MECHEM - Mine Action, Battle Area Clearance and Contraband Detection

MECHEM has more than 30 year's experience in the field of finding mechanical and chemical solutions to defence related problems. Our core business focuses on mine action, battle area clearance and contraband detection. MECHEM commenced with commercial demining in 1991 and has since undertaken numerous projects in conjunction with the United Nations in a several countries across the globe.

MINE ACTION AND BATTLE AREA CLEARANCE

MECHEM seeks to find the most cost-effective way of dealing with mine action and battle area clearance. It offers a range of solutions to suit every type of challenge facing its clients. MECHEM’s methods include manual, vehicle mounted and mechanised demining in conjunction with the use of dogs. Dogs are used in the traditional way (on a leash) and as part of MEDDS.

MEDDS (MECHEM Explosive and Drug Detection System), is a system that allows users to take odour (contaminant infused air) samples of a defined area for subsequent analysis in a controlled environment using trained dogs to detect the presence of a substance in that area. The odour can be analysed for explosives or contraband substances.

MECHEM also offers a deflagration system which can be used to safely destroy landmines and other unexploded ordnance in situ without causing a detonation.

CONTRABAND DETECTION AND MEDDS

MEDDS employs the highly tuned olfactory senses of dogs to detect smells from air samples. These air samples are contained in a patented format and taken to the animal for analysis in a controlled environment.

Detection of banned substances poses a colossal challenge for any law enforcement agency in the world. The challenge lies in the fact that successful detection is governed by access to the demarcated area and container. MEDDS increases the area to be covered and the subsequent detection rate exponentially.

The system helps to alleviate the problem caused by harsh climates where sniffer dogs, in their traditional role, find it difficult to work and where access is limited.

In other cases the challenge is that of volume, such as the flow of freight through seaports, or legal constraints which often require customs officials to obtain warrants to access containers. Using MEDDS, an air sample can simply be obtained from a container through a vent for analysis in a controlled environment.

ANCILLARY BUSINESSES

MECHEM facilitates in the sale of Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs) for use in demining and personnel carrying applications. It also offers a wealth of experience in product development to tackle even the toughest challenges together with a range of training courses and products that include:

• Basic demining
• Demining management
• Mine and contraband detection dog training
• Bespoke dog-handler training
• Manual demining equipment including demining toolkits, demining suits, helmets and visors, metal and mine detectors, and mine pullers
• Marking equipment including barrier tape, minefield layout tape, danger signs, and skull-and-crossbones mine field layout banners
• Demolition equipment including detonators, firing cables, continuity testers, deflagration system and thermite