The ESSG consists of the corporate members of the Institute of Explosives Engineers (IExpE). The group is a collaborative body of government entities, industry and the explosives regulator enabling a sustained and prosperous UK energetics sector in support of Defence’s strategic objectives. It acts as the focal point to respond to the strategic environment, enabling growth and collaboration across the explosives sector. The ESSG is a voice for the industry (including small and medium sized enterprises) with key stakeholders and partners, and enables appropriate skills and competence in the workforce. It is the principle environment for learning lessons, developing improvements and driving teamwork across the industry. Most importantly, it is a key forum to enhance standards of safety in this inherently high hazard sector.
The ESSG has 4 key objectives; communicating internally and externally, supporting the growth of skills and competence, supporting the delivery of capability, and sharing knowledge to grow and enhance safety. The ESSG will set the strategic direction, creating close and collaborative relationships with other sector bodies, and through the forum of working groups, drive progress across the sector. The ESSG will include representation from small and medium sized enterprises to ensure their important perspectives and issues are considered.
The ESSG was formed in June 2025 out of the SSSG which successfully developed a series of workstrands to address a shortfall in skills and competence in the industry. The SSSG provided essential direction to sustain explosives skills, and was instrumental in the delivery of the Ordnance Munitions and Explosives (OME) Apprenticeship scheme, and the ESSG will continue that work through one of its working groups.
The chair of the ESSG is currently Mark Thornhill, QinetiQ.
