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Experienced Professionals
Bob Morhard is a founding Partner of ZMW and has more than 38 years expertise in explosives and detonator technology. His capability extends though explosives formulations and detonator design, explosives and detonator manufacturing, and production plant operations.
Bob Morhard , is qualified in explosives safety, blasting applications, UN hazards testing and performance packaging design, expert witness testimony, compliance and technical audits, due diligence supporting insurance underwriting or investments and acquisitions, and providing explosives sales and marketing. Bob has extensive expertise in explosives manufacturing systems, facility design, construction and start up of new explosives production facilities. Bob has held numerous positions with multinational explosives manufacturers ranging from field technical services, product management, safety director, plant management, and VP and President positions. Bob is the primary author of the textbook: Explosives and Rock Blasting, the editor of the Handbook of Electric Blasting, and has published more than twenty-five technical papers internationally on explosives and detonators. Bob currently serves on many international committees and boards. In the early days, Bob was a member of the elite US Military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team (EOD) and dealt unexploded conventional ordnance, chemical weapons, nuclear and biological weaponry, land mines, aircraft ejection systems and armaments as well as a few IED devices. Bob was certified by the US Department of Defense explosives manufacturing school. Bob has served on European, NATO and US committees related to explosives security and safety. Bob has numerous patents related to explosives.
Professional background before ZMW:
- Atlas Powder Company
- ICI Explosives USA
- ICI Explosives Americas
- ICI Explosives Environmental Company (founder)
- ExploTrack, Inc. (founder)
- DuPont Explosives / Explosives Technologies International
- Trojan Explosives
- Explosives Services, Inc. (founder)
- US Air Force
Professional Credentials
- International Society of Explosives Engineers
- National Fire Protection Association NFPA 495 Explosives Technical Committee
- National Fire Protection Association NFPA 498 Explosives Technical Committee
Tom Zukovich, is a founding Partner of ZMW and has more than 41 years expertise in explosives formulations and explosives production equipment. Tom's background included the design and construction of the original and world's first emulsion explosives plant, and the design and selection of the specific emulsion production equipment and emulsion pump safety protection features now in use globally. Tom also worked on the team designing the world's first emulsion/ANFO bulk truck. Tom has extensive expertise in explosives formulations and associated manufacturing systems, design, and construction and start up of new explosives production facilities. Tom has designed and managed the successful installation and start up of numerous emulsion explosives manufacturing plants presently in use. Tom is an expert for the design of emulsion explosives handling equipment, new processes for blending emulsions with other explosives and propellants, and new processes for packaging emulsion blends. Tom has extensive experience in cast booster plant design and operations. Tom has numerous patents related to explosives
Professional background before ZMW:
- Orica
- ICI Explosives
- ExploTrack, Inc. (founder)
- Atlas Powder Company
- Trojan Explosives
Professional Credentials
- International Society of Explosives Engineers
Charles Wade is a founding Partner of ZMW and has more than 49 years expertise in explosives formulations manufacturing, and plant operations. Charles invented the first detonator sensitive and the first underground permissible emulsion explosive and several other emulsion and water gel explosives. Charles is an expert in emulsion explosives formulation, explosives chemistry and explosives safety. Charles has numerous patents related to explosives.
Professional background before ZMW:
- Atlas Powder Company
- ICI Explosives
- Austin Powder Company
- Tenaga Kemia
- PQ Corp.
- 3 - M
Professional Credentials
- International Society of Explosives Engineers
- American Chemical Society
Mike Cechanski, is an Associate Partner for ZMW heads up the Asia Pacific region for ZMW and has more than 31 years expertise in explosives formulations manufacturing, and plant operations. Mike was the inventor of the 1st commercially applied PIBSA based emulsifiers. Mike is highly skilled in emulsion explosives formulation, explosives chemistry and explosives safety, emulsion explosives plant design and commissioning, explosives safety, quality assurance, explosives packaging equipment and emulsion plant project management and construction. Mike is proficient in English, Russian, Swedish, Polish and French languages. Mike has numerous patents related to explosives
Professional background before ZMW:
- SURFEX Technology and Trading (founder)
- Orica
- MAXAM (UEE)
- Dyno Nobel
- Nitro Nobel
- Atlas Powder
Professional Credentials
- Federation of European Professional Engineers
- International Society of Explosives Engineers
- Swedish Society of Professional Engineers
- The Institution of Chemical Engineers
- AustraliaThe Royal Australian Chemical Institution
Ron Thomas is an Associate Partner for ZMW and has extensive expertise in molecular explosives technology backed by over 38 years in explosives formulations manufacturing, and plant operations. Ron is an expert in cast booster manufacturing, PETN, TNT, HMX, RDX and other molecular explosives. Ron is an expert in explosives formulation, explosives chemistry and explosives safety. He has many patents and has developed many novel explosives products. Ron has developed and patented several new explosives systems including detonator sensitive explosives, booster sensitive explosives, molecular explosives and initiation systems. Ron is the author of several chapters in the ISEE Blaster Handbook, and has served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Institute of Makers of Explosives.
Professional background before ZMW:
- Trojan Powder
- Ensign Bickford Company
- Phoenix Energetics
- Unitah Explosive Company
Professional Credentials
- Institute of Makers of Explosives
- International Society of Explosives Engineers
ZMW Partner Patents and Intellectual Property
Charles Wade, Bob Morhard, Tom Zukovich, Mike Cechanski and Ron Thomas together have twenty-eight (28) key current and expired US Patents and Foreign Patents related to emulsion explosives, emulsifiers, water gel explosives, and other explosives; explosives security; emulsion explosives manufacturing; and explosives disposal.