Austin Powder has evolved from a small black powder producer in Ohio into a global leader in explosives, operating in more than 27 countries with 30 manufacturing plants and over 4,800 employees. What remains unchanged is our unwavering commitment to safety, quality, and innovation.
Founded in 1833 in Akron, Ohio, by five brothers from Vermont, Austin Powder began as a producer of black powder for rock blasting and firearms. Over the decades, we have grown from a small local operation into one of the oldest explosives manufacturers in the world—and the oldest manufacturing company in the State of Ohio.
In 1867, Austin acquired the Cleveland Powder Co., later relocating production to the rural community of Glenwillow in 1891. There, the company built not only manufacturing facilities, but also housing, a school, a town hall, and a general store for its employees. In 1930, Austin constructed the Red Diamond dynamite plant in McArthur, Ohio, which became our main U.S. production site by 1972.
The company headquarters, once in Cleveland’s Rockefeller Building, moved in the 1960s to the eastern suburbs near Glenwillow. Under new ownership in the late 20th century, Austin embarked on global expansion—first into Latin America, then Europe, with the acquisitions of Zvobrovka Vsetin in the Czech Republic and Dynamit Nobel Wien in Austria. In the 2010s, we added ammonium nitrate plants, acquired Malaysia’s Tenaga Kimia, and expanded into southern Africa and Australia.
In 2024, Austin strengthened its environmental commitment by appointing its first Global Director of Sustainability and later welcomed American Industrial Partners (AIP) as a partial owner, further positioning the company for sustainable growth.
Today, Austin Powder operates in over 27 countries, runs 30 manufacturing plants, and employs more than 4,800 people worldwide, continuing our mission to deliver the highest quality blasting products and services—safely, efficiently, and responsibly.
Austin Powder is dedicated to expanding into global markets and territories. The company’s growth in recent years can be attributed to its strategic focus on adopting best practices from high-quality acquired companies and effectively sharing that knowledge throughout the organization.
Our greatest competitive advantage lies in our “Power of Family” philosophy, which fosters a culture of mutual care and support. The name Austin has always been synonymous with family, and this family-oriented culture has lasted for nearly two centuries. The partnership between AIP and Austin Powder is set to drive innovation, efficiency, and growth, building on Austin Powder’s rich heritage and positioning it for an even more successful future. Austin Powder will have significant growth opportunities in the following areas:
The new resources will reduce capital constraints, allowing for faster innovation and deeper investment.
Continuing to optimize incentive programs and other human resources initiatives to retain and attract exceptional talent within the Austin Powder family.
Improving Austin Powder’s supply chain’s safety, security, quality, and cost competitiveness.
Austin Powder’s seamless management expertise ensures greater efficiency and reliability across our major production plants. Innovation remains at the heart of our operations, driven by dedicated research and development teams around the globe who are continually raising the bar for quality and safety. Above all, our success stems from listening to our loyal customers and delivering solid, forward-looking solutions that meet their needs.
As we look ahead to the next 190 years, Austin Powder is poised to continue our successful global growth—providing the high-quality products and dependable services that define our brand—while advancing our sustainability goals through the initiatives set forth in our operational agenda.
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We are a traditional manufacturer of initiation systems for industrial blasting operations and an important technological and research base for production and further development of initiation systems.
Visit SiteAustin Powder Service CZ implements the latest technologies and products for blasting works, such as laser profiling, electronic modeling, and electronic detonators.
