Helidon detonator facility looks for more Darling Downs workers

A global leader in commercial explosives is seeking new employees across the Downs as the Helidon facility grows.

DYNAMITE WORK CREW: The world’s largest producers of commercial explosives, are searching for more Darling Downs emplyees to meet the demand from Australian miners for its premium explosives technology. Employees Fille Dusabimana (left) and Anglea Byres inside Dyno Nobel's manufacturing site at Helidon. Photo: Don Hildred

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Dyno Nobel’s manufacturing site at Helidon is looking to employ more locals in the Lockyer and Darling Downs regions, to meet the demand from Australian miners for its premium explosives technology.

Dyno Nobel is a global leader in the commercial explosives industry with more than 3,770 employees, including some of the most highly trained blasters in the industry.

Manufacturing over 54 million pounds of packaged explosives and more than 1.2 million tons of ammonium nitrate capacity across 32 manufacturing facilities on three continents including state-of-the-art initiation systems facilities in the United States, Australia and Mexico.

A Incitec Pivot Limited business, Dyno Nobel’s Helidon site in southeast Queensland is again expanding to increase electronic detonator production.

Employee numbers have grown since an expansion in 2019, and with demand continuing, the Helidon team want to strengthen its diverse and inclusive workforce.

As a complement to its traditional recruitment strategies, Helidon is embracing new employee attraction channels that target local talent from diverse backgrounds who may not have previously been reached.

Most recently, the Helidon team partnered with Indigenous Workstars, a career pathways provider that connects Indigenous skilled workers or trainees to jobs.

In December, six Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees joined Dyno Nobel, becoming the first recruits to join Helidon’s Manufacturing team via Indigenous Workstars.

Helidon site manager Paddy Wiggall said strengthening inclusion is our aim at Helidon.

“By employing people from diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, all of our employees can benefit from the opportunity to gain new perspectives and understandings,” he said.

“It is important that we not only offer positions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples in our communities, but that we provide a workplace where these recruits can pursue their career goals, build their confidence and have succession opportunities within the business.”

The Helidon team has also focused on improving gender diversity which has led to women making up more than half of its workforce – 54 per cent.

Mr Wiggall said Dyno Nobel was committed to the region and employing locally as much as possible.

“At Helidon, we produce products that are vital to Australia’s resources sector. We’re committed to continuing to support the Australian manufacturing sector and the great region in which we operate.”

Originally published as Helidon detonator facility looks for more Darling Downs workers