6
Following a period of Japanese domination in the 1960s, ICI re-
established itself as the major supplier in the 1970s. In 1977,
through imports together with the on-site slurry explosives manu-
facturing facility at the High Island scheme, ICI provided more
than 70% of the total Hong Kong demand for industrial blasting
explosives, excluding ANFO.
3. Through various subsidiaries in the region, ICI has strong back-
up facilities to support the explosives manufacturing operation
in Hong Kong. In addition to the nearby production facilities
mentioned previously, ie Atlas Taiwan Corporation and Philippines
Explosives Corporation, there is the administrative and operating
subsidiary in Hong Kong ICI (China) Ltd.
4. Another subsidiary
ICI Explosives (Far East) Ltd based in
Singapore has the responsibility of co-ordinating sales, supplies
and distribution in the area. This Singapore subsidiary maintains
major stocks of blasting supplies, and also operates a vessel on
permanent charter for distribution in the Far East zone.
This
service provides a complete range of blasting explosives and
accessories originating from one or other of ICI's major production
plants.
5. So as to minimise hazards in manufacture, the processes which would
be adopted by ICI at the Stonecutters Island plant would be restricted
to simple mixing and blending of raw materials which are individually
non-explosives, together with their subsequent packaging.
No chemical conversion processes involving chemical reactions, eg
oxidation or nitration, will be involved, nor handling of acids
or similar materials which pose problems of toxicity or contact
hazards.