmental safety. Our introduction of lead-free initiators was an industry first and we stressed how expert use of high-tech detonators could minimise environmental disturbances.

Daveytronic system

The 1990s saw further expansion into new territory. Davey Bickford built a programmable detonator with a built-in delay and command bus, for which a patent was issued in 1991. And thus, we saw the birth of the Daveytronic system. The following year, we created our own Automotive Safety division, pioneering and then manufacturing  the initiators for airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners.

2010 saw the introduction of our 4th generation wireless Daveytronic system—now the standard in detonation safety, precision and convenience.

DEFENSE

In 2013 we implemented a new pyrotechnic cartridge with accrued electromagnetic immunity (known as “DRAM bleu”) for use in the defense sector.

BEST SUPPLIER

In 2014, the miner group Rio Tinto named Davey Bickford the best supplier among over 5,000 others.

Global presence & Subsidiaries

In 2015, Chilean-based Enaex acquired Davey Bickford. Enaex is a world leader in mining services the market leader in Latin America.
Davey Bickford is a company with truly global reach. Our experts and technology are located in Australia, North and South America, Asia and Africa. Our leading-edge products are manufactured at the Davey Bickford production site in France.
In the 21st century, and over 200 years after Davey Bickford became a company, we continues to light the way toward safer and more efficient electronic detonation capabilities across a wide array of industries. We think William Bickford would be proud of where we’ve taken his vision, and enthusiastic about what our team can accomplish in years to come

BEST SUPPLIER

While celebrating the 20th anniversary of DaveyTronic®, Davey Bickford Enaex released the latest version of the 4th generation of DaveyTronic® - Evolution. DaveyTronic®Evolution delivers bigger, faster, smarter and safer blasts to our customers.

In the 21st century, and over 200 years after Davey Bickford Enaex became a company, we continues to light the way toward safer and more efficient detonation systems across a wide array of industries. We think William Bickford would be proud of where we’ve taken his vision, and enthusiastic about what our team can accomplish in years to come.