Manufacturer of civil explosives and fine chemicals with Custom Synthesis and Contract Manufacturing
SSE Holding SA (Société Suisse des Explosifs)
Brig-Glis (CH) · Nanztal/Gamsen (CH, production site) · subsidiaries in 9 European countriesNew on Amplifa
About the SSE Group
The SSE Group (Société Suisse des Explosifs) is a private industrial group headquartered in Brig in the canton of Valais, in existence since 1894. The group comprises two core businesses: the manufacture and distribution of civil explosives and blasting services (Drilling & Blasting) for construction and mining, and fine chemicals through its subsidiary Valsynthese SA, which offers Custom Synthesis and Contract Manufacturing for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Explosives production takes place at a protected location in the Nanztal valley near Brig, spread across around 100 buildings for safety reasons; products include, among others, PETN (Nitropenta), Detonex-brand detonating cords and emulsion explosives, which are also placed using self-developed Morse-type site-mixing trucks. SSE has been certified by the French space agency CNES as a supplier for the Ariane program. With more than 700 employees in 8 to 9 countries, subsidiaries across Europe and a consolidated revenue of CHF 179 million (2025), the group supplies customers worldwide.
- Site
- Brig-Glis
- Processes
- Custom Synthesis, Contract Manufacturing, Drilling & Blasting Services, Pyrotechnic Products
- Materials
- Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (Nitropenta), Detonating cords, Emulsion explosives, Fine chemicals (Custom Synthesis)
- Founded
- 1894
- Employees
- 700
- Industries
- Construction/Mining (explosives), Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Security and defense industry, Aerospace
- 01
Research & Development
- 02
Chemical Synthesis / Explosives Production
- 03
Quality Control
- 04
Distribution and Blasting Services (Drilling & Blasting)
Products and Processes
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (Nitropenta)
High brisance explosive, among other things for military and security-related applications; strongly increased exports from Switzerland in 2025.
Detonating cords
PETN-based detonating cords for civil and military applications as well as for opening the capsule head in the Ariane program.
Emulsion explosives
Water-gelatinized or emulsion explosives, placed using self-developed Morse-type site-mixing trucks.
Fine chemicals (Custom Synthesis)
Custom syntheses and Contract Manufacturing for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, among others 3-NOP.
Sites
Brig-Glis
CHHead office and main production site of SSE Holding SA
- Materials
- Explosives, fine chemicals
Nanztal/Gamsen
CHExplosives production at a protected location
- Materials
- Dynamite, blasting gelatin, PETN, detonating cords
- Morse-type site-mixing trucks
Industries
Additional services
Reference customers
History
- 1894
Founding of the Société Suisse des Explosifs (SSE) by Pietro Ronchetti and Xaver Bender in Brig to supply the Simplon tunnel construction with explosives.
- 1895
Start of dynamite production in Gamsen (20 July 1895).
- 1924
First frost-resistant blasting gelatin in Switzerland brought to market.
- 1970
Expansion of the product portfolio into fine chemicals.
- 1983
Founding of Valsynthese SA – entry into the pharmaceutical sector with UPSA; complete acquisition by SSE in 1995.
- 2013
Acquisition of the business units of EPC Deutschland in Germany, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic; diversification into pyrotechnics (Hamberger Swiss Pyrotechnics AG).
- 2015
Expansion through the acquisition of Orica Germany GmbH in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia; founding of SSE Holding SA; activities in Macedonia.
- 2024
Announcement of the closure of Eurodyn (Germany).
- 2025
Eighth consecutive jump in profit: revenue CHF 179 million, record EBITDA CHF 29.2 million, net profit CHF 14.8 million; chemicals revenue CHF 37.3 million (+21%); completion of the Eurodyn closure; first ESG report publication (Resonance).
- 2026
Announcement of a capital increase to finance strategic development projects.