WESCO ABOUT SAFETY PRODUCTS SERVICES DISTRIBUTION CONTACT Home / Products Products WESCO has a variety of effective products to serve the comprehensive needs of our customers. Our expertise includes the use of bulk and packaged Ammonium Nitrate, ANFO, Emulsions, ANFO/Emulsion Blends and Water Gels. Initiation systems available include Nonelectric, Electric, and Electronics use in combination with a wide selection of primers. Various grades of detonating cord are available when condition make its use preferable. A wide range of delivery systems are available depending on volume requirements, hole size, water conditions, and other environmental factors. For technical information sheets and MSDS, visit the Technical Library. Ammonium Nitrate Ammonium Nitrate (AN) is a primary ingredient in WESCO’s bulk and packaged explosives. Our corporate partner Dyno Nobel, owns and operates strategically located plants where natural gas is converted into AN prills and solution. Dyno Nobel’s capacity to manufacture and transport more than 750,000 tons of Ammonium Nitrate per year is vitally important to ensure that a reliable supply is available for our customers. WESCO and Dyno Nobel have the ability to source additional tonnage of Ammonium Nitrate in selected markets. Emulsions Emulsions are water-in-oil explosives ideal for bulk loading, both on the surface and underground. Emulsions, in combination with ANFO, or loaded on a 100% basis, have captured a large share of the explosive market. WESCO is an industry leader in emulsion formulations, chemical gassing for density control, and various delivery systems available to provide quality product in the borehole. WESCO’s line of packaged emulsion products are typically produced in chub-type cartridges from 1 to 3 inches in diameter. However, paper wrapped emulsions and larger diameter shotbags are also commonly used. Packaged emulsions are widely used in quarry and construction work. They have excellent water resistance and do not contain nitroglycerin. Electric Detonators Although nonelectric detonators are now widely favored, many blasters still use electric detonators which allows them to test the circuit before firing the shot. WESCO’s electric detonators are manufactured in a range of precise millisecond and long period delays. This allows the blast holes to detonate in a predetermined sequence to control ground vibration and improve rock fragmentation. Nonelectric Detonators Nonelectric detonators utilize a plastic tube to carry a signal to the detonator instead of a pair of wires. The inside wall of the tube is coated with a reactive powder. When ignited, the shock wave travels inside the tube at 7000 ft per second to the detonator. The major advantage of nonelectric initiation is its immunity to potential misfires caused by radio-frequency energy or other stray electrical charges. Electronic Detonators Instead of pyrotechnic delay elements, electronic detonators utilize microchips to deliver more precise timing to improve blasting results. WESCO uses DigiShot® electronic initiation system, which is an important advance in technology, enabling users to achieve accurate benefits of electronic initiation systems with the easy connections of traditional nonelectric shock tube systems. Cast Boosters Virtually all of today’s bulk explosives (and some packaged explosives) are not detonator sensitive. That is, a standard strength detonator fired in the explosive will not cause it to detonate. Boosters amplify the detonator’s energy to initiate a reliable full-order detonation in the explosive column. WESCO distributes a full line of cast boosters in a variety of types and sizes. Detonating Cord For those who require the exceptional strength and durability of detonating cord in their initiation system, WESCO distributes a line of reliable, high quality cord in all of the popular core weights. Delivery Systems Every year in America, over 5 billion pounds of explosives are consumed and 95% are delivered into the borehole by bulk loading methods. WESCO helped pioneer bulk explosives delivery equipment, and is continually developing safer, more efficient and more cost effective systems. WESCOnet | Careers | Privacy | Terms | Contact | Dyno Nobel | Copyright © 2021 WESCO