EPC Groupe › history

key dates

• 1893 : Creation of the Société Anonyme d’Explosifs et de Produits Chimiques by Eugène-Jean Barbier, the first Chairman of EPC.
  Construction of the first factory in St. Martin de Crau in France. Start of operations in Greece.
• 1895 : Creation of the Russian subsidiary in the Donetz Basin.
• 1900 : Construction of the Billy Berclau factory in France.
• 1903 : Buyout of the Boceda factory in Italy.
• 1905 : Start of operations in Britain.
• 1910 : Development of frost-resistant dynamites.
• 1944 : Jacques Chatel: second Chairman of EPC.
  
• 1952 : Start of operations in Morocco.
• 1957 : Development and first blasting with Nitrate-Fuel Oil explosives
• 1967 : Restarting of operations in Italy.
  Start of operations in Ireland.
• 1974 : Development of gel explosives.
• 1977 : Start of operations in the United Arab Emirates.
• 1987 : Paul de Brancion: third and current chairman of EPC.
• 1990 : Development of emulsion explosives: cartridged, trucks/pressi/manufacturing on site.
  Start of additives activity for oil.
• 1995 : Start of operations in Spain. Start of development of drilling and blasting activity.
• 2001 to 2003 : Start of operations in Africa: Guinea (manufacturing on site, drilling and blasting), Senegal (drilling and blasting).
• 2002 : Start of operations in Germany.
  Creation of Demolition cluster.
• 2002 to 2006 : Start of operations in East European countries: Poland, Romania, Czech Republic.
• 2006 : Start of operations in Scandinavia: Norway and Sweden.
• 2009 : Start of operations in Saudi Arabia.