to view the Ensign-Bickford Presentation

Ensign-Bickford
Industries, Inc.
(EBI)
“Avon’s Explosive Heritage”
Presentation by Caleb Ensign White (01/11/2014)
President & Chief Executive Officer – Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc.
The Invention of the Safety Fuse
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On September 6th, 1831, William Bickford, a leather
merchant from Tuckingmill, England, was issued a
patent for the “safety fuze”.
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Bickford’s invention responded to the numerous
deadly accidents occurring in the tin, coal, and slate
mines in Great Britain.
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Almost immediately, the use of the safety fuse
reduced injuries and fatalities by 90%.
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Safety fuse first used in the British military in 1840
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In 1835, the English partnership that would
become the parent of the eventual EBI is
established in England by William Bickford’s son,
John Bickford, his son-in-law George Smith, and a
non-family engineer named Thomas Davey.
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Even today, William Bickford’s descendents remain
linked to EBI and attended its 175th anniversary
event in 2011.
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The Safety Fuse Comes to America
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1705, copper discovered in East Granby, CT with a
smelter erected at Hop Brook in Simsbury
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Parliament prohibits mining…wanting this market
for British goods
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East Granby mine re-opened in 1830s with Richard
Bacon as Superintendent
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Bacon reads about safety fuse and sees the market
opportunity. Huge growth of U.S. mining due to
railroad expansion and coal and iron discoveries.
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Bacon travels to England in 1836 and is appointed
“agent for sale” in America.
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Due to export duties, U.S. manufacturing is seen as
an immediate priority with Joseph Eales and
equipment sent over from England to assist Bacon.
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First plant built in East Weatogue, CT.
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In the fall of 1836, the formal partnership of Bacon,
Bickford, Eales & Co. was established and the birth
of what is now EBI (through the Ensign-Bickford
Company (EBCo) – its explosives business) is
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recognized.
The Arrival of Joseph Toy
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Safety fuse manufacturing often took a back seat to
farming and the harvest
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A lack of disciplined record keeping...in particular
between farming equipment and labor and safety
fuse manufacturing equipment and labor….leads
English partners to assign their own representative
to U.S.
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August 18th, 1839: Joseph Toy arrives in New York
after a six week sea voyage accompanied by his
wife, Jane Osler, and 3 young children.
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A few days later, they arrive in Simsbury with their
wagon breaking down coming down Talcott
Mountain.
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Three months after arriving, a fire destroys the
original East Weatogue plant in November, 1839.
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Toy re-builds plant in East Weatogue in 1940
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2nd plant destroyed in 1851 fire, leading to breaking
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away from Bacon
Ralph Hart Ensign’s Leadership
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Ralph Hart Ensign of Simsbury married Susan Toy
(Joseph’s daughter) on July 21, 1863
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Joseph Toy dies in 1887 having increased the sales of
safety fuse to 45 million feet per year by his death
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Explosive growth during America’s extremely
prosperous late 19th century and early 20th century.
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Ralph Hart Ensign was seen as a visionary….great
planner with great foresight.
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Engineered many mergers and acquisitions over his
many years as president
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Grew EBCo to a national power with few competitors
and with a strong link to E.I. duPont de Nemours and
Company (Dupont)
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Had 3 surviving children: Joseph, Susan and Julia
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Died in 1917
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Other founding families from the area
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Lemuel Stoughton Ellsworth of
Windsor, CT married Ann Jane Toy in
1866
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Daughter, Jeanette Toy marries Charles
Edson Curtiss of Simsbury, CT in 1876.
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The gold rush of 1849 brought the
need for safety fuse out West and by
1867, Joseph Toy knew he needed
management in California.
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Started with Lemuel
Ellsworth…..succeeded by James Bestor
Merritt (step son of Joseph Toy from
2nd wife Sarah Humphrey Merritt).
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Joseph Ensign’s Leadership
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Joined out of college in 1890…brought technology
like the microscope and typewriter.
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Married Mary J. Phelps of Simsbury and they had one
daughter, Mary Phelps Lovejoy (great grandmother
of current Chairman)
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Joseph’s sister, Susan Ensign, married Reverend
William Inglis Morse and moved to Massachusetts.
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Joseph’s sister, Julia Ensign, married Robert Darling
who joined Ensign-Bickford in 1904.
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He took over the Presidency after his father died just
before WWI in 1917.
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Drove EBCo’s first international expansions – Canada
(around 1919) and Mexico (1933)
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Died in 1941
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Explosives Manufacturing Comes to Avon, CT
Climax Fuse Company – 1908
Climax Fuse Employees – 1899
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The start of the explosives industry in Avon can be
traced to around 1850 when Romeo Andrews, who
previously worked in Simsbury at the EnsignBickford plant, established R. Andrews & Sons.
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There was an anti-English sentiment that existed
during this time and one of the appeals of the Avon
industry was its American ownership.
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Avon proved to provide a hotbed of competition
and actually drove improvements in the industry as
Wheeler & Andrews competed with Joseph Toy
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Various iterations of Andrews’ companies existed in
Avon until 1883 when a final factory burned down.
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At this point, Henry S. Chapman of the Metallic Cap
Company incorporates the Andrews company into
the Climax Fuse Company.
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Eventually joint ventured with Ensign-Bickford in
1892 (50/50%) and merged in 1907.
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September 15th, 1905, worst disaster in fuse
history, 15 died.
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An Industry Marked by Explosions and Fires
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Fire in 1840
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Fire in 1851, moving plant to current location
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Fire on December 20th, 1859 killed 8 women, two
of whom were only 14.
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The 1859 memorial to the dead can be found about
halfway up the hill at the Simsbury cemetery.
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It was the 1859 fire that led to new practices
regarding stone buildings, separate 1 story
buildings, and appropriate distances.
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Hemp mill fire in 1869 leading to Joseph Toy setting
up a the manufacture of jute at the grist mill
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Another fire kills 3 in 1879
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EBCo’s Wartime Contributions
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WW II saw around-the-clock production of detonating
cord
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Primacord® detonating cord plant set up in Avon in
1943
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First factories in Farmington Valley to receive the ArmyNavy “E” Award for outstanding war production
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Detonating cord used to clear mine fields and
demolition
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Every paratrooper carried 50 feet of Primacord as well
as safety fuse and fuse lighters
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A 4-mile length of detonating cord would detonate in 1
second
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Huge expansion during war times to respond to fuses
that were needed for hand grenades, misfire charges,
rifle grenades, gas bombs, etc.
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A few Historical Facts and Figures
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By 1936, EBCo owned over 600 acres in
Simsbury and 400 acres n Avon
616 people employed in 1927
382 in 1936
516 in 1943
614 in 1944 with Primacord® at 16X normal
rates
With V-J Day, 145 employees had to be laid off
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After WWII, safety fuse less critical to EBCo than
detonating cord
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The limiting of explosive logistics necessitated
decentralization of production: Louviers, Colorado
(1967..closed in 1986), Graham, Kentucky (1969)
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Diversification – Darworth (1947) which, while initially
only somewhat successful, expanded to a 44,000 sq. ft.
facility in 1970
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By 1995, subsidiaries or affiliates in Mexico, Canada,
Australia, Chile, Peru, South Africa, China, and France
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The Birth of EBA&D
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1950s, EBCo begins research work with Frankfort
Arsenal and Sandia Corporation looking at special linear
explosives and pyrotechnic devices
Space Ordnance Division created in 1965 – predecessor
of Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company
Confined Detonating Fuse (CDF) used on Saturn and
Apollo vehicles and Polaris, Poseidon and Trident
missiles
By 1967, several programs across the Department of
Defense and N.A.S.A.
By 1980, 250,000 rockets assembled per month
http://www.ebad.com/assets/Videos/EBADGrowthVideoPublic.mp4
The development of AFB International
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1988, EBI makes initial investment in AFB
2000, buys to 100%
Palatant product in nearly all the major brands around the globe
Acquired NuPetra business in 2006
New plants in The Netherlands, Argentina, and under
construction in Brazil
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Growth Through Existing Business Extensions & New Market Platforms
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In 2003, EBI’s commercial explosives business for the mining industry enters into a joint
venture (J.V.) with Dyno-Nobel Holding A S
In 2005, the J.V. is sold exiting Ensign-Bickford from the mining industry
Since 2008, EBI has been building a portfolio with an eye towards growth opportunities that
drive shareholder value.
Establishing New Platforms
Expanding Core Capabilities
Defense & Aerospace Group
Manufacturer of nonelectric initiation
products for military
and other specialty
applications. Products
include single and dual
shock tube initiators,
lead-in lines, and
specialty firing
devices.
Solutions provider for
precision engineered
energetic devices.
Products include pin
pullers/pushers, thrusters,
cable cutters, pyrotechnic
disconnects, cartridge
actuated devices, and
separation bolts/nuts.
2008 Acquisition
2010 Acquisition
Manufacturer of nonexplosive separation
mechanisms, battery cell
bypass switches, electrical
interconnect devices and
non-pyro valves for use in
space and defense
applications. Products used
in satellites, rockets,
missiles, and space
vehicles.
2010 Acquisition
Industry leader in the development
and manufacture of immunoassay
test kits for every link in the food
production chain, from seed to plant
to grain handling and processing.
The company is committed to
providing the most innovative , userfocused diagnostic tests available.
2010 Acquisition
Custom manufacturer of fine and specialty
chemical products. DanChem (DTI)
produces a range of chemical products
efficiently, economically, and in
compliance with third-party standards. The
result is a well established service provider
with a platform for expanding market
opportunities.
2008 Acquisition
The Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc. Family of Businesses - 2014
Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc. is a global business with the proven
expertise in nurturing niche companies into industry-leading platform
companies .
Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc. Today
• Continues to be privately-held almost exclusively by descendants of Joseph Toy who
intend to keep the Company private
• Nearly 1000 employees in over 10 countries (excluding cats and dogs)
• Within U.S., has operations in Missouri, Virginia, Maine, Arizona, California,
Massachusetts and Connecticut
• Revenues are broken out 45% AFB International, 40% EBA&D, 15% newer platforms
• Important heritage real-estate operations
• Solid financial position and investing in the medium-long term
Ensign-Bickford Foundation
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Started in 1951
The chief purpose of the Foundation is to make philanthropic gifts on behalf of EBI
to charitable organizations and educational institutions located in or near the
communities where EBI has operations and where its employees reside or have
affiliations.
Has provided over $10 million to 501(c)(3) organizations
A focus on:
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– Entities in which EBI employees are actively involved
– Entities that may have links with the business mission of our companies
– Entities that play pivotal roles in the communities in which our employees live and work
Also an employee matching program, which matched
over $50,000 in 2013.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvEsopYV
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Appendix - Timeline
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Primacord® detonating cord is a
registered trademark of Dyno Nobel Inc.
© 2014 Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc.
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