State-owned explosive firm launches electronic detonator, restarts booster plant
State-owned explosives manufacturer PT Dahana has resumed operations at its booster plant and launched an electronic detonator product as part of efforts to strengthen domestic production capacity and reduce Indonesia's reliance on imported blasting materials.
The move comes as Indonesia seeks greater self-sufficiency in mining supplies for an industry that contributed approximately 14 percent to the country's GDP in 2025. Before 2020, Indonesia imported an estimated 60-70 percent of its commercial explosives and detonators, representing substantial trade expenditure in the mining supplies sector.
"The reoperation of the Booster Plant and the presence of the Electronic Detonator Assembly Plant are concrete manifestations of Dahana's investment in infrastructure and technology to strengthen supply, increase self-reliance and provide blasting solutions that are increasingly suited to modern industry needs," Dahana president director Hary Irmawan said on Wednesday.
Established in 1966, PT Dahana operates under the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises and has positioned itself as the primary domestic supplier of explosives to Indonesia's mining sector, which produces significant quantities of coal, nickel, copper, tin and gold.
Booster plant returns to full capacity
The booster plant, operated through a joint venture between Dahana and DAK Energetics, resumed full operations in October 2025 after closing in May 2021. DAK Energetics is a subsidiary of Australia's Perenti Global and specializes in explosives manufacturing and blasting services across the Asia-Pacific region.
With an installed capacity of 3 million units annually, the facility produces Dayaprime Pentolite Booster in 200-gram and 400-gram variants. Pentolite, a mixture of PETN and TNT, has been widely used in military and commercial applications since World War II due to its high detonation velocity. The compound provides strong and consistent initiation for blasting applications in mining operations.
Electronic detonator offers safety advantages
Dahana also launched Dayatronic, an electronic detonator assembled at its new facility in Subang, West Java. The location provides strategic proximity to major mining operations in Sumatra and Kalimantan, reducing logistics costs for product distribution across Indonesia's key mining regions.
Electronic detonators offer improved safety compared to traditional pyrotechnic detonators by eliminating the risk of premature detonation from stray electrical currents or radio frequencies. The technology features programmable delay times for more precise blasting in underground mines, quarries and open-pit operations.
While electronic detonator systems typically cost three to five times more than conventional detonators, they can reduce overall blasting costs by 10-20 percent through improved precision and reduced over-break in mining operations, according to industry data.
Supporting local content requirements
The expansion of domestic explosives production aligns with Indonesian government mining regulations that require mining companies to prioritize domestic suppliers for equipment and materials, including explosives, as part of local content requirements.
Indonesia's position as one of the world's largest coal exporters and a major producer of base and precious metals drives substantial domestic demand for commercial explosives. The mining sector's reliance on blasting products for extraction operations makes domestic production capacity strategically important for supply security and economic efficiency.
The reopening of the booster plant and launch of electronic detonator production represent Dahana's continued investment in expanding Indonesia's self-sufficiency in mining supplies and reducing dependence on imported blasting technology.
