GOEX sale ?

[kswan]

A couple of nights ago I was reading a traditional BP forum from the USA. There was new speculation that GOEX had been bought. Anyone hear anything solid on this?

Thanks

[Rory McCanuck]

Yes, Hodgdon has closed down the line.

[kswan]

Yes, Hodgdon has closed down the line.

I knew Hodgdon dropped the line but I was just wondering if anyone knew who may be buying it.

[M1917 Enfield]

On 01 January 2009 GOEX was bought by the Hodgdon Powder Company and became GOEX Powder, Inc. GOEX Powder remains the only U.S. manufacturer of black powder. GOEX has over a 200 year history of black powder manufacturing in the United States and GOEX Powder, Inc. works to uphold the company's history and tradition. GOEX is a very popular brand of black powder and the only black powder made in America. After nearly 220 years, the last black powder manufacturer in America is now closing its doors. For the thousands of recreational muzzleloader hunters, cowboy action shooters, and black powder cartridge enthusiasts, the closure of GOEX inevitably means less supply and increased cost in the years ahead.

GOEX Powder has a long, storied history that starts in 1802 with the building of a blackpowder plant on the Brandywine River in Delaware by E.I. Du Pont de Nemours. Production expanded with the building of the Belin plant in Moosic, Penn., in 1912, and the facility supplied military blackpowder during both world wars, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. In the 1970s, the Belin plant was incorporated into the GOEX family, and production moved to Minden, La., in 1997. On Jan. 1, 2009, GOEX was purchased by Hodgdon Powder Company, which Hodgdon spent years and millions of dollars updating obsolete equipment at the Minden facility, enhancing employee safety and blackpowder quality.

Despite Hodgdon's best efforts, the GOEX facility at Camp Minden has a long history of manufacturing incidents stretching back to 1998, including a June 2011 incident where 1,000 lbs. of blackpowder exploded. The latest incident at GOEX occurred on June 18, 2021, when an explosion required the evacuation of 15 employees inside the facility. Nobody was injured, but the plant observed a 24- to 48-hour waiting period to ensure that nothing else at the facility ignited.

A November 3rd 2004 explosion was at least the fourth time in six years, an explosion has rocked the Goex Plant in Webster Parish. The black powder plant makes fireworks and gun powder. Goex previous owner Mick Fahringer explained to reporters the burst demolished the remotely controlled manufacturing building. Fahringer said quote, "these things happen. The building did what it was supposed to do and thankfully this time no one was hurt."

Goex also contested 1996 fines following a April 1997 Explosion that killed two more workers at the Gunpowder Plant which they claim was accidental, which a Federal Inspector with State Police and Fire Marshal investigated. Almost three years ago to the day, federal and state investigators were again at the black powder plant, for what was then the third major explosion in three years. Investigators say equipment separating grains of black powder malfunctioned, causing what the owner calls a rapid burn of black powder. That burn, or explosion, could be felt many miles away. Gas station employee John Franklin located 10 miles from the plant told media "it was just boom, that was it and it shook a little. It shook the building a little bit."

The blast killed Glenn Hunold, 52, of Old Forge and Edward Dominick, 28, of Scranton prompted OSHA to begin its latest review of operations at the country’s only black powder manufacturing plant. Since it opened it's Berlin plant in 1912, more than a dozen people have been killed at the plant in accidents while making black powder for mining, muzzleloading and black powder firearms, fireworks and U.S. and foreign governments. A state police fire marshal and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms visited the plant, located in an isolated area near the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport after the latest explosion.




I really doubt anybody in North America is going to step in and start making black powder commercially anymore as it is way too much of a safety, insurance and regulatory hurdle for the otherwise very small percentage of reloading powder sales. Just hope that the overseas makers keep making and importing it, but it is really such a small market to be very profitable while meeting all the government and insurance safety rules and regulations regarding manufacture, storage, transportation and resale.

[M1917 Enfield]

[kswan]

ope you'er wrong

I hope you'er wrong, but you'er probably right. Doesn't Mexico make BP for fireworks ?

[M1917 Enfield]

ope you'er wrong

I hope you'er wrong, but you'er probably right. Doesn't Mexico make BP for fireworks ?

They probably do but I don't think they would get NRCAN approval to ship commercial grade BP up here.

If you are interested and semi capable it is real simple and a lot cheaper to just make your own as seen in these videos -

[M1917 Enfield]