ABIMEX

By Odair Jose Santos

The Brazilian Association of Explosive Materials – ABIMEX – was founded in 2017 with the objective of operating in the area of controlled products by the Brazilian Army, aiming to bring together companies and institutions involved in the development, production, and use of explosives. Its headquarter is located at 1313 Paulista Avenue, 8th floor, 811, Cerqueira Cesar, ZIP Code 01311-923, in the city of São Paulo, state of São Paulo.

ABIMEX's proposal is to facilitate business transactions among its members, providing access to high-quality information about the market and put together companies and government regulatory bodies, thus avoiding potential operational discrepancies.

ABIMEX's purpose has been collaboration with the primary regulator of explosives, the Brazilian Army through its Diretoria de Fiscalização de Produtos Controlados (DFPC). As an example, in the last five years, the Brazilian Army updated the legislation related to explosives and their accessories. ABIMEX worked actively in the final drafting of these regulations, reaffirming it’s involvement in safety developments for the general population, users, and the industry as a whole.

ABIMEX has been support for the sector and is fully aligned with the proposed guidelines, actively participating in discussion forums, seeking to contribute to the development of best practices and the updating of legislation whenever required.

ABIMEX creates favorable environments for the discussion of relevant topics such as new regulations and technologies, always aiming to reconcile industry investments with safety in the handling, storage, and transportation of explosives. It's worth noting that 95% of the manufacturers in Brazil are affiliated with the Association.

To facilitate access for members and those interested in the topics addressed by the Association, a YouTube channel has been created, which hosts live streams and discussions meetings on relevant subjects.

ABIMEX is honored to maintain partnerships with key stakeholders involved in explosive safety, such as SAFEX INTERNATIONAL, INSTITUTE OF MAKERS OF EXPLOSIVES – IME, and INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF EXPLOSIVES ENGINEERS – ISEE.

Participation in fairs and events related to the sector is another way to showcase the work of the Association and interact with key players in the market.

In an effort to further strengthen the organization several working groups (GT) have been created, focused on deep and objective discussions of each topic, always seeking to improve the quality of operations.

Every two years ABIMEX organize BLASTECH, a Technical Forum joining the Explosives Manufactures, Costumers, Government Agencies, Academic Institutions and Professionals related with explosives.

Odair Jose Santos/President - Holds a degree in business administration and managerial processes, with an MBA in Administration and Knowledge Management and in Planning and Strategic Management. He is a blaster with 29 years of experience at ENAEX Brasil, including 15 years in military matters. He specializes in Compliance and relevant legislation related to Controlled Explosive Products (PCE). He served as a member of the Consultative Council of DFPC for 2 years and is currently the President of ABIMEX – Brazilian Association of Explosive Industries and the Explosives Director of Sindex – Union of Explosive Industries in São Paulo.