Orica facts for kids
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Orica House, the company headquarters
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Formerly
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ICI Australia |
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| Public | |
| Traded as | ASX: ORI |
| Industry | Metals, mining, oil and gas, construction, tunnelling |
| Founded | 1874 |
| Headquarters | Orica House East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Key people
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Malcolm Broomhead (Non-Executive Director & Chairman) Sanjeev Gandhi (Managing Director & CEO) |
| Products | Explosives, Sodium cyanide, Ground support |
| Revenue |  AU$7.1 billion (2021/22) |
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Operating income
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AU$374 million (2021/22) |
| AU$49 million (2021/22) |
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| Total assets | AU$8.4 billion (September 2022) |
| Total equity | AU$3.7 billion (September 2022) |
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Number of employees
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15,000 (2021) |
Orica Limited is an Australian company. It is one of the world's biggest suppliers of commercial explosives. These are used in mining, quarrying, and construction.
Orica also provides blasting systems for these industries. They supply sodium cyanide for gold extraction. The company also offers special ground support services for mining and tunnelling projects.
Orica has about 15,000 employees and contractors. They serve customers in over 100 countries. Orica is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Contents
Company History
Orica started in 1874 as Jones, Scott and Co. This company supplied explosives during the Victorian gold rush. Later, Nobel Industries bought it.
Nobel then joined with other British chemical makers. Together, they formed Imperial Chemical Industries. In 1928, Imperial Chemical Industries of Australia and New Zealand (ICIANZ) was created. This group managed all their business in Australia and New Zealand.
In 1997, ICI Australia became an independent company. Imperial Chemical Industries sold its shares. On February 2, 1998, ICI Australia changed its name to Orica.
In 2010, Orica separated its Dulux paint business. This allowed Orica to focus on mining, construction, and infrastructure.
In 2014, Orica sold its chemicals business. This part of the company now operates as Ixom.
Financial Overview
In 2016, Orica's total income was AUD$5.1 billion. Their profit after tax was $343 million. This shows the company's financial strength.
Working Sustainably
Orica is part of important sustainability groups. These include the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. They are also in the Australian SAM Sustainability Index (AuSSI) and the FTSE4Good Index.
These groups check how well companies perform in being sustainable. Orica publishes a report each year. This report shows their progress in protecting the environment.
In 2014, Orica was seen as a leader in "natural capital decoupling." This means they grew their business while reducing their environmental impact.
Industries Orica Serves
Orica works in many different areas. They provide services to:
- Surface metal mining
- Surface coal mining
- Underground mining
- Underground construction
- Construction projects
- Quarrying (getting stone from the ground)
- Oil and gas operations
Products and Services
Orica has three main business areas.
Blasting Solutions
Orica is one of the world's largest suppliers of commercial explosives. They also provide blasting systems. These are used in mining, quarrying, and construction.
Their blasting products include:
- Contracted services
- Initiators (to start explosions)
- Boosters (to make explosions stronger)
- Bulk explosives
- Packaged explosives
- Data and analysis tools
- Other helpful services
- Seismic systems (for ground surveys)
Minova Products
Minova is a company that used to be part of Orica. They offer products like:
- Steel bolts and plates
- Glassfibre reinforced polymer bolts
- Special chemicals and foams
- Mesh
- Resin capsules
- Cement-based grouts and coatings
- Pumps
- Soil anchoring systems
- Ballast bonding polymers
- Accessories and engineering help
Sodium Cyanide Supply
Orica is a major supplier of sodium cyanide. This chemical is used to extract gold from ore.
Their services for sodium cyanide include:
- Analysers (to check purity)
- PRO service
- Data and analysis tools
- Sparge (a process for using the chemical)
- Training for safe use
Company Headquarters
Orica House is in East Melbourne. It was once Australia's tallest building. It was one of the first tall buildings in Australian cities during the 1950s.
Environmental Incidents
Orica has faced some environmental challenges. The company has worked to address these issues.
Incidents in Australia
Botany, New South Wales
Groundwater Contamination
For many years, chemical production at the old ICI site caused contamination. This affected the aquifer (underground water supply) in Botany. The main chemical found was EDC.
Orica built a special plant to clean this water. This plant helps contain the contamination. It also provides clean water for industrial use. This saves a lot of Sydney's drinking water. Residents were told not to use the groundwater.
Mercury Leaks
In September 2011, the Botany plant released mercury vapor. This went on for nine hours. An air monitor near homes detected it. Authorities were told about the release.
Experts said mercury is very harmful. The leak was linked to mercury in the soil from old pipes. The New South Wales Minister for the Environment expressed disappointment.
In January 2012, another mercury leak happened at the Port Botany plant. This was the second mercury incident in a few months. Orica reported this leak later than required. The leak was from a waste cleanup project.
Gladstone, Queensland
Cyanide Releases
In June 2012, the Queensland Department of Environment & Science took legal action against Orica. This was for releasing water with high levels of cyanide. The releases happened into Gladstone Harbour.
The company was charged for not informing the Department. These charges were about breaking rules, not about causing environmental harm.
Kooragang, New South Wales
In 2011, Orica had several chemical incidents in Australia. These included leaks at their Kooragang Island plant.
Chromium Leak
In August 2011, the Kooragang Island plant released hexavalent chromium. This chemical can be harmful. The leak lasted about 20 minutes.
About 70 homes nearby were affected. Orica did not tell authorities for 16 hours. Residents were not told for three days. The ammonia plant at Kooragang Island was temporarily closed.
Arsenic in Hunter River
In August 2011, water with high levels of arsenic leaked into the Hunter River. This happened during a cleanup of another spill. Arsenic had not been used on the site since 1993.
The Premier of New South Wales said he was concerned. He mentioned that two spills in a short time raised questions about the company's operations.
Ammonia Release
In November 2011, ammonia gas was released from the Kooragang Island plant. This happened for about 45 minutes. It was due to a safety valve opening.
Two railway workers nearby were affected by the gas. They were taken to the hospital. Firefighters were called to deal with the leak.
Ammonium Nitrate Leak
In December 2011, over 20,000 liters of ammonium nitrate solution leaked. This happened onto grassy areas at the Kooragang Island plant. Emergency services, including a HAZMAT team, were called.
This spill happened soon after part of the plant was allowed to reopen. Local residents were upset about not being told quickly.
Hydrogen Stack Fire
In January 2012, lightning caused a fire. It ignited hydrogen being released from the plant. Flames over 20 meters high were seen. Local residents reported the fire to authorities.
Port Kembla, New South Wales
Sulphuric Acid Leak
In December 2011, about 3,000 to 4,000 liters of sulphuric acid spilled. This happened at the Port Kembla chemical plant. A hole in a pipeline was thought to be the cause.
Authorities expressed concern about the ongoing incidents with Orica.
Incident in Mexico
Coahuila
Explosion, 2007
In September 2007, an accident happened in Coahuila, Mexico. A truck carrying about 25 tons of dynamite exploded. This was dynamite for Orica.
The explosion resulted in 28 deaths and over 250 injuries. Orica's website stated that 27 of those who died were contractors or members of the public.
Images for kids
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Orica House
