GOEX Powder Sold ?

[Blacksmith101]

It looks like GOEX may have been sold. There are no details but the Hogdon website has this: https://hodgdon.com/company/about-us/

In January 2009 Hodgdon acquired an American icon GOEX Powder, Inc. GOEX has a rich history dating back to 1802 where E.I. Du Pont de Nemours broke ground on his original black powder plant along the Brandywine River in Delaware. Goex Powder, Inc. manufactures black powder used for sporting applications such as civil war re-enactments and flintlock firearms, and is a vital component for industrial and military applications. Located in Minden, Louisiana, GOEX Powder, Inc. is the only U.S. manufacturer of black powder. Hodgdon then sold the GOEX plant and brand in 2021.

My emphasis.

 

[Melnic]

been posted several times now and duplicated I think 3 times

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=260110

 

[Blacksmith101]

been posted several times now and duplicated I think 3 times

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=260110

Nothing in that link about a sale actually being made. If someone has bought the facility and the name hopefully they will continue to make black powder and GOEX brand will once again be on dealer shelves.

 

[delaware_export]

Hadn’t heard they sold GOEX just that they were stopping production.

Curious who they sold to and if things will restart at some point.

 

[Melnic]

Nothing in that link about a sale actually being made. If someone has bought the facility and the name hopefully they will continue to make black powder and GOEX brand will once again be on dealer shelves.

Good point.
I did find this post on another forum
https://www.ilovemuzzleloading.com/blog/goex-listed-as-sold-on-hodgdon-website

older video mentioning the decision to sell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHLS3dwxr4o

 

[K3LAG]

I am participating in this years National Association of Rocketry Convention, vNARCON, and the rumor is that the Estes bought GOEX. I have no further details.

Update: Just heard a presentation from Estes and they bought GOEX on 19 Jan. They have a team down there to start getting the plant back up and running. Apparently they haven't been producing since the accident they had last year if I understood it correctly.

 

[Allen65]

Apparently they haven't been producing since the accident they had last year if I understood it correctly.

That's what I understand, too. The accident caused significant damage to the plant and equipment, and it's going to take additional capital investment just to get back to prior production capacity.

 

[John from MD]

I am participating in this years National Association of Rocketry Convention, vNARCON, and the rumor is that the Estes bought GOEX. I have no further details.

Update: Just heard a presentation from Estes and they bought GOEX on 19 Jan. They have a team down there to start getting the plant back up and running. Apparently they haven't been producing since the accident they had last year if I understood it correctly.

I hope they will have some extra from making rocket motors to make good ole gunpowder.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Seems that GOEX now shares the Estes Rockets Colorado address, so this rumor appears to be true. The black powder connection to Estes and their rocket engines certainly makes sense. What seems odd though, is that Estes appears to be a small family owned company. Depending on the source, they show as having between 39 and 62 employees, with revenue between 5 and 7 million. Not exactly a corporate giant of a buyer if true, but there must be more than meets the eye behind those numbers I suppose.

It'll be interesting to see what develops. Would be great to keep GOEX afloat, along with USA manufacture of black powder generally, if at all possible. GOEX is said to make 8 grades of black powder for the military as well.

 

[John from MD]

Seems that GOEX now shares the Estes Rockets Colorado address, so this rumor appears to be true. The black powder connection to Estes and their rocket engines certainly makes sense. What seems odd though, is that Estes appears to be a small family owned company. Depending on the source, they show as having between 39 and 62 employees, with revenue between 5 and 7 million. Not exactly a corporate giant of a buyer if true, but there must be more than meets the eye behind those numbers I suppose.

It'll be interesting to see what develops. Would be great to keep GOEX afloat, along with USA manufacture of black powder generally, if at all possible. GOEX is said to make 8 grades of black powder for the military as well.

BP is used in a bunch of stuff other than model rockets and muzzleloaders.

 

[K3LAG]

Estes created a new division called Estes Energetics last year. They will be the ones that run GOEX. They will keep the GOEX name and plan to have production up and running again within a few months.

https://estesenergetics.com

Since Estes was bought in 2018 after Hobbico's bankruptcy they have really improved the health of the company.

Although they didn't give a percentage there was an implication that Estes was a pretty substantial GOEX customer.

 

[THier]

I am participating in this years National Association of Rocketry Convention, vNARCON, and the rumor is that the Estes bought GOEX. I have no further details.

Update: Just heard a presentation from Estes and they bought GOEX on 19 Jan. They have a team down there to start getting the plant back up and running. Apparently they haven't been producing since the accident they had last year if I understood it correctly.

Damn never thought about BP motors, I was thinking deployment charges. My Estes motors will be my retirement.

 

[THier]

BP is used in a bunch of stuff other than model rockets and muzzleloaders.

Yosemite Sam goes through it by the barrel full.

 

[K3LAG]

When the GOEX shutdown happened Estes examined what it would take to get black powder from another source. Apparently the other source that is available is in Europe. I don't know if it's some US law or some other reason but they said that it would have to be shipped from Europe to Canada and then into the US. The additional shipping costs and supply chain issues were quite a concern.

 

[THier]

When the GOEX shutdown happened Estes examined what it would take to get black powder from another source. Apparently the other source that is available is in Europe. I don't know if it's some US law or some other reason but they said that it would have to be shipped from Europe to Canada and then into the US. The additional shipping costs and supply chain issues were quite a concern.

Looks like APCPis the answer

 

[K3LAG]

Looks like APCPis the answer

Well, interestingly their new division is doing APCP stuff for commercial motors. They haven't decided yet whether or not to move it the hobby side.

 

[tjiann]

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...black-powder-production-legacy-301470912.html

 

[Blacksmith101]

Black Powder A Strategic Material

Who knew how important black powder is to today's US Military? Apparently it still used in modern munitions, not as a propellant but as an igniter to get the actual propellant all burning at the same time.

Link to THE CHEMICAL AND BALLISTIC PROPERTIES OF BLACK POWDER
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA363142.pdf

An interesting short read that has some interesting references included.

Black powder specification MIL-P-223B POWDER BLACK
Charcoal specification JAN-C-178 CHARCOAL FOR USE IN MUNITIONS
Urbanski, Tadeusz, Chemistry and Technology of Explosives, Vol. III, Pergamon Press, N. Y., 1967,

 

[John from MD]

Unless something has changed in the last 20 years, it is still used in cartridges that are used to drop bombs, launch AIM 7 missiles (if any are still around) and to eject your drop tanks.