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Fire at Hodgen powder plant?

12K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  Cerberus 
#1 ·
I heard a rumor that the hodgen powder plant had a fire and they have stopped production. Any truth to the rumor?
 
#2 ·
There has been a fair amount of discussion of this on trapshooters. So far no one has come up with a link to a news article. The specifics are supposed to be that it is the Clays plant in Australia that had a fire in the 'fluffing' area.

There are similar rumors that date back to about 2009 - hodgdon plant burns down - no powder for a year.

I kind of think it was the same fire that burned down white fliers pitch plant.
 
#5 ·
It is Hodgdon and no.

Oregunner
Date: Thu, May 30, 2013 - 12:39 PM ET

This is an internet rumor that got started, that I wasn't able to verify anywhere. You think that some news organization would have some kind of information on this, if it actually happened. It's amazing what people believe just from word of mouth. I heard it was an explosion set off by the government to destroy Obama's true birth certificate. Mark

PS. I just got off the phone with Mike at Hodgdon Powder, phone #913-362-9455, and he confirmed that there has been NO fires and that they running at full capacity. Mark
 
#6 ·
Randy
Thanks for checking. I will tell the person I heard the rumor from that there hasn't been any fire.
 
#7 ·
But then you have this post:

E-mail correspondence I just received back from Chris Hodgdon.

From: oregunner Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 2:35 PM To: Chris Hodgdon Subject: Fire

Chris, You are being quoted on Trapshooters.com as confirming that shotgun powder production has ceased until the first of next year, according to a phone conversation you apparently had with a poster named 7mag. I talked to Mike at your business and he said there had been no fire at any of your plants and that production was in full swing. Could you please confirm or deny these reports? Thanks, Mark (oregunner)

Mark

I think the best thing to say right now is that the truth is that we've shipped more powder in 2013 than ever in our 66 year history. We are shipping hundreds of thousands of pounds of powder every month, 75% more than last year with no end in sight. We've shipped tons of Clays powders and will be shipping more. All powders are in short supply no matter what it is.
Whether one calls the answer "evasive" or "weasely" I don' t know. But Chris Hodgdon was given an opportunity to deny there had been an interruption is powder production and he didn't take it. I would say the "rumor" is still alive.
 
#8 ·
Well, since the plant that supposedly burned down supplies powder for the Aussie military you'd think it might have made at least a small blurb in the Australian news outlets. Nothing turns up on google.

Hodgdon doesn't make Clays. Clays, Universal Clays, and International Clays are made by ADI in Australia.

FWIW ADI is now Thales Australia Limited

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... uct-codes/
 
#9 ·
The rumor is that a piece of equipment essential to the manufacturing process was damaged by fire, not that the entire plant burned down. The matter might not have been significant enough to attract the attention of the media.

And it may be that Hodgdon has enough powder stockpiled to maintain distribution such that an interruption by the manufacturer may not cause them a problem. They probably receive the powder in bulk and bottle it themselves. I recall a news report in the KC Star in the early 1970's of a Hodgdon powder magazine exploding.
 
#11 ·
Burnt Powder said:
The Hodgdon fire explosion way back then was with the only powder they ever manufactured, Pyrodex.

BP
My point was that they have magazines.
 
#12 ·
Nebs said:
But then you have this post:

E-mail correspondence I just received back from Chris Hodgdon.

From: oregunner Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 2:35 PM To: Chris Hodgdon Subject: Fire

Chris, You are being quoted on Trapshooters.com as confirming that shotgun powder production has ceased until the first of next year, according to a phone conversation you apparently had with a poster named 7mag. I talked to Mike at your business and he said there had been no fire at any of your plants and that production was in full swing. Could you please confirm or deny these reports? Thanks, Mark (oregunner)

Mark

I think the best thing to say right now is that the truth is that we've shipped more powder in 2013 than ever in our 66 year history. We are shipping hundreds of thousands of pounds of powder every month, 75% more than last year with no end in sight. We've shipped tons of Clays powders and will be shipping more. All powders are in short supply no matter what it is.
Whether one calls the answer "evasive" or "weasely" I don' t know. But Chris Hodgdon was given an opportunity to deny there had been an interruption is powder production and he didn't take it. I would say the "rumor" is still alive.
My conjecture on this is that it might be bad for business to confirm that you have an interruption in your supply chain. Retailers might decide to make their next order with a competitor. Although, it seems at the moment, that one could sell all the product you could get your hands on. His e-mail response did seem to be more evasive than necessary.
Mark
 
#14 ·
Burnt Powder said:
The Hodgdon fire explosion way back then was with the only powder they ever manufactured, Pyrodex.

BP
Oh, there have been fires . . . Hodgdon makes Pyrodex, Triple Se7en, and owns Goex. They do not make smokeless propellants, nor have they ever.

This notice has been on the Hodgdon website all year:

Why can't I find Hodgdon powders?
As you have seen, ammunition and reloading components - including all Hodgdon powders - are hard to find. Dealer shelves that used to hold cans of powder are empty. Here are answers to your questions straight from
Hodgdon.
Q: Are you still making powders?
A: We are shipping more powder this year than we shipped last year. We are shipping as fast as the powder is available. The real problem why you are seeing empty shelves is demand. The demand for powder (and all ammunition and components) is far greater than the supply from the manufacturers. We just cannot make enough to feed this demand right now. No one wants to ship more during this time than we do.
Q: Are you still in business?
A: Yes, Hodgdon is here for the long haul. We are doing everything we can to supply our powders. Dealer's shelves are empty because powders are being purchased as soon as they arrive at the Dealer's stores.
Q: What is causing this high demand?
A: The current political climate can have the regulatory consequence of impacting law abiding, hard working shooters and hunters. This has caused extremely high demand on all shooting industry products resulting in empty shelves, long back-orders, and on-line auction sites asking exaggerated prices.
Q: I have seen/heardmany rumors and conjecture on the cause of this powder shortage.
A: If you do not hear it from Hodgdon Powder Company please don't believe it.
Q: Is the shortage of reloading powder being caused by Hodgdon shipping their powder to the ammunition manufacturing companies?
A: No. While we do sell to some ammunition manufacturing companies, we continue to sell over 80% of our powder to handloaders just like you. Hodgdon has always been committed to the individual handloader.
Q: When will I start to see more powder on Dealer shelves?
A: This level of demand will not last forever. As soon as demand slows a little we will start making headway into our backlog.
Sooner or later, they have to get tired of answering the same nonsense they have answered thousands of times before on the same day.

There is no Hodgdon shotshell propellant plant. There is no "Clays" propellant plant.

Hodgdon has purchased from ADI (Thales Australia Ltd.), St. Mark's, Nexplo, Vihtavuori, ATK, Bofors, General Dynamics, IMR, etc., etc., etc., and many more that there is no point talking about.
 
#17 ·
Nebs said:
Whether one calls the answer "evasive" or "weasely" I don' t know. But Chris Hodgdon was given an opportunity to deny there had been an interruption is powder production and he didn't take it. I would say the "rumor" is still alive.
Maybe Chris Hodgdon should get a job as a high level manager at the IRS. ;)

Q: Did you have a fire?
A: I like pie
 
#18 ·
My conjecture on this is that it might be bad for business to confirm that you have an interruption in your supply chain. Retailers might decide to make their next order with a competitor. Although, it seems at the moment, that one could sell all the product you could get your hands on. His e-mail response did seem to be more evasive than necessary.
Mark
What competitor?

They own most of the brands of powder available in the US, and there is no where else to go if you have become dependent on their products.
 
#20 ·
Cerberus said:
My conjecture on this is that it might be bad for business to confirm that you have an interruption in your supply chain. Retailers might decide to make their next order with a competitor. Although, it seems at the moment, that one could sell all the product you could get your hands on. His e-mail response did seem to be more evasive than necessary.
Mark
What competitor?

They own most of the brands of powder available in the US, and there is no where else to go if you have become dependent on their products.
I shoot Alliant powders. Mark
 
#21 ·
oregunner said:
Cerberus said:
My conjecture on this is that it might be bad for business to confirm that you have an interruption in your supply chain. Retailers might decide to make their next order with a competitor. Although, it seems at the moment, that one could sell all the product you could get your hands on. His e-mail response did seem to be more evasive than necessary.
Mark
What competitor?

They own most of the brands of powder available in the US, and there is no where else to go if you have become dependent on their products.
I shoot Alliant powders. Mark
Then your safe...for now.

Let's hope they don't have a fire too. :(
 
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