ABUS May/June 2026

Versatility on display

Kleemann’s crushing and screening solutions are excelling in the US p08

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LIAM MCLOUGHLIN EDITOR

Autonomous tech helps light up ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026

Putting in the legwork on some of the 3 million square feet of exhibition space at this March’s ConExpo-Con/ Agg 2026 event in Las Vegas provided real insight into the technologies transforming the quarrying and aggregates equipment sector.

One of the most striking of these is the move of autonomous quarrying vehicles out of the ‘future technology’ silo and into actual eld deployments.

Overall, ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 attracted more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries around the world to Las Vegas and featured over 2000 exhibitors showcasing the latest equipment, technology and services.

Don’t miss our ConExpo-Con/Agg event review in this issue, featuring the major news and product debuts from the major trade showcase.

Show director Dana Wuesthoff said that the event demonstrated “the resilience and ingenuity of our industry. From advanced machinery to digital tools that help crews work safer and smarter, the innovations unveiled here will shape jobsites for years to come.”

Planning is already underway for the ConExpo-Con/Agg 2029, with Scott Young, regional head of North America at Volvo Construction Equipment, already announced as the chair of the showcase.

Elsewhere in this issue, we interview Cemex US senior vice president of aggregates Jeff Bobolts, who explains how the building materials giant has expanded its US aggregates footprint through investments and joint ventures, including a partnership with Couch Aggregates, to increase capacity in highgrowth regions.

Bobolts told Aggregates Business that medium- and long-term fundamentals remain solid in the US aggregates sector. He said that infrastructure investment is a major demand driver, particularly under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which continues to fund highways, bridges, ports and other projects that are aggregates-intensive.

Also in this issue, the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) hosted more than 380 young leaders at its annual young leaders meet-up, held on April 12 to 15. The annual event featured a series of engaging activities, including keynote speeches, networking opportunities, and community service activities.

This year’s event featured the debut of the BuildHer Lunch and Learn, aimed at supporting women in the aggregates sector. Attendees enjoyed a keynote speech from NSSGA president and chief executive of cer Michele Stanley on her experiences in the sector and her journey as an industry leader. LM liam.mcloughlin@primeglobalpublishing. com

“While aggregates may not always make headlines, their importance is clearly understood by the administration, US policymakers and infrastructure agencies.” Jeff Bobolts

Vol.2 ISSUE No.3 May/June 2026

Regulars

COMMENT

Highlighting the innovation within the US construction materials market.

The NSSGA has celebrated the young leaders of the US quarrying sector.

48 EVENTS

All the key events in the quarrying and aggregates world.

Specials

08 COVER STORY

Kleemann’s crushing and screening solutions have impressed with their level of performance and reliability.

10 INTERVIEW

Cemex US senior vice president of aggregates Je Bobolts shares his insights into the US construction materials market.

12 CASE STUDY

General Materials Inc has seen its production increase after investing in two new solutions from McLanahan.

14 MARKET REPORT

A wrap-up of the major acquisitions and transactions within the US quarrying and aggregates sector.

Features

18 NORTHERN IRELAND SPOTLIGHT

An in-depth look at the past, present and future of Northern Ireland’s famed manufacturing sector ahead of Hillhead 2026.

36 PREVIEW

A preview of all the big news and previews as Hillhead Quarry takes centre stage for the much-anticipated trade show.

38 REVIEW

A review of all the major announcements from ConExpo/ Con-Agg 2026 after another successful edition. 40 MAINTENANCE

A detailed look at how aftermarket support and customer service can support a proactive approach to maintenance.

42 TYRES

44 TYRES

Kleemann’s crushing and screening solutions are excelling in the US.

Triangle Tyre eyes growth in the European market as it bolsters its executive and showcases its latest innovations in Germany.

BKT wraps up a successful showcase at ConExpo/Con-Agg 2026.

46 CRUSHING AND SCREENING

Screening equipment is helping operators become more e cient and profitable.

COVER STORY:

Image: Kleeman

YL

Young leaders bring in a new era

The NSSGA has shown its support for the next generation of young leaders in the quarrying and aggregates sector by hosting its annual meet-up for the cohort.

More than 380 young leaders have attended the annual young leaders meet-up hosted by the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA).

Held from April 12 to 15, the annual event featured a series of engaging activities, including keynote speeches, networking opportunities, and community service activities.

The event’s rst general session included a series of presentations for attendees, with keynote speakers including Wally Adamchick from FireStarter Speaking and Consulting, Mark Helm and Leland Meiser from Dolese Bros. Co, NSSGA president and chief executive of cer Michele Stanley and Manufacturers and Services Division immediate past chair Craig Lamarque.

The second general session included interesting keynotes from Vulcan Materials Company chief executive of cer Ronnie Pruitt and retired USMC of cer Dave Berke, who spoke on combat leadership and creating winning teams. The breakout sessions covered professional development and workplace technology adaptation.

This year saw the debut of the BuildHer Lunch and Learn, which is aimed at supporting women in the aggregates sector.

Attendees enjoyed a keynote speech from Stanley about her experiences in the sector and her journey as an industry leader.

Clay Albright from Rogers Group Inc’s Caldwell Stone Quarry was awarded

the prestigious Mark S. Walsh Annual Leadership Award.

On the event’s nal night, outgoing young leaders chair Chad Weems from Martin Marietta handed over the leadership to Gulf Coast Sand’s Ryan Morales, with Rogers Group Inc’s Thabiso Bolebano appointed as the vice chair.

The NSSGA has con rmed the next Young Leaders annual meeting will be held in Hilton Head, South Carolina, from April 25–28, 2027.

“The Young Leaders Annual Meeting showcases how important young professionals are to the aggregates industry,” Stanley said.

“These men and women in attendance are the future, and we value their engagement.

“This event creates a dynamic meeting environment to stimulate their passion for the industry.”

New appointment

The NSSGA has con rmed Jo Anne Cowan has been promoted to the new position of vice president for meetings and membership.

Cowan started with the organisation in 2023 and, during that time, has been credited with improving the membership experience for NSSGA members.

In her new role, Cowan will have an expanded remit to lead the NSSGA’s annual events, meetings and membership activities. Cowan has more than two decades of industry experience in event and meeting delivery, including a previous stint at the US Chamber of Commerce.

“This is an exciting time at NSSGA, as we ll out our staff leadership,” Stanley said.

“We are thrilled to have Jo Anne lead NSSGA’s meetings and membership team. She has proven to be a collaborative leader in putting together highquality events.” AB

Outgoing

Chair Chad Weems of Martin Marietta is passing the gavel to Ryan Morales of Gulf Coast Sand.

Images: NSSGA

Jo Anne Cowan has been promoted to vice president for meetings and membership.

has a range of crushing and screening solutions for US operators.

Mobile momentum

Kleemann’s range of mobile crushing and screening solutions is delivering impressive levels of performance in the American quarrying and aggregates sector.

From recycled concrete operations in California to hard rock quarries in Oregon and remote road projects in Montana, Kleemann’s mobile crushing and screening solutions are playing an increasingly prominent role in modern aggregates production.

As quarry operators face increasing expectations to deliver higher production, they face a tough equation while also managing fuel consumption, safety, and downtime.

Kleemann’s mobile plant trains, impact crushers, and screening solutions provide the mobility, throughput, integration, and automation to enable quarrying and aggregates operators and contractors to meet this expectation.

Challenging materials

US-based Ridgeline Excavation Inc transforms challenging materials into 75–100mm products for use in road construction. The work is challenging, the weather is unpredictable, and the demands are high. Working at altitude, Ridgeline Excavation has placed its trust in a mobile Kleemann jaw crusher, the MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2, to handle a working environment with space constraints and dif cult site access. The company deployed the mobile jaw crusher MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2 as a standalone machine to meet the project’s mobility requirements.

“The exibility and the ability to easily move the plant to different locations in the quarry is a decisive advantage,” Ridgeline Excavation site manager Lloyd Spanners said.

The material features damp, sticky nes and clay. It’s not an easy task to process this material, but the MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2’s oscillating double-deck prescreen, which works independently of the vibrating feeder, with a slotted grate, has excelled.

Ridgeline Excavation’s team has found that the feed material was screened so effectively that the content of nes and the material meet the desired nal grain size and can be directed past the crushing chamber, which streamlines materials processing and increases throughput.

“The prescreen with its ergonomic slotted grate is really helpful in this application due to the wet, sticky material,” Spanners said.

The company has also taken full advantage of the technology inbuilt to the MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2, especially Spective Connect.

“The ability to view machine parameters and information from our smartphones is a practical tool,” Spanners said.

“This is very helpful in the event of bridging. The operator can then conveniently lift the crusher inlet from a distance without having to leave the excavator.

“This can be a particular advantage in bad weather conditions.”

The MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2 has exceeded Ridgeline Excavation’s expectations as it crushes blasted granite and quartzite into 75–100mm material. After seeing it in action, the company is pleased it placed its trust in Kleemann.

“Thanks to its mobility, the plant is very easy to move around the site. It also copes very well with the very sticky material we process here,” Spanners said.

“On top of that, the consumption values are really manageable at approximately 19 litres of diesel per hour. The machine enables us to work ef ciently and in an environmentally friendly manner.

“The support provided by the Kleemann service team was consistently professional.”

Optimised processing

Away from Montana and into Oregon, where Table Mountain Rock has turned a Kleemann plant train into a cornerstone of its operations.

The Oregon-based operation invested in a Kleemann train featuring the MOBICAT MC 110i EVO2 jaw crusher, the MOBICONE MCO 90i EVO2 cone crusher, and a MOBISCREEN MSC 953i EVO classifying screen.

Table Mountain Rock, which is a subsidiary of Table Mountain Forestry, turns raw materials, including basalt, into roadbuilding materials with feed sizes ranging from 0–400mm.

“With our basalt, we have a really good, dense, hard rock. And that gives us a real competitive advantage here in the coastal region,” Table Mountain Forestry owner Kyle Humphrys said.

The entire plant is integrated through the Kleemann line coupling. If over lling occurs, signals are sent to upstream and downstream machines.

The automatic control and monitoring smooth out processing, while the feed control system, known as the Continuous Feed System (CFS), automates crusher utilisation to ensure the crushers are in use at all times.

Spective Connect has proven to be incredibly user-friendly so the machines can

Kleemann

be operated from a safe distance, improving worker safety.

“This is a high-tech, state-of-the-art plant train. A lot less maintenance, a lot more production, and the processes are automated, which takes a lot of trouble out of the operations,” Table Mountain Rock operator Wayne Gregg said.

The mobile set-up has proven to be an astute investment as fuel prices become increasingly prominent in the sector.

The entire train has proven capable of running at 60 to 75 litres of fuel per hour, which helps Table Rock Mountain’s bottom line.

“This is a really good value, especially in view of the tough application. And it’s often decisive when it comes to new orders,” Humphrys said.

Proving their worth

From sand to gravel and topsoil, two mobile Kleemann screens have unlocked higher levels of performance for Pierce Builders.

The materials are processed at an opencast mine in Broad Brook and used in a range of applications, including asphalt, concrete, and bedding sand. Pierce Builders owner Alescia Pierce has been considerably impressed by the performance of the MOBISCREEN MSC 953 EVO classifying screening plant for producing sand, and the MSS 802 EVO coarse screening plant for screening topsoil and gravel. What started as one Kleemann plant soon became several, with the screening plants supported by MOBIBELT mobile stockpiling conveyors.

“We started with just one – and soon we had ve, because of their amazing performance,” Pierce said.

“I love the coarse screening machine. I have years of experience in screening topsoil, and then this screen from Kleemann comes along, and the material just ows through.

“The stockpile conveyors save valuable time. The material piles don’t ll up as quickly, so that other tasks can be carried out on site with the wheel loader.”

The MOBISCREEN MSC 953 EVO classifying screen is capable of processing 3000 tonnes of dry feed material per day or 1500 tonnes of wet feed material, with an average daily fuel consumption of 151 litres. Pierce Builders has been supported throughout the whole process by Wirtgen Group’s regional dealer in the US, WI Clark.

“We’re working with a great combination of excellent machines, stateof-the-art construction site logistics, and fast, straightforward, no-nonsense support,” Pierce said.

Working in California

Ramco has turned to the MOBIREX MR 130 Zi EVO2 as it processes recycled materials with ease. The third-generation family-owned and operated company specialises in recycled materials, with its disposal site in Beaumont, California, that has been recycling concrete and asphalt for more than ve decades.

So, when it comes to this application, Ramco knows what it takes.

And this is where the MOBIREX MR 130 Zi EVO2 impact crusher comes into its own, crushing recycled concrete to 25mm from feed sizes of up to 457mm.

“Working with the Kleemann machine is fantastic. A lot of great features, and we really love it. This is really good for us because we could go between our facilities and crush, and even go crush for some of our customers,” Ramco vice president of operations Dallas Jones said.

“[If] they have a pile that they need to have crushed, and it is too much to bring into one of our yards, so we will go over there to crush it on site for them.”

The MOBIREX MR 130 Zi EVO2 features a “diesel direct-drive” which balances performance and fuel consumption. The CFS controls the frequency of the vibrating feeder and the pre-screen in conjunction with the crusher load, automatically controlling and optimising the machine’s material ow.

“The Kleemann EVO2 impact crusher is wonderful. It’s extremely user-friendly, simple. The technology involved with it and all the sensors and safety features are extremely handy,” Ramco operator Darrel Burroughs said.

“Spective is almost too easy. It doesn’t take much of an operator to run it.” AB

Ramco’s operators have been impressed by their crusher.

Pierce Builders invested in a MOBISCREEN MSC 953 EVO and an MSS 802 EVO from Kleemann.

Cemex’s Je Bobolts says US aggregates demand is expected to grow steadily, led by infrastructure and nonbuilding construction.

A vital component

Cemex US senior vice president of aggregates Je Bobolts explains how the building materials provider has expanded its US aggregates business through investments and joint ventures.

Jeff Bobolts is responsible for all aspects of Cemex’s US aggregates business, including production, sales and technical services and has served on the board of directors for the Florida Concrete & Products Association and is currently serving on the board of directors for the Florida Limerock & Aggregates Institute.

He spoke to Aggregates Business about Cemex US’s plans for its wider US operations and how the experienced executive sees the future of one of the world’s biggest quarrying and aggregates markets.

Aggregate Business: What is the strategic importance of Cemex US’s aggregate business in its overall operations?

Jeff Bobolts: Cemex’s aggregates business line plays a central role in the company’s integrated model. We are the sixth largest aggregate business in the US and contribute 40 per cent of Cemex’s EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation).

Aggregates are strategically critical because they support both external sales and internal supply to our downstream businesses. Our high-quality acreage of aggregate reserves helps optimise cost and delivery performance across the value chain.

We have expanded our US aggregates footprint through investments and joint ventures, including our partnership with Couch Aggregates, to increase capacity in high-growth regions. This aligns with broader corporate goals to increase the US share of EBITDA and focus capital on markets with attractive longterm fundamentals.

AB: As the senior executive in aggregates at Cemex US, what are your objectives in the role?

JB: Our team works every day to strengthen Cemex’s aggregates business in the US and position us for durable, long term growth.

Aggregates are fundamental to construction, so the role spans both strategic direction and operational leadership.

First and foremost, safety is a strategic priority at Cemex US. Our goal is zero injuries, and we continue to reinforce a culture in which every employee and contractor returns home safely every day.

From a business perspective, our focus is on disciplined growth - managing reserves acreage, improving vertical integration with our ready-mix and cement businesses and investing in assets that strengthen our footprint in the US.

This includes organic growth, operational excellence and selective mergers and acquisitions in markets with long-term demand, aligned with our capital allocation strategy.

AB: What are the current market conditions in the US, in terms of demand for Cemex aggregates products?

JB: Near-term US aggregates demand has been softer than normal, with higher interest rates slowing residential construction and public projects moving later than expected. 2025 was a normalisation year, and Cemex’s strategy of commercial and operational excellence helped offset the impact of lower volumes.

That said, medium- and long-term fundamentals remain solid. Infrastructure investment is a major demand driver, particularly under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIIA/IIJA), which continues to fund highways, bridges, ports and other projects that are aggregates-intensive. Federal agencies such as the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) plan these projects to ensure secure, long-term access to crushed stone, sand and gravel. Cemex states are expected to outperform the US average in this segment moving forward.

Residential and commercial construction remain important contributors, even as housing starts to uctuate with interest rates.

Non-building construction, including logistics hubs, industrial parks and public works, provides a stabilising base of demand for aggregates used in a variety of concrete and soil stabilisation applications.

AB: What are the major growth opportunities for the Cemex aggregates business in the US?

JB: The most compelling growth opportunities fall into four areas.

Images: Cemex US

Cemex US senior vice president of aggregates Je Bobolts.

First is infrastructure-led demand, particularly transportation and projects funded by federal and state programs.

Crushed stone remains the backbone of these projects, and the availability of aggregates is critical to execution.

Second is vertical integration. Supplying our own aggregates into ready-mix and concrete operations improves cost control, reliability and margins while reducing exposure to third-party supply constraints.

Third is operational excellence. Focusing on aggregate-speci c key performance indicators and developing improvement plans around those, on a quarry-by-quarry basis, provides substantial upside for the business.

This process operates in two ways, by benchmarking similar quarries to each other and then measuring an individual quarry against its full potential.

Finally, digitalisation. From quarry automation to data-driven logistics, we can extract more value from existing assets, improve service levels, and operate more ef ciently.

AB: Do you think the critical importance of aggregates is fully recognised by US authorities?

JB: Yes. While aggregates may not always make headlines, their importance is clearly understood by the administration, US policymakers and infrastructure agencies.

At the federal level, aggregates are embedded in infrastructure planning.

The IIJA implicitly depends on a secure aggregate supply to deliver roads, bridges, airports, ports and ood control projects. Agencies such as USDOT, FHWA and the US Army Corps of Engineers routinely plan assuming local access to aggregates.

Aggregates are also recognised as essential mineral commodities by the US Geological Survey, which tracks production, reserves, and supply risks, as disruptions would directly affect economic development and national resilience.

Finally, disaster recovery underscores its importance. After hurricanes, oods or wild res, aggregates are among the rst materials mobilised for emergency repairs, and authorities often expedite permits to ensure local supply.

AB: In 2024, Cemex said the US is core to its long-term strategy. Why, and how has that impacted the business?

JB: The US offers scale, transparency and longterm demand unmatched by many markets.

Large federal infrastructure programs, steady industrial activity and urbanisation trends make it one of the most attractive regions for long-term capital deployment.

Following the divestment of non-core assets, Cemex redirected capital toward the US to improve returns and strengthen operational focus.

AB: Are there regional differences in materials demand across the US?

JB: Yes. Demand varies by region depending on infrastructure priorities, population growth and industrial investment. Texas, the southeast and parts of the southwest, see strong demand tied to population growth and logistics infrastructure, while coastal states often have higher recycled aggregate usage driven by permitting constraints and sustainability policies.

AB: What technologies are impacting Cemex US’s aggregates business?

JB: The aggregates industry is advancing capabilities through digital transformation.

There are many effective, off-the-shelf platforms that apply arti cial intelligence to mine planning, mobile equipment productivity and automation, xed plant maintenance, loadout, logistics and commercial analytics. Cemex is currently executing its digital roadmap, prioritising digital tools to enable our teams to make better decisions, faster.

AB: How do you see the future for Cemex in the US aggregates sector?

JB: With long-life reserves, modernised quarry operations and integrated supply across cement and ready-mix, Cemex is wellpositioned to serve the next decade of US construction growth. AB

This has translated into investments in aggregates capacity, digital capabilities and sustainability initiatives aligned with customer and regulatory expectations.

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General Materials, Inc. has been a long-time customer of McLanahan.

New horizons

General Materials Inc has seen its production go to new levels after investing in two new solutions from McLanahan.

General Materials Inc, an aggregates supplier in Oklahoma City, has built its reputation on dependable service and quality sand and gravel products.

But even well run operations eventually reach a point where older processes and equipment begin to limit what’s possible.

For General Materials Inc, that moment arrived when its traditional setup of a classifying tank paired with screw washers could no longer keep pace with the company’s goals. To help solve the problem, General Materials Inc replaced its aging screw washers with a McLanahan UltraSAND Plant. The company quickly noticed a difference in their product. Moisture levels in the nished product dropped from 15–23 per cent with screw washers to just 6–8 per cent with the UltraSAND Plant.

“We were able to replace the screws that we were going to have to replace anyway, and put a machine in there that put a product out that we could almost sell the next day because the moisture level was so low,” General Materials Inc general manager Troy Banks said.

But as the project evolved, another challenge surfaced.

The company’s frac sand process relied on an aging eet of trucks, excavators and loaders to dig out material before sending it through a separate UltraSAND Plant.

life, Banks and his team made the decision to transition to a dredging operation and build a larger, more capable wash plant to better match the company’s goals.

McLanahan took a collaborative approach

Images: McLanahan USA

For Banks, choosing McLanahan again was an easy call. He’d worked with the company for nearly 30 years, beginning with an introduction at a trade show that sparked a long-running partnership.

What stood out then still stands out now: the quality of the equipment and the McLanahan team's willingness to collaborate.

“They recognise that myself and others out here have quite a few years of experience, so they tend to listen to some of our ideas, and then we do the same,” Banks said.

“They’re people who relate to my world and not just salesmen.”

Through McLanahan’s Oklahoma dealer, Crushing Equipment Solutions, General Materials invested in a new McLanahan sand washing plant designed to support the company’s frac sand production.

The system includes a feed-regulating sump, multiple slurry pumps, 12 separators, and four dewatering screens.

Together, the pieces of equipment form an integrated setup that washes, classi es and dewaters the 50 mesh material essential for frac sand.

What has impressed Banks most is the plant’s versatility.

With just a few adjustments, the system can produce a wide range of sand speci cations, giving General Materials the exibility to produce new products they were unable to before. That versatility has translated directly into opportunity.

“We can run different materials. It’s just really versatile,” Banks said.

“We can pretty much hit just about anything anybody wants us to hit.

“We’ve even hit some products where we didn’t touch before because we didn’t have that capability. We’ve gone back to customers who hit us up for a certain product and said, ‘Yeah, we can do that now.’ It’s opened up some new markets.”

Consistency has also improved. The new plant delivers a reliable, uniform product that meets the speci cations General Materials Inc promises.

For a company built on long-term relationships and dependable service, the investment in McLanahan technology has become more than an equipment upgrade.

“The McLanahan plant is working really well for us,” Banks said.

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McLanahan’s solutions have impressed with their versatility.

Reshaping the US market s

The US quarrying and aggregates market is being re-designed in real time as various companies look to expand their foothold in the major region.

The US aggregates sector started 2026 with increased dealmaking, as producers seek reserves and regional strength amidst rising infrastructure demand.

With permitting hurdles and opposition limiting green eld development, acquisitions are now the quickest way to secure longterm supply.

Consolidation in the US aggregate sector is accelerating, from bolt-on deals by independents to portfolio reshuf es by multinationals, potentially reshaping competition and supply security.

Aggregates Business reviews key transactions shaping the market.

US Focus

US-based producers have been among the most active in mergers and acquisitions, as

they fortify their footholds in markets with strong infrastructure demand pipelines.

Knife River is one of the leading US-focused operators, having nalised a series of deals from Montana to Utah.

In March 2026, Knife River nalised a deal for the assets of Donaldson Brothers Ready Mix Inc, the third addition to its mountain segment in 2026, alongside Morgan Asphalt Inc in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Sparrow Enterprises in Helena, Montana.

The expansion of Knife River’s operational network is aided by the addition of Donaldson Brothers’ assets, which include aggregates sources with more than 30 years of supply, a ready-mix plant and precast concrete production capabilities, as well as Morgan Asphalt’s assets, including more than 30 years of proven reserves, an asphalt production plant and contracting services.

Knife River chief executive Brian Grey said the region had strong fundamentals, which would play a key role in the business’s future plans.

“These three acquisitions in the mountain segment support our strategy of targeting aggregates-based, vertically integrated opportunities in mid-size, higher-growth markets,” he said.

“The Donaldson assets provide strategic aggregate reserves in western Montana while establishing a foothold in a new market. Montana is growing, and we are now in an even better position to support that growth.

“We’re excited about this strategic expansion of our Mountain Region and establishing a footprint in one of the fastestgrowing states in the nation.”

Knife River’s activity re ects a broader trend among US aggregates operations.

The US quarrying and aggregates sector has seen a lot of activity in 2026.

Several producers have targeted acquisitions to build scale within speci c regional markets. Rogers Group Inc has been forging a path as it targets speci c assets to expand its operational base.

The company announced an agreement to acquire Rockydale Quarries Corporation in February 2026, marking its 13th acquisition in the past two years and expanding Rogers Group Inc’s footprint to 13 states within the US market.

The transaction is set to include Rockydale Quarries Corporation (RQC) and its subsidiaries, including B&S Contracting, with Rockydale Quarries and B&S Contracting’s 170 employees to join Rogers Group Inc’s workforce.

“The owners of Rockydale are proud of our long history and the company we’ve built,” RQC president and chief executive of cer Ken Randolph said.

Rogers Group provides the best opportunity for us to continue growing while ensuring our employees have every chance to reach their full potential.”

With more than 10 acquisitions in the past 24 months, Rogers Group Inc has been actively looking to expand and has an appetite for more.

“Rogers Group is continually evaluating opportunities to expand,” Rogers Group Inc chief executive of cer and president Jimmy Patton said.

The RQC deal follows other transactions including Caldwell Stone in Danville, Kentucky, which Rogers Group Inc nalised in 2025. Under the terms of the deal, the Caldwell Stone’s quarry site operates as part of Rogers Group’s network.

Patton said the addition would strengthen Rogers Group’s operations in Kentucky.

“This addition allows us to better serve our customers and continue building strong infrastructure across the region,” he said.

“We are excited to welcome the Caldwell Stone team into the Rogers Group family.”

Companies have also been looking beyond conventional acquisitions to strengthen their presence in the US market, with complex asset exchanges also in vogue.

Martin Marietta Materials and Quikrete agreed to an asset exchange earlier this year, described as the “largest aggregates acquisition” in the former’s history.

In this swap of operational assets, Martin Marietta acquired aggregates sites in Virginia, Missouri, Kansas and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as $US450 million in cash, while Quikrete gained a cement plant in Midlothian, Texas, cement terminals, and ready-mixed concrete assets in Texas and “certain nonoperating land.”

Martin Marietta president and chief executive of cer Ward Nye said the deal enhanced the company’s footprint.

“Through a tax-ef cient exchange of cyclical cement and ready-mixed concrete assets for the largest aggregates acquisition in our company’s history, we are enhancing the durability of our earnings while preserving ample balance sheet capacity to extend our long track record of disciplined strategic plan execution and compelling shareholder value creation,” he said.

Knife River has focused on the construction materials market in the US.

“This transaction accelerates our aggregates-led product strategy and completes a pivotal phase of portfolio transformation, positioning Martin Marietta exceptionally well.”

Deal activity has not been limited to acquisitions, with some producers opting to streamline their portfolios to redeploy capital into core aggregates businesses.

One of those companies, Arcosa Inc, recently completed the sale of its inland barge business in a move to free up cash and assets to focus on its construction materials operations. Arcosa chief executive of cer Antonio Carrillo con rmed the strategic approach in March 2026 when Arcosa nalised its deal with Wynchurch Capital.

“We will now be fully focused on construction materials and engineered structures, which are both well-positioned to bene t from infrastructure and power market tailwinds in the US market,” he said.

“Completion of this transaction is a signi cant milestone that further reduces complexity and cyclicality, raises our overall margin pro le and enhances the long-term resiliency of the company.”

The deal with Wynchurch Capital, which was worth $US450 million in cash, followed another deal by Arcosa in February for a Florida-based aggregates operation.

Carrillo said that the deal, worth $US60 million, would strengthen the company’s presence in the region.

“We remain positive about our re-investment opportunities and expect to continue prioritising the allocation of capital toward our high growth, high margin businesses,” he said.

It also shows that in a sector where scarcity of reserves and permitting constraints are prevalent, securing sites with decades of proven reserves has become even more relevant in recent years.

Fundamentally, the aggregates sector is inherently location-bound, but that presents the conundrum of existing resources being exhausted while new resources take longer

to become operational, in some cases taking a decade or more. Producers in the US have seen timelines lengthen as local opposition and heightened scrutiny of environmental impact have increased.

In one instance, a report from the National Mining Association said it could take, on average, seven to 10 years to obtain a permit for new major projects. One of the key focuses of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s (NSSGA) 2025 Legislative & Policy Forum was the permitting system, given its prominence within the US sector.

For this reason, access to existing reserves has become a critical area for independent US producers and larger-scale operators.

The consolidation trend is not con ned to US-based producers, with multinational groups also repositioning their portfolios to increase exposure to the American aggregates market.

One of the most notable shifts has followed major corporate restructurings, creating newly independent companies with a renewed focus on growth through acquisition.

In the case of Amrize, which spun off into its own entity outside Holcim in mid-2025, it has doubled down on market expansion through a series of acquisitions.

Amrize chief executive o cer and chairman Jan Jenisch.

Images:

Amrize

The Ste. Genevieve is an important part of Amrize’s operations.

Amrize nalised its agreement to acquire PB Materials Holdings in February 2026 with the aim of expanding its presence in West Texas. The deal provides Amrize with more than 50 years of aggregate reserves and adds 26 sites to its existing operational network.

“We are excited to be expanding our aggregates business in the high-growth West Texas region. This acquisition demonstrates our strategy in action as we continue to invest for growth in North America’s most attractive markets,” Amrize chief executive of cer and chairman Jan Jenisch said when the deal was closed.

When the deal landed in February, Jenisch made it clear that further mergers and acquisitions could be on the cards throughout 2026.

The company has already taken steps to complement its acquisitions by further investing in its existing assets, with a $US700 million investment program carried out across its network in 2025.

This included expanding the capacity of its cement plant in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, with a further 660,000 short tons added to make the plant’s yearly capacity 5.5 million short tons overall.

“Our agship Ste. Genevieve plant sets the standard in our industry and has helped shape America from infrastructure and data centres to advanced manufacturing and high-rises,” Amrize building materials president Jaime Hill said.

Other producers have taken a different approach, complementing their aggregates operations by expanding into adjacent building materials segments.

Cemex has been one of the major players in this space after the company, which has a global presence, closed a deal for all of Omega Products International’s assets, with interest in its production of stucco, a durable construction material that is popular in the US.

Omega has a presence in both the residential and commercial construction sectors in the US, served by its four production facilities in California, Nevada, and Colorado.

Cemex said the deal would provide it with greater exposure to the mortars market, which has seen strong growth in recent years.

“This transaction aligns with our US growth strategy, enabling us to expand into the stucco market through a capital-ef cient platform with strong strategic synergies that overlap signi cantly with our cement, aggregates and admixture facilities in the western US,” Cemex chief executive of cer Jaime Muguiro said.

Cemex has maintained a strong focus on the US market through acquisitions, supported by its restructuring of its asset portfolio since 2018 through a series of global divestments and investments in high-demand markets like the US. This has included planned divestments of certain assets in Colombia, as well as other assets in Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Philippines among other locations.

In its place, Cemex has opened further locations in the US, such as its Four Corners Sand Facility in Clermont, Central Florida, which can produce 1.2 million tonnes of commercial sand each year.

With an infrastructure pipeline that includes hospitals, schools, homes, and more, Four Corner Sands’ materials will be wellpositioned to meet that demand. The site uses a dry-sand production process with a plateand- lter press system that recycles water within the facility, reducing water use.

“It will produce the aggregates and cement that go directly into the homes, schools and commercial buildings rising across our region,” South Lake Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive David Colby said.

“Building materials produced close to the job sites reduces costs, shortens timelines and supports local businesses. It’s exactly the kind of economic impact we want, and Cemex is exactly the kind of corporate partner we want helping to build our future.”

Deal activity in the US aggregates sector remains robust, with producers focusing on long-life, permitted reserves and aiming for greater regional supply control.

Due to high infrastructure demand and stricter permitting conditions, companies prefer acquisitions, asset swaps, and portfolio reshuf ing rather than green eld projects. As competition for limited reserves grows, market consolidation is expected to continue being a key characteristic. AB

Northern Ireland’s materials handling success story

Chris Hill

Welcome from Invest Northern Ireland

It is a privilege to introduce this series of articles celebrating one of Northern Ireland’s greatest industrial success stories – our world leading materials handling sector.

Few regions of our size can claim such global impact. Yet here in Northern Ireland, we have built a cluster that not only competes with, but often surpasses, the biggest and best known engineering names in the world.

For more than sixty years, our companies have combined ingenuity, craftsmanship and determination to design and build machinery that performs in the harshest environments on earth. From crushing granite in Canada and screening aggregates in the Middle East, to washing sand in Qatar and powering recycling plants across Europe, Northern Ireland’s engineering excellence is recognised on a global scale. What strikes me most – and lls me with genuine admiration – is the spirit of collaboration and ambition that de nes this sector. These companies do not just build machines. They solve problems, anticipate future needs and continually rede ne what is possible. Northern Ireland truly punches above its weight, and nowhere is that more evident than in the materials handling industry.

Hillhead has long been a landmark date in the diary for Northern Ireland’s materials handling sector. When we rst attended in 1993, just ten companies represented the region. By Hillhead 2026, that presence will have grown to 52 companies, with 18 exhibiting within the Invest Northern Ireland area and a further 34 showcasing independently.

Together, they will demonstrate the depth, capability and innovation of the sector, with several companies using the event to launch exciting new products to an international audience.

As director of advanced manufacturing and engineering at Invest Northern Ireland, I could not be more proud of the people, the products and the partnerships that make this industry so exceptional. Our companies continue to set the standard internationally, and I rmly believe the next chapter will be the most exciting yet.

Northern Ireland has always built machines that move the world. Now, together, we are building its future. AB

Brendan McGuigan Director, Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering at Invest Northern Ireland

A global powerhouse in crushing and screening

It was a pleasure and an honour for the Aggregates Business team to put together this 18-page supplement on the Northern Ireland materials handling equipment sector, in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland.

The country is renowned as a global powerhouse in the design and production of mobile crushing, screening, washing and conveying equipment, with a global market share of 60-65 per cent of the tracked screens sector and 35-40 per cent of crushers.

In this special supplement, we speak with a range of industry insiders and experts to trace the sector’s development from its 1950s and 60s origins, through to the highly-developed industry supported by a strong distribution network that now exports world-class and innovative equipment to over 100 countries.

Based largely in County Tyrone, the industry has grown from serving local quarrying needs into a leader in materials handling that supplies equipment to the quarrying, mining, construction and recycling sectors worldwide.

Driven by Northern Ireland’s strong engineering and fabrication heritage, the quarrying equipment sector employs more than 8000 people producing crushing and screening equipment in addition to mobile stackers/conveyors and wet processing plants.

World-leading brands include Powerscreen, Finlay, McCloskey, CDE Group, Terex Washing, Smiley Monroe, Telestack, Prostack and Edge Innovate, in addition to

multinationals with important manufacturing bases in the country such as Sandvik, McLanahan and Tesab-owner Metso.

The industry’s success is underpinned by a robust ecosystem featuring the major original equipment manufacturers, a network of specialist components suppliers, and a highly skilled talent pool. The early adoption of mobile technology has allowed producers to move machines to the materials, drastically cutting transport costs. Northern Irish mobile manufacturing expertise now extends to recycling waste and increasing global sustainability efforts in aggregate processing.

The mobile and modular machines are ideal for crushing, screening, washing and conveying construction and demolition material that would otherwise end up in a land ll, creating revenue streams in recycling.

In terms of future prospects, Northern Ireland’s quarrying equipment industry is ideally-placed for further success with its strong focus on research and development, innovative products and maintaining competitiveness in a global environment.

The country’s rms innovate and respond quickly due to tight-knit clusters and strong supply-chain integration. This enables them to meet rising global demand for sustainable, low-carbon, high-ef ciency machinery with further opportunities in electri cation, telematics and hybrid systems. AB

Liam

McLoughlin

Editor, Aggregates Business

A history of excellence

With roots in the pioneering mobile screening technology of Finlay and Powerscreen, Northern Ireland has grown into a global leader in materials handling and quarrying equipment.

Drawing on the region’s rich engineering and fabrication heritage — from shipbuilding and aerospace to textiles and machinery production — Northern Ireland’s quarrying sector now commands a strong international reputation.

Its development dates back to the 1950s when John Finlay, who subsequently established the Finlay company, introduced the rst self-contained mobile screening unit in 1958.

In 1966, Ulster Plant (later Powerscreen) was founded, pioneering the concept of bringing machinery to the quarry face.

From these beginnings, the "Tyrone Cluster" developed, a highly concentrated, globally dominant engineering and materials handling manufacturing hub in County Tyrone.

Hubert Watson, who worked at Powerscreen for 20 years and is now a consultant at Roco, which produces diesel-electric crushing and screening machines, shared his insights into the sector’s beginnings.

“The difference between Finlay and Powerscreen was probably that Finlay was more of an engineering company, and Powerscreen was more a marketing-led company,” he said.

“Powerscreen really took off in the mid-1980s when the world market started to grow.”

Terex Materials Processing president Kieran Hegarty said the area’s preponderance of small engineering workshops serving the agriculture sector helped create the conditions for growth in quarrying equipment, initially in the screening sector.

Northern Ireland’s quarrying equipment timeline

Terex’s range of quarrying equipment brands includes Powerscreen, Finlay, MAGNA, EvoQuip, Cedarapids, Simplicity, Canica, Terex Washing Systems (TWS), MDS and ProStack.

Hegarty said he would compare the industry’s organic growth to that of the US car industry in Detroit.

“Somebody would leave one company and set up another, and you end up with a cluster multiplying,” he said.

This growth included expansion beyond the industry’s initial mobile screening focus.

Northern Irish companies produce crushing and screening (including Finlay, Powerscreen, EvoQuip, MAGNA, Metso-owned Tesab Engineering, McCloskey International, Anaconda Equipment, RM Dungannon and Roco), conveying (Smiley Monroe, ProStack, QK Conveyors, Ezystack and Conveyortek) and washing equipment (Terex Washing Systems, CDE, Dernaseer Washing, Bruce Engineering and Circular Group) for the quarrying sector. Watson said that there has also been expansion into the concrete mixing and batching sector, with businesses including Rapid International, as well as major diversi cation in terms of engineering into the agricultural sector and the green waste sector for shredders and wind sifters.

An integral part of the ecosystem is a robust supply chain of companies servicing the major manufacturers. Watson said the existence of this supply chain has been critical.

“Without them, the crushing and screening sector would never have taken off. You can get pumps, motors, belts, electrics, and there are companies such as Specdrum in Dungannon who make drums for our industry,” he said.

1999

Telestack established in Omagh, as the specialized material handling division of Loughside Engineering, bringing radial stacking technology to Europe.

1958

John Finlay pioneers the world’s first self-contained mobile screening unit in Omagh.

Ireland’s early success in the screening sector, it came to prominence in crushing machine production in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Watson said the qualities of Northern Ireland’s workforce have driven the development of the industry and can help its future success.

Mobile screening company Ulster Plant (subsequently rebranding as Powerscreen in the 1970s) is founded in Dungannon.

1966

Northern Ireland cements its reputation as a global leader in tracked mobile crushing and screening equipment.

2000s

2007

Sandvik buys mobile crushing and screening companies Fintec and Extec, which both have manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland.

1985

Mobile crushing and screening company McCloskey International is founded in Canada by Northern Ireland native Paschal McCloskey.

The company then establishes a major footprint in County Tyrone.

The sector sees widespread adoption of hybrid technology to improve fuel e ciency and lower emissions in mining and recycling.

2010s

Image: Roco

future expansion of Northern Ireland’s quarrying equipment sector.

He cited the example of Culloville, County Armagh-based Roco’s development of dualpowered hybrid electric crushers which provide more fuel-ef ciency than standard dieselhydraulic models. The sector has established a strong distribution network that is comfortable operating globally.

“A lot of Northern Ireland-based companies have established a very focused distribution network with specialised distributors who only sell materials processing equipment,” Hegarty said.

“They're very knowledgeable in how to apply the equipment and I think it's that mixture of very strong focussed distributors and highquality equipment that has helped Northern Irish companies to be global leaders.”

He said there were other factors that have driven the country’s quarrying equipment sector, meaning it continues to be well-positioned.

The sector increases its focus on global exports, with companies like Powerscreen and Finlay establishing international reputations.

1990s

2014

“Northern Ireland bene ts from its geography. If you're shipping both to Europe and to North America, it is fairly short transit times. You can get a screen to America in less than 10 days,” he said.

“Also, the products that come out of Northern Ireland tend to be industry-leading, their designs and their names are considered to be quality.”

Hegarty said that 30 years ago, the majority of aggregates would have been produced by large stationary plants, but the market is now 50 to 60 per cent mobile-based.

“Mobile plants have advanced in terms of their capabilities,” he said. “Our MAGNA [high-capacity mobile crushing, screening and conveying] brand is an example. Ten years ago, no one would have thought you could buy a mobile plant that would process a thousand tonnes an hour.

“That greater capacity is the single biggest change, and the value proposition for mobile is so much stronger now globally.”

Northern Irish manufacturers have an estimated 60-65 per cent share of the tracked screens sector and 35-40 per cent of crushers.

Hegarty said that business and economic development agency Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) provides invaluable help in developing the quarrying equipment sector.

“Over the years, they have given a lot of support, but kept it really focused on research and development [R&D], which I think has a lot of correlation with success. There is a continuous culture of [R&D] and Invest NI has helped stimulate that,” he said.

Invest Northern Ireland manager for the materials handling sector Andrew Greer said

1992

CDE, a global leader in wet processing and sand washing, is established in Cookstown, County Tyrone.

Continued innovation with new impact crushers and heavy-duty scalpers introduced by NI-based manufacturers.

they were eager to help support the sector with its full range of services.

“We have a range of services and R&D is a big part of that,” he said.

“We can provide help with labour costs, design, prototype build, testing, right up to the nished product.

“We provide grants for small, and large companies as well. Some of these companies have been supply chain companies with the potential to develop their own product.”

The agency had its rst stand at the UK Hillhead quarrying equipment show in 1993.

“We had 10 companies in that rst year, and that has grown and grown,” Greer said

“It was Hillhead rst and we then went on to do the ‘trifecta’ of shows with bauma in Munich, Intermat in Paris, and ConExpo in Las Vegas, and this was the rst time we’d taken these companies outside of the UK.”

Greer said that a major objective of Invest NI is to help smaller companies gain worldwide distribution and set up dealerships, and that the organisation has a range of international of ces to facilitate this endeavour. The quarrying equipment manufacturing sector in the region continues to grow and diversify, according to Invest Northern Ireland head of western region Ethna McNamee, whose area covers where many of the companies are based.

“The sector started with screening and crushing, and now it's much more than that with a lot of engineering systems, soil remediation, blending machines,” she said.

“Other digital niches are growing that are allied to the sector including electronics software, and IT capabilities aligned to automation.

“In a year, there might be 50 start-up companies or new projects just in our local of ce, and maybe half of those will be engineering companies, so it’s often secondgeneration people whose father worked in Terex, and it's very much a cultural thing now.

“People see that you can set up a business and be really successful in your own area. There's a formula.” AB

2018-19

Powerscreen buys Michigan, US-based mineral screening equipment manufacturer Simplicity Engineering.

1994

2020-22

The sector focuses on environmental sustainability, producing equipment for recycling waste and providing low-emission mobile processing solutions.

1999

Terex acquires Powerscreen, Finlay and US mobile crushing and screening company Cedarapids.

Northern Ireland’s material handling OEMs take a prominent role at ConExpo 2026 in the US and Hillhead 2026 in the UK.

2026

Image: Terex

Telestack acquired by Astec Industries.

McLanahan production facility in Dungannon, County Tyrone covers more than 1,951m².

Innovation drives further expansion

A culture of innovation and engineering expertise, together with strong ties to academia and an integrated local supply chain, is sustaining long-term growth in Northern Ireland’s quarrying equipment sector.

The density of Northern Ireland’s quarrying equipment manufacturing sector and its engineering excellence has created an environment of competitiveness, ef ciency and innovation.

The region has developed an integrated supply chain that incorporates belting, fabrication, components, hydraulics, electrics and control panels.

Combine this with a global footprint driven by a strong distribution network that is comfortable operating globally and the sector’s outlook continues to look healthy.

Not that anyone in the industry is taking this for granted.

Telestack commercial director (part of the Astec crushing, screening and material handling business) Malachy Gribben said the Tyrone area speci cally is “the heartbeat of the global mobile crushing and screening sector, and mobile material handling.”

“A lot of our competition from outside Northern Ireland are playing catchup on what we did ten or 15 years ago. It’s vital for us to keep innovating and we are very focused on new technologies and new designs,” he said.

“At Telestack, we are developing new solutions around the intake and loadout systems at quarries.

“Tied into our quarry business is also our ship-loading business, as a lot of the quarries we deal with globally are processing the material and loading it onto boats to export, as well as importing aggregates.”

He said that Astec is developing new multifrequency screening technology to improve the handling of dif cult and sticky materials, that is being unveiled at the Hillhead quarrying equipment show (Buxton, UK, June 23-25).

Gribben said that the established ecosystem of suppliers in Northern Ireland, particularly in the Tyrone Cluster, has improved competitiveness.

“Having so many core components providers locally has been critical to helping the factories be more ef cient and offer shorter lead times on the delivery of products than competitors outside of Northern Ireland,” he said.

Gribben said digitalisation is another area where Northern Ireland is well-placed for success going forward.

“At Astec, we have a dedicated team that deals with innovation around digital technologies, with one of the key aims to drive the operational ef ciency, uptime and energy ef ciency of the equipment,” he said.

As part of this, Astec has introduced the Signal Connectivity Suite, which includes mobile telematics to support customers in how they manage their operations.

The region’s mobile crushing and screening sector supports over 8000 people in more than 100 companies.

Astec does its digitalisation research and development in-house, but Gribben said a whole network of digital solutions companies is developing in Northern Ireland to support equipment manufacturers on that path.

Northern Irish companies, such as Telestack, that started in the quarrying equipment industry, are now using the manufacturing and engineering expertise they have built up over decades to pivot very successfully and pro tably into other sectors.

“We are really well-placed in the global mining industry,” Gribben said.

“Our conveying solutions are used in mines to handle iron, gold, copper and bauxite, and we are also helping these mines to export their products via our ship loading and unloading systems.

“We’ve used the expertise we’ve built up over several decades in quarrying to move into mining and help drive that business.”

He said that such diversi cation into other sectors is important for Northern Irish companies that have traditionally operated in quarrying, but face increasing competition from equipment manufacturers in Europe, India and China.

Gribben said that another factor strengthening Northern Ireland’s position in the quarrying equipment sector is its close ties with educational institutions.

“In the last number of years, there has been a very proactive approach to working with academia from manufacturers like ourselves,” he said.

Image: McLanahan

“That has been critical to help us develop the next generation of leaders and innovators within our industry, not just in engineering but in manufacturing and the supply chain.”

Invest Northern Ireland’s head of western region Ethna McNamee highlighted the work of South West College (SWC) in supporting the growth of the sector in the region. The college operates across three main campuses located in Dungannon, Enniskillen and Omagh and is specialised in advanced manufacturing and engineering, with the objective of servicing the skills needs of the region’s manufacturers.

It supports the local engineering sector through apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships and collaboration with industry to drive growth.

Invest NI alongside Mid Ulster Council has also supported MEGA (Manufacturing, Engineering, Growth and Advancement) in this area. MEGA is an industry-led network in mid-Ulster, established in 2019, to address skills shortages by attracting, developing, and retaining talent.

“They have alongside SWC have helped ensure the manufacturing companies here have a skilled pipeline of suitably quali ed people with the expertise that's needed for the future growth of the sector,” McNamee said.

Invest Northern Ireland’s Andrew Greer said Northern Ireland’s history in mobile machines, remained a key factor.

“The exibility and scalability of the mobile concept, with modularity and linking machines together, has driven and is still driving the sector,” Greer said.

A Sandvik UJ443E electric mobile jaw crusher.

“We’re a premium supplier, so we want to support our customers maximising productivity, safety and sustainability,” he said.

“We’re constantly looking to innovate features maximising those bene ts versus our competition, and you see that across the industry.”

Maloney said the region’s integrated supply chain for equipment manufacturers has proved to be one of its great strengths.

“Over the last 20 to 25 years the overriding trend has been for globalisation, but COVID-19 showed the inherent risk in having these long supply chains,” he said.

“Subsequently there has been a push to ‘re-shore’ manufacturing and portions of the supply chain to build in security and resilience.”

“There is mobile equipment for block making, concrete batching plants, waste picking and recycling. That is something we still lead with. It means that companies and customers can scale up as required. You’ve got crushing, screening and recycling all in one product and that came from Northern Ireland.”

Sandvik has a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant at Ballygawley, County Tyrone. Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions mobile crushing and screening division president Manny Maloney is an Australian national based in Sweden who spends a lot of time in Northern Ireland on business.

Maloney said it is impressive to observe the scale of the Northern Irish mobile crushing and screening equipment ecosystem.

“You see this area that at face value looks quite rural and idyllic, but you have this very competitive landscape of mobile crushing and screening companies,” he said.

“The density and competition drive signi cant levels of innovation, and it’s a very good example of the economic theory of creative destruction – you need to evolve or you’ll perish.”

From Sandvik’s perspective, Maloney said this drives the company to try to accelerate its development cycle.

Speed to market is important, but it is also vital to differentiate from competitors.

Maloney said the vast majority of Sandvik’s suppliers for its Ballygawley facility are locally based.

“The bene t of that is you can build up partnership relationships rather than having a purely transactional relationship where you’re just trying to get the lowest possible price,” he said.

“This helps you with innovation and agility, and frankly, it’s much easier if you need something urgently to just go down the road and get it rather than trying to ring someone in a different time zone, a different language and a long delivery time. We’ve found that hugely bene cial.”

The area’s decades of engineering expertise and background in crushing and screening continues to have bene ts. Maloney said there are units in Sandvik’s current offering that are based directly around legacy designs.

Examples of this are Sandvik’s QH332 cone crusher, which builds on the Fintec 1080, and Sandvik’s highest volume products, the QJ241 and QJ341 mobile jaw crushers, which are based on the Extec C10 and C12 units.

Sandvik bought mobile crushing and screening companies Fintec and Extec in 2007, both of which had manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland.

Maloney said that the industry’s importance in Northern Ireland – with material processing equipment accounting for 20 per cent of all regional manufacturing employment – helps in attracting ongoing fresh talent to the sector.

“You often talk to people in our business, and they’ll say that their mother or father worked in the industry,” he said.

The strong global distribution and dealer network of many Northern Ireland manufacturers, established and expanded over many decades, is a further driver of growth.

Maloney said a prominent Northern Irish presence throughout the global sector helps to reinforce this region’s proud legacy.

“A number of our dealers in the US have very strong connections to Northern Ireland,” he said.

“I was in Australia last year, and our dealer in the Northern Territory is from near Ballygawley.

“They are very proud of the mobile crushing and screening heritage of Northern Ireland, and have a lot of industry knowledge, experience, and global connections.” AB

Invest Northern Ireland’s Ethna McNamee.

Invest Northern Ireland’s Andrew Greer.

The future of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has a proud manufacturing history and, through clever initiatives and technological innovation, is set for a bright future ahead.

Northern Ireland has a rich manufacturing history, particularly in the quarrying and aggregates sectors.

That long history is littered with stories of how family businesses saw an opportunity and took it with both hands on their way to establishing a business that serves a global market today.

Take Rapid International, which started as Craigavon Engineering in a small garage in 1969. Craigavon Engineering co-founders Jim Lappin and Bertie Pickering specialised in agricultural equipment before receiving a request for a concrete batching plant.

Northern Ireland has a proud history in the manufacturing sector.

The rest, as they say, is history: Rapid International, as it’s now known, has been exporting its mobile concrete batching plants worldwide for more than 40 years, with over 1000 installations.

“It started from very humble beginnings. Like a lot of businesses in Northern Ireland, those two gentlemen can trace their roots back to John Finlay; they all worked at an engineering rm 60-plus years ago now, and then branched off to start their own company,” Rapid International managing director John Pickering said.

“Northern Ireland was a very different place all those years ago.

“It took a lot of courage for those two men their own.

“We’re extremely proud of our heritage and what the business has become.

“We have a mobile product range that we export worldwide, including to the US, Australia, the Middle East, and a growing customer base in Central Europe.”

Image: Smiley Monroe

Smiley Monroe managing director Chris Monroe.

Or take the story of Smiley Monroe.

The company’s origins began in a barn in Northern Ireland in 1979, when Mark Smiley and Vaughan Monroe supplied conveyor belting and services to local quarries.

By 1986, the company was supplying quarries in Great Britain, and by 2026, it was exporting to more than 60 countries.

These are the stories that make up Northern Ireland’s rich manufacturing history.

“Northern Ireland is where my dad started Smiley Monroe in 1979, together with the support of my mum, and I grew up right next to the business in Lisburn.

“I have so many great childhood memories from that time and the energy and craic that I had in the yard with those rst team members,” Smiley Monroe chief executive of cer Chris Monroe said.

“I also think about the sacri ces and determination of my parents to grow a business and a family simultaneously.

“It therefore makes me proud of our home and business in Northern Ireland, how far it has come, and I consider it a privilege and responsibility to continue to provide opportunities to the local community and to keep growing at home, but now with a very global reach.”

Then there’s the story of EDGE Innovate, established during the 2007 downturn. The screening and material handling equipment manufacturer has been on a sharp trajectory ever since, with 100 per cent of its products exported, with a strong research and development focus and an expansive dealer network.

“Being from Northern Ireland is hugely important for us, and it is a badge of honour for us. Our customers know the pedigree of manufacturing from this part

of the world and the level of quality we produce,” EDGE Innovate managing director Darragh Cullen said.

“It is a heritage that the people here want to continue to invest in; there’s a sense that we [Northern Ireland] are world-leading in this particular market segment.”

These companies, and many others, have become part of Northern Ireland’s rich fabric, starting small and then becoming competitive players on a global stage.

Their contributions to manufacturing have also supported the nation’s prosperity.

Data from MEGA that manufacturing represents 11 per cent of Northern Ireland’s total employment. Manufacturing accounts for approximately 15 per cent of Northern Ireland's gross domestic product.

Mid Ulster’s manufacturing accounts around 12 per cent of the country’s total exports, with material processing equipment accounting for 20 per cent of all regional manufacturing employment. Cullen shared the often-quoted statistic that 40 per cent of mobile crushing and screening equipment is manufactured in County Tyrone which further underlines the sector’s importance to manufacturing. Now, the challenge for the historically dominant manufacturing powerhouse is to remain competitive as challengers emerge. Manufacturing is now prevalent in other countries, including China, Turkey and Italy. It presents a new wave of challenges that Northern Ireland businesses must face to remain competitive.

There is not just one way to remain competitive in a global market. For example, as Smiley Monroe’s customer base, which includes Northern Ireland manufacturers such as Terex, McCloskey, Sandvik and CDE, has expanded globally, so too have the conveyor belt specialists to match the growing demand for its products.

EDGE Innovate has been established for nearly two decades.

Image:

“Technologies enabling this transition, including magnet-equipped conveyor systems and eddy current separators used in processing incinerator bottom ash, are critical in recovering metals and producing usable recycled aggregates for concrete and road construction.

“Our focus remains on delivering belts that maximise lifespan and performance, helping customers reduce waste, lower total cost of ownership, and support more sustainable operations.”

For manufacturers like Rapid International, the company has broadened from mobile concrete batch plants into environmental sectors such as soil mixing and soil recycling.

recently, Derbyshire, England.

Northern Ireland manufacturers are also broadening their horizons beyond traditional strongholds in quarrying and aggregates and diversifying into new revenue streams to solidify their manufacturing future.

For Smiley Monroe, this has included working closely with customers to develop solutions for emerging aggregates markets such as recycled aggregates.

Through consultation with its customer base, the conveyor belt manufacturer is evolving its products to meet new industry demands.

“We’re seeing a clear shift in the quarrying and aggregates sector towards sustainability, circular construction, and higherperformance materials,” Monroe said.

“Customers are placing greater emphasis on the full lifecycle impact of the products they use, ensuring materials are responsibly sourced and deliver long-term value.

“At the same time, the industry is rapidly adopting recycled aggregates, such as crushed concrete and secondary materials, as part of a broader circular construction model.

This environmental focus will be on display at Hillhead 2026 when the company will launch a product speci cally designed for these sectors.

“In terms of being competitive, we differentiate ourselves through quality and the actual ef ciency of the products themselves,” Pickering said.

“We’re really pushing into the environmental sector now, and that’s something we want to keep pushing and continually developing.”

EDGE Innovate has taken a progressive approach to developing its product range with the aim of introducing two to three new products to its range every year, with input from its customer base that encompasses 60 markets.

One example of this approach will become apparent when EDGE Innovate showcases its ScreenPro Scalping range, including the ScreenPro S16, at Hillhead 2026 as part of the range’s rst-ever showing in the UK.

“That’s showing where we’re going internally with our product development in the aggregates sector,” EDGE Innovate marketing manager Adrian Donnelly said.

“It is absolutely amazing what they’re doing in terms of robotics and automation.”

“We’re moving from being able to just transfer material to helping customers process their materials and this is the start of that journey.”

For many manufacturers, adapting to the increasing technological capabilities of their equipment has been important, with Smiley Monroe, Rapid International and EDGE Innovate no exception.

At Smiley Monroe, arti cial intelligence (AI) and analytics are helping the company re ne its operations for ef ciency and to maintain a competitive edge within the industry.

“Technology is playing an increasingly important role in our business, and we’re genuinely excited about the opportunities it brings. Innovations like AI, and data analytics are helping us better understand

our operations, improve ef ciency, and make more informed decisions in real time,” Monroe said.

“These tools give our people better insights, reduce manual or repetitive tasks, and enhance safety and reliability across our operations. Ultimately, it allows our skilled workforce to focus on higher-value work where their experience and judgement make the biggest impact.”

Another clear example is EDGE Innovate’s recent investment in a £1 million robotic welder to support its manufacturing operations. It comes as manufacturers in Northern Ireland, including EDGE Innovate, struggle to nd skilled workers.

“The robotic welder is a must because there’s a lack of available welders, so we’ve streamlined the process so we can use automation and robotics in all processes. The robotic welder is only the rst stage of automating our production,” Cullen said.

The workforce shortage in Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector is a key talking point among industry professionals.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee’s report on economic growth in Northern Ireland, released in March 2026, noted that the country faces a shortage of skilled labour, especially in STEM and vocational elds, with the need for technologically adept workers becoming increasingly prominent.

Manufacturing and Engineering Growth and Advancement (MEGA) network

managing director Barry Taylor knows the country’s manufacturing sector inside and out.

He’s worked in the sector in various capacities for 36 years and is passionate about its future.

For the past year, he has worked at MEGA, which aims to engage schools with the manufacturing industry as a potential career pathway.

He’s seen rst-hand the impact of the labour shortfall.

“It’s very dif cult, for example, to get a good maintenance engineer right now, who is multi-skilled across the different technologies,” he said.

“In my mind, we need to push

Rapid International managing director John Pickering.

EDGE Innovate managing director Darragh Cullen.

MEGA network managing director Barry Taylor.

Image:

apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships as much as we push graduates.

“Manufacturing can be regarded as just a factory job, but in reality, it’s so much more than that; it can be a one-stop shop for your entire career where you can travel the world and gain really valuable knowledge.”

The labour shortage is being felt heavily at the manufacturing level as companies, like Rapid International, try to nd the next generation of workers to replace their retiring workforce.

“Getting people at all is probably our biggest challenge right now, and the ability to recruit people is becoming harder and harder,” Pickering said.

“I think education plays a huge role in that. If you look at MEGA, I think initiatives like that are fantastic, and in terms of our recruitment, we’re looking heavily at the high-level apprenticeship scheme [in Northern Ireland].”

While the outside perspective might see manufacturing as “just factory jobs”, MEGA is working with the industry to show that it is a strong pathway with many opportunities, from sales to engineering to electronics and beyond.

MEGA is undertaking a feasibility study to see whether a “super cluster” approach, as seen in Scandinavia, would work within its manufacturing sector.

The model, in effect, works by having competitors within the sector come together

“Rather than everyone ghting for the same funding, we’re trialling a collaborative approach through this cluster [model] so we can support and strengthen the Northern Ireland economy,” Taylor said.

“It’s about coming together to address problems affecting the entire industry.”

In response to the need for apprentices, MEGA is launching a manufacturing apprenticeship programme with South West College in September 2026, aiming to produce work-ready graduates who can hit the ground running in the workforce. The programme will cover the basics through to advanced manufacturing concepts.

“Through this initiative, we will be supplying the industry with readymade, valuable workers with real knowledge,” Taylor said.

“Aside from the basics like science and maths, we’re hoping this generation will have a digital awareness and an awareness of automation options, as well as a willingness to gain a deeper understanding of them.

“This is going to be important as this next generation is going to be fundamental to the industry’s growth.

“Especially when the industry is talking about robotics and automation, it doesn’t yet have that skill set. So, this next generation is going to come in and close that loop.”

Cullen said it was important to promote the variety of opportunities within the sector.

“There’s plenty of opportunity for people who want to get involved in manufacturing. Universities are educating people for jobs that won’t exist [due to AI],” he said.

“It is time to refocus on the jobs that AI isn’t going to replace, physical jobs like manufacturing.”

Manufacturers are already clearly integrating these aspects into their operations, with uptake only set to increase in future years.

“AI optimisation and autonomous equipment are going to have a big impact [in the future], particularly through predictive maintenance, computer vision and quality control,” Monroe said.

“The challenging and often hazardous quarry environment can bene t from technologies that help predict equipment issues or damages before they become a problem, reducing both downtime and the potential for on-site accidents.

“It’s important to note, though, that these trends won’t remove the need for skilled workers — they’ll change the nature of roles, with more emphasis on monitoring systems, maintaining equipment, and making informed decisions using data. The sector will bene t most when technology and human expertise work together.”

Taylor said improving the manufacturing workforce will further enhance the sector’s future viability, especially as technology and automation are increasingly important.

“It is absolutely amazing what they’re doing in terms of robotics and automation,” he said.

“If we can help [manufacturers] maximise what they’re already doing, it will create new jobs and help build the Northern Ireland economy.” AB

MEGA aims to promote the benefits of a career in manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

A-Z directory of Northern Ireland companies

Anaconda

Anaconda, a proud member of the McLanahan family of companies, specialises in equipment designed to tackle challenging terrains and process abrasive and bulky materials. Ranging from conveyors to crushers, screens to washing, Anaconda equipment combines decades of innovation and expertise in engineered to deliver products which keep your operation running.

www.anacondaequipment.com

Cabragh Engineering

Cabragh Engineering is an established provider of concrete and quarry plant. Its range includes mobile and static batching plants, crushing and screening systems, silo storage, conveyor systems, blending plants and block moulds.

Astec Europe

Astec delivers innovative equipment and integrated solutions for the asphalt, concrete, mining, and aggregate industries. The company focuses on productivity, durability, and sustainable performance, o ering advanced technologies and dependable support that help customers improve e ciency, reduce downtime, and achieve consistent results across demanding material processing environments.

astecindustries.com

CDE

CDE is a global leader in wet processing technologies, designing and manufacturing advanced systems for sand, aggregates, mining, industrial sands, construction and demolition waste, and environmental applications. The company delivers high performance solutions that maximise material recovery, reduce environmental impact and enhance operational e ciency across multiple regions worldwide.

Barford Equipment

Barford Equipment manufactures mobile screening, crushing and materials handling machinery. Known for robust, reliable, easy to maintain designs, the company supplies crushers, screeners, trommels, conveyors, pugmills and trailers for demanding construction, aggregate, recycling and mining applications, supported by a rapidly growing global dealer network.

www.barford.com

Circular Group

Circular Group provides tailored wet processing solutions for the sand, aggregates and recycling sectors. The company delivers customer focused, technically robust systems that optimise material recovery and support sustainable resource use. Its flexible, personal approach serves customers from small family firms to major producers, meeting evolving environmental and industry demands.

Bruce Materials Processing Solutions

Bruce Materials Processing Solutions has delivered intelligent washing solutions for over 65 years. The company manufactures modular aggregate and sand washing plants for the materials-processing and recycling-industries. It has been an o cial Hardox Wearparts Centre for more than 20-years, using Hardox and branded components across its equipment.

www.bruce-eng.co.uk

ConveyorTek

ConveyorTek is an ISO 9001 accredited manufacturer specialising in conveyor systems and metal separation technologies for automation, logistics, recycling, quarrying and mining. The company delivers modular and bespoke conveyors, belts, components and advanced magnetic and eddy current separation equipment, supported by strong research and development and immersive design technologies.

cabragheng.com

www.cdegroup.com

www.circulargroup.co.uk

www.conveyortek.com

Coote Engineering

Coote Engineering manufactures precast concrete machinery, moulds and the Finlay range of block making equipment. It also supplies interlocking block moulds and the RONCO range of low loaders and dump trailers.

Distag QCS

Distag QCS imports, manufactures and distributes machinery components and sub assemblies for the materials processing and agricultural machinery industries.

EDGE Innovate

EDGE Innovate manufactures advanced mobile technologies for shredding, stacking, screening and sorting materials in recycling and production. Its range includes stackers, feeders, conveyors, screens, trommels, waste shredders, picking stations and truck o loaders, enabling customers to e ciently process and stockpile diverse materials.

Euro Auctions

www.coote.co.uk

Euro Springs

Euro Springs is a family-run manufacturer specialising in high-quality compression, tension and torsion springs, along with die springs, wire shapes, hose guards and tension bars. Accredited to ISO 9001:2015 and a member of the Institute of Spring Technology, the company supplies precision engineered components supported by experienced sta and a strong commitment to quality.

www.eurosprings.co.uk

www.distag.com

EvoQuip (Terex GB)

EvoQuip provides compact crushing, screening and conveying equipment for construction, quarrying, agriculture, landscaping, plant hire and recycling. Its product range includes crushers, screens, shredders and conveyors with telematics and hybrid options, delivering e cient, mobile, low-impact material processing for small to mid-scale operations.

edgeinnovate.com

Finlay (Terex GB)

Finlay has led the way in tracked mobile crushing, screening and conveying equipment for more than 65 years. Trusted worldwide across the quarrying, mining, construction and recycling sectors, Finlay delivers productivity, e ciency and long-term value through innovative, customerfocused engineering.

www.euroauctions.com

www.terex.com/evoquip

www.terex.com/finlay

Euro Auctions is a global auctioneer of industrial, construction and agricultural equipment, providing live and online sales. It o ers valuation, asset management and full auction logistics, connecting sellers with a worldwide buyer base. Visitors can learn how to buy or sell machinery e ciently and explore tailored fleet disposal or acquisition options. FSL Electronics

FSL Electronics designs and manufactures wireless remote controls, industrial displays and custom electronic systems. For over 35 years, it has supplied innovative technology that improves safety and productivity across global industries.

www.fslelectronics.com

A-Z directory of Northern Ireland companies

Harpscreen

Harpscreen supplies high-quality screening media including conveyor rollers for a wide range of crushing and screening machines. The company focuses on durability, precision manufacturing and responsive customer support, helping customers maintain e cient material processing through reliable, custom-engineered screening solutions.

Herbst Machinery

Herbst Machinery designs and manufactures crushing and screening machinery for the quarrying and recycling sectors, alongside trailers for the agricultural and construction sectors. The range is trusted worldwide and supported by a growing dealer network. The company’s success is built on a reputation for quality, reliability and continued innovation.

Hill Engineering

Hill Engineering is a global manufacturer of award-winning excavator attachments, specialising in advanced hydraulic quick couplers and heavy-duty buckets. The company designs and produces the TEFRA fully automatic, double-locking coupler range and TITAN buckets, supplying leading OEMs and end users worldwide with innovative, safe, highperformance solutions.

Irish Manufacturing Services

Irish Manufacturing Services (IMS) designs and builds specialist equipment for the quarrying, mining, recycling and port sectors. Its range includes pugmills, blending plants, scalpers, stackers, conveyors and bespoke machinery, delivering robust, innovative material-handling solutions worldwide.

www.harpscreen.com

Je erson Tools

Je erson Tools supplies professional-grade tools, equipment and workshop solutions for trade, industrial and agricultural users. Its extensive range includes power and hand tools, compressors, generators, lighting, welding equipment and consumables, supported by strong stock availability, competitive pricing and reliable after-sales service trusted across industry.

je ersontools.com

herbstmachinery.com

JJ Loughran

JJ Loughran is one of the UK and Ireland’s most diverse electrical and mechanical engineering companies, providing electric motors, gearboxes, pumps, industrial electrical installation and custom switchboard and controlpanel manufacturing. The company supports sectors from renewables to quarrying with in-house and on-site installation, maintenance and repair, backed by extensive engineering expertise.

www.jjloughran.com

www.hillattach.com

JMG Systems

JMG Systems provides reliable control solutions, supplying hybrid, AC, DC and battery-driven systems with a strong focus on green technologies. It also develops alternative power-control solutions and is ISO 9001 accredited with UL certification.

www.jmgsystems.co.uk

www.ims-ltd.ie

LDG Datum

LDG Datum provides specialist foundation pile testing, structural and geotechnical monitoring and environmental systems. The company delivers advanced remote and automated technologies, including patented test systems that improve safety and e ciency. Its expertise spans pile load testing, asset integrity monitoring, micro-piling, anchoring and bespoke instrumentation for civil engineering and infrastructure projects.

www.lloydsdatumgroup.com

MacGen Power Generation

MacGen Power Generation supplies, services and maintains mobile and static generator units for customers across multiple sectors. O ering generators from 20kVA to 1000kVA, along with message signs and air compressors, the family-run company provides fast, reliable power solutions supported by qualified personnel and extensive stock.

MAGNA (Terex GB)

MAGNA is a large-scale equipment brand from Terex, delivering high-capacity machinery for quarrying, mining, construction and recycling. Its portfolio includes jaw, cone and impact crushers, along with trommel, scalping and horizontal screens and heavy-duty conveyors, supported by Terex’s global manufacturing, parts and service network to ensure reliable, high-volume processing.

McCloskey International

McCloskey International is a global manufacturer of mobile crushing, screening and stacking equipment for aggregates, construction, demolition, mining, landscaping, waste management and recycling. Its comprehensive range of jaw, cone and impact crushers, screeners, trommels and stackers is renowned for durability, high performance and continuous innovation, supported by a strong worldwide dealer network.

McCrory Engineering

McCrory Engineering is a leading manufacturer of construction equipment, supplying high-quality static and mobile concrete plants worldwide. Its innovative approach has secured a long-standing position at the heart of the concrete industry.

www.macgen.co.uk

McGirr Engineering

McGirr Engineering is a leading supplier of mobile block-making equipment, supporting producers from small operations to facilities manufacturing up to 45,000 blocks per day. It provides solutions for block-making operations of all scales.

www.terex.com/magna

www.mccloskeyinternational.com

McLanahan Corporation

McLanahan Corporation provides engineered processing solutions for aggregates, mining, industrial minerals, agriculture and recycling. Its equipment range includes crushers, feeders, scrubbers, filter presses and complete wet and dry systems, supporting operations from primary crushing through to tailings and water management.

M-Tech Solutions Ireland

M-Tech Solutions Ireland specialises in electrical control systems, diagnostics and repair services for the crushing and screening industry. The company designs, installs and maintains control panels and automation systems, providing expert faultfinding, optimisation and responsive engineering support across the materialsprocessing sector.

www.mccroryengineering.com

NBC Group

NBC Group provides engineered solutions and precision-manufactured components for heavy industry, supporting construction, quarrying, recycling and materialhandling sectors. The company focuses on reliability, technical expertise, and responsive service, delivering products that enhance performance, reduce downtime and meet demanding operational requirements.

www.mcgirrengineering.com

www.mclanahan.com

www.mtechireland.com

www.nbcgroup.co.uk

A-Z directory of Northern Ireland companies

Nordmann Equipment

Nordmann Equipment develops and supports crushing and screening equipment for demolition, recycling and quarrying. It focuses on track-mounted crushers and screens in the sub-30-tonne class, providing robust, high-performance and durable solutions.

Omega Crushing & Screening

Omega Crushing & Screening manufactures electrically driven mobile crushers and screeners that reduce fuel use, emissions and costs. Serving the quarrying, recycling and construction sectors, Omega applies advanced engineering to deliver productive, cost-e ective and environmentally e cient solutions.

Pneutrol International supplies batching control systems for concrete plants and automation systems for conveying, crushing and screening. It also provides industrial spares including load cells, silo components, VSDs, pneumatics, Castell safety systems, water meters, vibrators and flow aids.

Portafill International

Portafill International manufactures highly mobile, cost-e ective screening, crushing and washing equipment for construction, demolition, recycling, sand and gravel and natural rock applications. Its range of screeners, crushers, trommels, conveyors and wash systems is recognised globally for durability, innovation and practical engineering, supported by an expanding international network.

www.nordmannequipment.com

Powerscreen (Terex GB)

Powerscreen is a worldleading manufacturer of mobile crushing, screening and conveying equipment for quarrying, mining, recycling, construction and infrastructure. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026, Powerscreen’s portfolio includes jaw, cone and impact crushers, mobile screens, trommels and conveyors, supported by a dedicated global dealer network delivering reliable, high-performance materialprocessing solutions.

www.powerscreen.com

omegacrusher.com

ProStack (Terex GB)

ProStack designs and manufactures bulk material handling solutions, including conveyors, feeders and stockpiling equipment. Its systems focus on e ciency, mobility and reliability, supporting industries that require high-performance material movement and streamlined operations through innovative engineering and robust, user-focused design.

www.terex.com/prostack

www.pneutrol.com

Quarry King

Quarry King delivers reliable, high-performance equipment and support for material handling operations. The company focuses on durable engineering, e cient workflow design and responsive service, helping quarries and pits optimise production, reduce downtime and achieve consistent results through practical, industrydriven solutions.

www.quarryking.com

www.portafill.com

Rapid International

Rapid International manufactures advanced mixing technology for the concrete, construction, environmental and recycling sectors. Its highperformance mobile and static batching plants, continuous mixers and pan, planetary and twin-shaft mixers are used worldwide, delivering durable, e cient solutions supported by strong engineering expertise and a customer-focused dealer network.

www.rapidinternational.com

Pneutrol International

Rapid Power Generation

Rapid Power Generation delivers reliable power solutions, specialising in EU Stage V and Tier 4 Final (T4F) emission-compliant generators built for harsh environments. Its products support much of Northern Ireland’s material-processing industry, combining engineering expertise with a commitment to safety, quality and responsiveness to ensure dependable power when it matters most.

www.rapidpowergen.com

SFM Engineering

SFM Engineering specialises in steel fabrication and manufacturing for the screening, quarrying and recycling industries. It delivers high-quality, competitively priced products on time and in a safe environment, supported by continuous improvement and ongoing investment in technology.

Roco9

Roco9, part of the Ballytrain Group, provides innovative crushing and screening solutions backed by extensive practical experience. The company prioritises long-term customer relationships, delivering high-quality, sustainable equipment for the recycling, demolition and quarrying industries, with a strong focus on practicality, reliability and maximising uptime for operators.

www.roco9.com

Smiley Monroe

Smiley Monroe, known as the Giants of Belting, is a leading global supplier of conveyor belts, rubber and plastic parts and accessories. It delivers highquality products, technical expertise and reliable service worldwide.

Sandvik

Sandvik delivers advanced mobile crushing and screening equipment for the mining, quarrying, construction and recycling industries. The company focuses on productivity, safety and sustainable performance, providing innovative solutions that enhance material processing, support e cient operations and help customers achieve reliable, long-term results in demanding environments.

www.rockprocessing.sandvik/en/ products/mobile-crushers-andscreens

Telestack

Telestack is a global leader in designing, manufacturing, installing and commissioning mobile bulk-materialhandling systems. The company provides innovative conveying, stacking, loading and unloading solutions for quarrying, mining, ports, terminals, stockyards, power, steel and cement operations, delivering operational savings, environmental benefits and strong engineering support through an international dealer network.

Screenpod Design & Manufacturing engineers recycling, screening and dust-suppression equipment for construction, quarrying and waste sectors. It supplies robust, highperformance solutions that reduce environmental impact and improve operational e ciency. Trusted by industry leaders, the company is proud to drive sustainable growth worldwide.

www.screenpod.co.uk

Terex Washing Systems (Terex GB)

Terex Washing Systems delivers advanced wet-processing solutions for aggregates, recycling, industrial sands and mining. The company provides complete, tailored systems spanning feeding, screening, scrubbing, washing, classification and watermanagement technologies. Renowned for robust performance, e ciency and sustainability, it supports global customers through an extensive dealer network and a long-term service focus.

www.sfmengineering.co.uk

smileymonroe.com

www.telestack.com

www.terexwashing.com

A-Z directory of Northern Ireland companies

Tesab Engineering

Tesab Engineering manufactures heavy-duty crushers, screeners and bulk-handling systems for quarrying, mining, recycling and shipping. Known for robust design and longlasting performance, the company o ers jaw, impact and cone crushers, mobile electric units and scalpers, delivering flexible, applicationfocused solutions backed by extensive engineering expertise and global support.

www.tesab.co.uk

Titus Attachments manufactures highquality excavator and machinery attachments for construction, demolition, forestry and earthmoving. Using precision engineering, 3D modelling and modern production methods, the company delivers durable, high-performance tools. Its range includes buckets, grapples, rakes and other heavy-duty attachments supplied directly and through international partners.

www.titus-solutions.co.uk

Tyrone International

Tyrone International manufactures advanced wet and dry processing solutions for aggregate production, including concrete, C&D recycling and industrial sand. Continuous research and development and superior engineering deliver reliable, high-throughput solutions with a lower total cost of ownership and make sure our game changing solutions meet the challenges ahead.

Vulcan Asphalt Group

Vulcan Asphalt Group is the UK’s leading asphalt plant product and service provider, home to the Vulcan and Vortex burner ranges. It delivers bespoke solutions that improve e ciency and reliability, with a strong focus on future fuels and carbon reduction.

www.tyroneinternational.com

www.vulcanasphaltgroup.com

Titus Attachments

Images: Powerscreen, Finlay and Terex

Northern Ireland has a proud past, present and future in manufacturing crushing and

Pilot Crushtec’s TwisterTrac VS350E Stage V mobile crusher.

Hillhead set for grand return

The UK quarrying and construction equipment show will see a large expansion of its indoor exhibition space.

Hillhead 2026 is shaping up as one of the biggest iterations of the UK trade show yet, with more than 600 exhibitors expected.

Showrunners have expanded the registration pavilion to create an additional indoor stand section to meet high demand.

The Showground and Registration Pavilions will feature a range of innovative products, technologies and solutions, highlighting how decarbonisation, digitalisation and automation are driving the industry’s transformation.

Pilot Crushtec

South Africa-headquartered Pilot Crushtec will showcase its latest generation TwisterTrac VS350E Stage V mobile crusher while accelerating its drive to build a stronger European distribution footprint.

Pilot Crushtec sales and marketing director Francois Marais said Hillhead marks a signi cant step in its international growth strategy.

“We want to make a big statement about our latest model TwisterTrac VS350E which complies with the European Union’s Stage V emissions regulations,” Marais said.

“Secondly, we are actively looking to engage with potential distributors for both the TwisterTrac and our broader product range –mobile and static.”

Hillhead visitors will have the opportunity to physically inspect a brand-new TwisterTrac VS350E Stage V unit which will be the highlight of Pilot Crushtec’s stand at M3 in the show’s well known ‘crusher alley’.

This UK trade show draws visitors from across Europe, making it an ideal platform for Pilot Crushtec’s ambitions beyond its traditional markets.

Pilot Crushtec product specialist James Atkins said that the TwisterTrac VS350E has, over the years, proven itself as a robust and productive platform. More than 100 units have been supplied globally, with the majority operating outside South Africa.

“The Stage V version builds on this track record, bringing the design into compliance with strict EU regulations,” Atkins said. “The unit carries full CE certi cation, so customers get all the bene ts of a tried-and-tested design but in a package that meets European regulatory expectations.”

In parallel with its product focus, Pilot Crushtec will use Hillhead to engage with potential distribution partners.

“We are seeing growing direct sales activity into Europe and that is driving our need for local partners,” Marais said.

“We are looking for distributors with strong service capability and a solid reputation, who can both grow the market and support the customers that we already have in the region.”

Wirtgen

Under the motto ‘You’ll never crush alone’, the Wirtgen Group is setting the focus at Hillhead 2026 on end-to-end solutions for materials processing with ve crushers and screening plants from Kleemann.

A landmark product for the UK market is the MOBICAT MC 110 EVO2 jaw crusher, which combines a smart operating concept with high ef ciency. The plant is the ideal choice for pre-crushing almost all kinds of quarried stone and numerous recycling tasks. The plant is characterised by compact dimensions, ef cient prescreening, a simple handling concept with SPECTIVE und SPECTIVE CONNECT and high plant performance.

Innovative control and overload systems, the continuous feed system, and an independently vibrating double-deck prescreen optimise material ow, increase plant utilisation rates, and improve the overall performance of the jaw crusher.

With its all-electric E-Drive drive concept, the compact MOBIREX MR 100 NEOe impact crusher unites exibility, low transport weight and a wide range of potential applications in the processing of demolition material, concrete, reclaimed asphalt, and soft to mediumhardness quarried stone. Together with the MOBISCREEN MSS 502 EVO scalper, the plant presented at the booth forms the basis of a perfectly coordinated production system for asphalt recycling. Both the MOBIREX MR 100 NEO and the MOBISCREEN MSS 502 EVO can be operated electrically with the aid of the Dual Power option. This means, for example, that milled material for use in the production of new asphalt mixes in asphalt mixing plants can be processed in place with zero operating emissions.

Finning

Visitors to the Hillhead 2026 quarrying and construction equipment show will be taken on a journey to uncover the solutions to their operational challenges by Finning UK & Ireland.

Zones where visitors can pinpoint on-site issues and discuss how to solve them will be hosted by Finning as it looks to support more businesses in transforming their processes through increased ef ciency and extended support.

Finning UK & Ireland’s expert team will be available at the show to offer an insight into the critical factors shaping the future of the quarrying and construction industries, and the advanced applications on offer to help them work smarter.

Finning has said it is helping customers to innovate and streamline operations through

Image: Pilot Crushtec

cutting-edge digital solutions and integrated support packages that include the deployment of digital and technology features, data analysis, and on-site training.

“Connecting our customers to the tools that enable their businesses to thrive is very important to us, whether that is using technology to unlock the data they need to improve safety, sustainability and productivity, or opening up new, cost-effective ways to invest in machinery through rebuilt solutions,” Finning UK & Ireland head of corporate and strategic accounts Mick Knight said.

“Hillhead is a fantastic event and the perfect opportunity for our team to engage with visitors, holding conversations with the aim of making a direct, positive impact on operations by nding a solution to some of the biggest challenges companies face.”

Bruce Materials Processing Solutions

Bruce Materials Processing Solutions will be showcasing its latest innovation in mobile washing technology, the Mob-E-Wash.

Developed to meet the demands of modern operators, the Mob-E-Wash combines exibility with high-performance output, making it an ideal solution for a wide range of applications.

For campaign washing, short- or longterm projects, and multi-site operations, it offers greater mobility and compactness than traditional static plants. Built on a tri-axle chassis, the Mob-E-Wash is designed for

rapid deployment, allowing operators to get up and running quickly with minimal downtime. Its intelligent design ensures not only fast installation and ease of transport, but also seamless integration into existing work ows. Fully electric-driven, the unit offers a comprehensive all-in-one washing solution. Onboard components enable effective scrubbing, organics/trash removal, and sizing and classi cation of multiple feed materials.

Haver & Boecker Niagara

Haver & Boecker Niagara will showcase its cutting-edge mineral processing technologies, including screeners, screen media and leadingedge diagnostics.

Screen media and diagnostics take centre stage at the show, emphasising the importance of choosing the correct media.

The company will showcase its innovative Ty-Wire screen media with a hybrid design that provides up to 80 per cent more open area than modular polyurethane, signi cantly reducing blinding and virtually eliminating pegging.

The company will showcase MAJOR’s FLEXMAT screen media, which delivers increased wear life and eliminates blinding, pegging and clogging issues. Haver & Boecker Niagara's advanced PULSE Diagnostics portfolio which includes PULSE Vibration Analysis, PULSE Condition Monitoring and the PULSE Impact Test will also be on display. AB

The Bruce Mob-E-Wash.

Breakthrough showcase

ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 brought the industry together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and underlined its reputation as one of North America’s largest construction trade shows.

More than 140,000 attendees from 128 countries walked through the doors of ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 as Las Vegas took centre stage for the quarrying and aggregates sector.

Contractors, manufacturers, managers and more gathered to view the latest equipment, technologies and solutions across every construction sector. Across more than 3 million square feet of exhibition space with over 2000 exhibitors, everything from largescale crushing equipment to earthmoving machines and automation solutions was on show at the Las Vegas Conference Centre for the rst time since 2023.

From product debuts, like Komatsu’s largest articulated truck in the HM460-6, through to electric solutions like LiuGong’s 924 FE Electric Excavator, there was plenty of diverse equipment on display as attendees could get up and close with the equipment and truly understand its capabilities.

“Being able to put your hands on the machines and talk directly with manufacturers makes ConExpo-Con/Agg a great show for companies like ours,” Donjon Marine’s Thomas Coyne said.

“[We saw] a lot of equipment that we’re looking to purchase in the near future.”

Planning is already underway for the next ConExpo-Con/Agg, with Scott Young already

Wuesthoff said Young’s combination of industry experience and leadership capabilities made him the ideal pick for the role.

“We are thrilled to welcome Scott as chair for 2029. His vision and leadership will help us build on that momentum and deliver an even more impactful event for the construction community,” she said.

MB Crusher

MB Crusher had a signi cant presence at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 with two booths showcasing its solutions for the American market.

ConExpo-Con/ Agg 2026 was well attended by professionals.

“This year, we really wanted to showcase the rise of MB America. With MB America having 16 years in business, we aimed to create something that felt familiar to our customers, yet elevated and different from years past,” MB America chief executive of cer Regan Whit eld said.

performance. We’ll build on this year’s success

In its platinum lot, attendees could view the full range of attachments for on-site material processing, including its signature bucket crushers. The bucket crushers are synonymous for their ability to handle concrete and demolition waste and turn it into reusable aggregate directly on-site. Also on show was MB Crusher’s expanding line of pulverisers engineered for material separation and precision demolition, as well as screening buckets, built to sort and classify materials quickly and accurately, and padding buckets, ideal for pipeline and back lling applications by reusing existing material directly on-site.

The platinum lot was also where MB Crusher hosted live demonstrations of its solutions, with industry professionals also in attendance for in-depth conversations. MB Crusher’s silver lot featured the MB Grapple as well as interactive games and in-depth discussions.

“MB doesn’t just attend trade shows, we put on a show. Each year, we try to introduce something new while staying true to our brand and values,” MB America North Carolina branch manager Bryan Sims said.

“Love is not only part of our team and what we do but is also a key ingredient in the details we display in every attachment and interaction.”

Wirtgen Group and Kleemann

World premieres and market debuts headlined Wirtgen Group’s showcase as its respective brands demonstrated their latest innovations at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026.

Kleemann was among the brands with products making their market debuts by presenting the rst scalper in its PRO Line series, the MOBISCREEN MSS 1102 PRO, to a North American audience.

The robust machine is designed for operators wanting ef cient material processing rates, especially in the quarrying sector.

The MOBISCREEN MSS 1102 PRO features high throughput rates, exible con guration options and an intuitive plant control to ensure high productivity and safety during operation. Kleemann also showcased its SPECTIVE CONNECT platform, which presents relevant processing data to operators via smartphones and tablets. Its features include stockpile monitoring, which displays the current status of material stockpiles.

Caterpillar

Tom March and Brian Hayden were the toast of Las Vegas as they won Caterpillar’s inaugural global dealer technician challenge and global

operator challenge, respectively.

Caterpillar hosted the nals of both events as part of its ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 showcase, with the nalists showing off their skills to a global audience. The global dealer technician challenge showcased agility, diagnostic expertise, and problem-solving skills, as the nalists had to accurately diagnose and repair problems under intense time pressure.

March from Finning UK took the title from the eld of 10 nalists, which had been whittled down from thousands of technicians.

The global operator challenge attracted signi cant interest, with thousands of operators from more than 40 countries competing as early as 2025 for a shot at the Las Vegas nale.

The competition required contestants to operate Cat wheeled loaders, excavators, and

dozers through a series of tests, including material loading, object handling, precision placement, and advanced machine control.

Hayden was the winner of the nale and will receive either a $US10,000 cash prize or an equivalent value trip.

Caterpillar chief executive of cer Joe Creed said the company wanted to support the future of the sector’s workforce through these contests and other future initiatives.

“As global infrastructure demand increases, access to skilled technicians and operators is a critical issue for our industry,” he said.

“By investing in training and upskilling, we’re helping to build the workforce our industry depends on and staying true to our mission of solving our customers’ toughest challenges.”

Future focus

After a jam-packed showcase that also included several networking and professional development opportunities, anticipation is high for the event’s return in 2029.

“ConExpo-Con/Agg highlights the innovation pipeline that keeps construction moving forward,” ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 chair Eric Sauvage said.

“The technologies introduced [here] are not concepts. They are real-world solutions contractors can adopt now to build faster, safer and more sustainably. This has been one of the best editions of ConExpo-Con/Agg.” AB

ConExpo-Con/ Agg 2026 was well attended by visitors.

Image: ConExpo-Con/Agg

Trucks specially equipped with the necessary tools and parts arrive to o er service and solutions.

Better together

Martin Engineering field support supervisor Sue Gri th explains how the company’s approach to aftermarket conveyor services, including maintenance, builds longstanding partnerships.

Unscheduled downtime of belt conveyors in bulk handling operations can be calculated in cost per minute. For sanity’s sake, don’t calculate this. It might reveal the severe logistical and scheduling inef ciency of service contractors and equipment manufacturers and seriously raise your blood pressure.

Generally, when operators install retro tted conveyor solutions, they focus on the up-front price with little consideration for the cost of ongoing service, maintenance costs, and supply chain. But down the road, when critical service or parts are needed, the cost per minute difference between days and weeks of downtime or keeping the system limping along at 25-50 per cent production can amount to an entirely new equipment retro t.

Research published by the Australian Coal Association indicates the cost of downtime is on the order of ve times the cost of replacing the component. When the root cause of downtime is related to the basic conveyor design, the downtime cost is approximately two times the cost of the redesign.[1] At rst, these ratios may seem to be erroneous or even backward but consider that a component failure often involves maintenance with a relatively short downtime window for replacement.

Whereas a basic design mistake often involves a signi cant capital expense and a prolonged outage for correction.

This is why having a close relationship with equipment manufacturers and/or their certi ed contractors that offer responsive “factory direct” products and services is important to the cost of operation. The main factors to consider are service availability, technical expertise/safety, and supply chain logistics.

Service availability

The mystery of the “disappearing manufacturer’s representative after installation” is a tale as old as the Industrial Revolution, and back then, even Sherlock Holmes could not solve it.

Reliable and timely site visits are a hallmark of a solid partnership between the operator and the factory-direct manufacturer. Service technicians and certi ed representatives who are available during problem-free uptime are likely to be responsive during panic-inducing unscheduled downtime.

Site visits are also not arbitrary.

A reputable equipment manufacturer representative will examine not just their components but the entire conveyor system, offering preventative maintenance support. The goal is to nd indicators of the causes of downtime and offer practical solutions.

For example, Martin’s Walk the Belt program is speci cally designed for predictive maintenance. A Martin Service Technician (MST) or certi ed contractor will physically examine the entire system with an extensive checklist and then write a report, often with photos, of observations, recommendations, and solutions to improve safety and ef ciency.

Technical expertise

Experts have “seen it all” until they haven’t, and that’s when their expertise is tested and safety becomes an issue. Outside service contractors may be generally familiar with systems and maintenance procedures but often face a steep learning curve when servicing new equipment designs.

The top equipment manufacturers consistently iterate on previous designs, seeking to improve safety and ef ciency. Factory-direct technicians and certi ed contractors from these reputable equipment manufacturers respond quickly to calls and arrive equipped to diagnose and solve issues.

Most operational site managers strive to maintain the highest workplace safety standards. If external contractors don’t operate to the same level, they risk being ejected from the site. In addition to stringent conveyor and ow equipment maintenance training, MSTs undergo comprehensive safety training. With regular visits, factory-direct MSTs quickly learn the latest standards and procedures of each production site, staying up to date with the needs of their customers and ensuring compliance and safe working.

Images: Martin Engineering

Supply chain logistics

Often, during the installation of retro tted equipment, some creative engineering is required to make components t, secure, and operational. Maintenance crews can’t have a replacement part for every bolt in their operation, especially if storage space is limited. This becomes acutely apparent when specialised parts are needed for repair.

Equipment designs should have standard, easy-to-understand parts and procedures.

In addition to providing a solution, this engineering design should prioritise safe inspection and maintenance access.

Whether it’s replacing wear-parts or engaging in routine service, getting the proper manufacturer parts in a timely manner is imperative.

Factory direct means that wear parts can be predictively scheduled and delivered by simply monitoring the speed at which they wear, especially for processing plants making use of remote monitoring systems. If the wear timeline is somehow shortened, this can be an indicator of downstream issues causing more wear. It can also mean that an unexpected rapid early delivery is required.

Factory-direct MSTs and certi ed contractors usually have the proper equipment in the service truck. If they don’t, depending on the remoteness of the site, the MST simply calls, and these parts can be procured and delivered rapidly.

Reporting

As mentioned above, after walking the system, reporting observations is an important part of the process. There is a wide difference in cost between preventative maintenance and reactive maintenance. The ‘2016 Maintenance Study: Seven key ndings’ performed by Amanda Peliccione observed, “76 per cent of manufacturing facilities follow at least some form of preventive maintenance strategy on some equipment [while=

61 per cent still have a run-to-failure method, and 51 per cent use some form of Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS).”[2]

Notice the study observed that 76 per cent was performed on some, but not all, equipment. That’s how 61 per cent can still have a run-to-failure policy. Factory-direct expert inspection and reporting methods take a holistic view of the system.

Wear parts like air cannon valves can be reconstructed and sent back for less waste and better cost savings.

Walk the Belt checklists are accompanied by tests, results, and solutions to conveyor performance.

By only addressing the broken parts, downstream causes are ignored, and expenses for repeated equipment maintenance and replacement rise incrementally over time. The holistic approach recognises and offers solutions to the causes of costly repetitive maintenance.

Factory direct bene ts

The cost savings for a factory-direct relationship are only realised over time when that relationship is replaced by a cheaper, less reliable equipment solution from a manufacturer without the infrastructure to offer adequate service. Down the road, the “disappearing manufacturer’s rep” suddenly becomes a serious issue, along with response time and preventative solutions.

When operators realise the overall cost savings of the factory-direct model, then they understand how service, expertise, and supply chain are intertwined to offer a full long-term solution. AB

References

[1] Roberts, Alan. Conveyor System Maintenance & Reliability, ACARP Project C3018. Published by Australian Coal Association Research Program Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulates, University of Newcastle, Australia. Nov, 1996. http://www. acarp.com.au/abstracts.aspx?repId=C3018

[2] Nell, Paul. Conveyor Maintenance – Strategies and Outsourcing. Beltcon, 2019. https://www. beltcon.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ B19-16-Nel-Outsourcing-of-Maintenance.pdf

Growth mindset

Triangle Tyre is taking a holistic approach to growing its operations in the European market.

Innovation and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) responsibility are at the core of Triangle Tyre’s approach to growing in the European market.

Triangle Tyre will participate in The Tire Cologne in Germany from June 9 to 11, 2026. The German showcase is one of the leading international events for the tyre industry, and Triangle Tyre will present its European strategy, with a strong focus on sustainability and industrial responsibility.

The presentation will be guided by a core ESG-driven approach within Triangle Tyre’s strategy, integrating environmental, social, and governance principles across all business activities. The exhibition stand has been designed as a tangible expression of this vision, re ecting sustainability, transparency, and innovation in its concept and structure.

During the exhibition, Triangle Tyre will also present its latest products across the passenger car radial, truck and bus radial tyres, and off-the-road (OTR) segments, demonstrating the continuous evolution of its portfolio and its ability to meet diverse market needs across Europe.

Triangle Tyre Europe general manager Corrado Moglia said the event will reaf rm the company’s strategic direction of facilitating growth driven by innovation and ESG principles with the aim of strengthening its presence in Europe.

“The company continues to invest in process optimisation, environmental impact

reduction, and the development of product offers aligned with market and end users’ expectations,” he said.

In recent years, Triangle Tyre has steadily strengthened its presence in the European market, expanding its commercial network and consolidating long-term relationships with key partners.

This development has contributed to an increasingly solid and widely recognised regional positioning and brand awareness at the business-to-business level.

New hire

Further to the company’s European aims, Triangle Tyre has appointed Federico Parmesan as its European OTR technical manager.

the aftermarket and original equipment tyre segments. This will include working closely with Triangle Tyre’s partners in Europe as well as monitoring production performance and providing specialist expertise in the eld. Parmesan will also support Triangle Tyre's business activities and the promotion of its OTR product portfolio. The company is aiming to expand this product portfolio across its distribution network through new strategic partnerships.

“Strengthening our technical structure in Europe is a key step in supporting our partners and further consolidating our position in the OTR segment,” Triangle Tyre OTR director for Europe Luca Mai said.

“I have already worked with Federico in the past and I know that he will bring strong technical competence, determination and a very positive approach to our Company. We are pleased to welcome him to the team.”

Parmesan has more than three decades of experience in the tyre industry, having previously worked at Marangoni, where he specialised in earthmoving and OTR applications. This background has provided Parmesan with extensive product knowledge, especially with product performance and customer requirements in dif cult operating environments.

“I am proud to join one of the world’s leading OTR tyre manufacturers and join a very dynamic and successful European team,” he said.

“Triangle holds a comprehensive portfolio of quality products and has one of the best reputations within the OTR segment.

“I look forward to supporting our dealers and end users across Europe, contributing with my experience to the further growth of the Triangle brand.” AB

Triangle Tyre will exhibit at The Tire Cologne in Germany in 2026.

Images: Triangle Tyre

Frederico Parmesan and Luca Mai of Triangle Tyre.

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Efficiency on show

BKT presented a range of high-performing and efficient tyre solutions to the construction sector in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) tyres were front and centre at North America’s largest construction trade show ConExpo-Con-Agg 2026, with its expansive range of tyres on display.

As the needs of the construction and associated sectors become more complex, the solutions must keep pace. BKT welcomed attendees to its booth in the West Hall to see its latest innovations up close with a special focus on applications within the construction sector. Showcasing the leading edge of its innovations, BKT underlined its commitment to research and development to unlock a new level of performance for customers.

“We were thrilled to return to the largest construction show in North America, where we were able to connect with new and existing customers as well as industry experts,” BKT USA president Jay Dhillon said.

“Events like this not only allow us to showcase our latest [off-the-road] and industrial tyre lineup, but also enable us

and elevate performance to the very edge.”

The India-based tyre manufacturer had a strong presence at one of the year’s major trade shows, with a focus on its line-up of off-the-road and off-highway tyres, which are used globally in earthmoving, quarrying, mining and industrial applications. Its solutions and progressive approach to research and development have enabled it to sell more than 3600 products in 163 countries worldwide. One of BKT’s latest innovations, the WASTEMAX, was on display. The tyre solution features a particularly resistant compound, which offers exceptional protection against abrasive materials, while the tread design and depth maximise product life, reducing machine downtime. This tyre excels in tough environments, making it ideal for wheeled loaders operating in scrap yards, waste treatment plants, and demolition sites.

Another one of BKT’s most popular products, the EATHMAX range of tyres, were also on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The EARTHMAX range is speci cally

operations, where traction and stability are essential to ef cient, safe operations.

Visitors to the BKT booth could view demonstration sessions in person. A highlight of these sessions was the newly launched tyre management software BKT Tire Track Pro. The multinational company developed the platform to help customers optimise their eet management and accurately monitor tyre performance at every stage of the tyre’s lifecycle. Attendees to the BKT booth received a variety of branded giveaways, including keychains, caps, bags, and more.

Away from the booth in West Hall, BKT had a further impact at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 with a monster truck, equipped with BKT tyres, on display in the outside area of the north lobby of the West Hall

“Once again, ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 stands out as one of the most important events for BKT, not only as an international showcase but also as a stage for engaging with partners, customers, and industry stakeholders,” Dhillon said.

“It was an opportunity to consolidate the company’s presence in key markets, gain inspiration from evolving industry trends, and strengthen its commitment to developing

BKT was in attendance at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The core of production

Screening equipment now plays a crucial role in the quarrying industry by a ecting product quality, site e ciency, and overall productivity. Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on smarter designs and advanced technological features to enhance quarry and aggregates operations.

In Germany, Nordwestdeutsche Mischwerke (NWM) is one of the nation’s major producers of construction materials sector.

By its own measure, it has an annual production rate of more than a million tonnes of bituminous mixture across its 13 bituminous mixture plants, which support road projects across Germany. The producer was looking for ways to improve its asphalt recycling set-up and improve its cost effectiveness.

NWM had relied on reclaimed asphalt that was processed by external contractors. The producer wanted to bring the process in-house which would streamline the process and reduce operational costs.

The company’s industry research included a trip to Bauma 2025 in Munich, where Kleemann gave a live demonstration of hot asphalt recycling at the Wirtgen booth.

The demonstration, which showcased the performance of Kleemann’s crushing and screening plants, led NWM to engage Kleemann’s experts at the booth to discuss the possibilities for their own asphalt operations.

By watching the performance of the Kleemann impact crusher MOBIREX MR 100 NEO, the scalping screen MOBISCREEN MSS 502 EVO, and the mobile stockpile conveyor MOBIBELT MBT 24 in action, NWM discovered its preferred solution.

With advice from Kleemann’s experts, NWM purchased a MOBISCREEN MSS 502 EVO, enabling milled material from various construction sites to be easily processed at NWM’s sites.

“As a rst step, the compact screening plant was the perfect t for our needs – operating directly on-site and designed for exibility and a pure nal product,” NWM authorised of cer Friedhelm Döbber-Rüther said.

“It’s a real advantage that the screening and recycling processes happen almost simultaneously. Our employees, who previously had no experience with material processing, praise the straightforward technology and ease of use.

“The screening plant can be easily operated at different locations while consistently delivering a clean product with a precise cut – a fundamental requirement in

“Our target grain sizes are 0–8mm and 8–22mm – that's the material we can reuse in our mixing plants.”

The MSS 502 EVO is one of Kleemann's smaller screening plants. Its capabilities, packaged in a smaller footprint, offer operators exibility as it can be easily transported. With an operational network spanning 13 sites, this transportability, with a transport of 3.20 metres, stood out to NWM.

The screening plant has a dual-power feature, which will enable NWM to run the screen off electric power in the future if required. Its robust design, including a lower deck equipped with stainless steel mesh,

Nordwestdeutsche Mischwerke has been impressed with its Kleemann equipment.

Image:s Kleemann

including bound bitumen, which can be sticky and dif cult to process. This is further supported by a hopper lling aid which can be added to the Kleemann screening plant.

The MOBISCREEN MSS 502 EVO can deliver an output of 800 to 1000 tonnes per day.

The early signs have impressed many NWM employees.

“When they saw how much usable material was produced from the milled material, everyone was convinced. Today, the plant is an integral part of our day-to-day operations,” DöbberRüther said.

Wirtgen Deutschland Kleemann expert Claus Gedecksnis said this was a great example of how the company can tailor a solution to a speci c application.

“Wirtgen Group has decades of experience in road construction. There’s just a thorough understanding of all the processes,” he said.

“We took a close look at the situation at NWM and then offered a customised solution. We didn’t just focus on the requirements for crushing and screening plants from Kleemann but also considered the subsequent processing.

“How are the machines designed? What are the requirements for the material used to feed them? From analysing the initial situation to successfully implementing customised solutions. Here, our customers bene t from the combined expertise of Wirtgen Group.”

Vibe check

TRAC is one of the latest innovations to come out of Terex’s stable of brands, with EvoQuip bringing the technology to its range of screening solutions.

Terex engineers have developed the new solution speci cally for vibratory screening equipment, with the multi-sensor system able to analyse how screening equipment performs in operating conditions.

TRAC takes “synchronised measurements” taken from multiple points on the screen box, which can provide operators with insights into the performance, condition and potential issues with the screening equipment.

Terex Aggregates vice president Pat Brian said the tool can help operators identify issues before they impact key areas like performance and uptime.

“TRAC is a practical tool, developed by engineers who understand the realities of screening applications,” he said.

“It helps take some of the guesswork out of understanding screen performance, giving customers and distributors clearer insight into how the screen is operating and where attention may be needed.

“Ultimately, TRAC re ects Terex’s focus on applying engineering expertise to real screening applications, helping customers better understand, maintain and protect their equipment.”

New ow

Metso has increased its range of solutions for ne dry screening for applications involving dif cult materials.

Metso designed the GFF Series to operate effectively in demanding conditions and produce ner cut sizes, especially in applications like sand manufacturing. High screening ef ciency in ne aggregate production reduces cross-contamination, ensuring consistent product quality, such as in sand production.

“Our customers have been asking for a high-performance screen that can handle ne, dif cult and often moist materials without forcing them into wet screening,” Metso vice president screening equipment solutions Michael Gyberg said.

“The GFF ip- ow delivers the ner, more accurate cuts needed to support high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGR)and the overall comminution process, making the screen a true enabler of circuit performance.”

The GFF Series integrates hybrid ip- ow and traditional deck technology, using high excitation forces for accurate screening in dry and wet conditions. It can achieve cut sizes as small as 0.5mm in dry settings and 0.3mm in wet ones, while minimising blinding and pegging. Compared to conventional screening methods, this leads to greater ef ciency, less process water use, and reduced energy loss in downstream grinding.

The ip- ow deck’s anti-blinding feature minimises unplanned stops, and its simple access, durable build, and easy maintenance promote quicker repairs, increased availability, and reduced total ownership costs.

Alongside the launch of the Grande Series screens in 2025, the GFF Series means that Metso can provide customers with a full range of solutions including coarse, high-capacity applications through to demanding ne dry screening.

“The much ner screen cuts achieved with ip- ow technology are a major advantage for future HPGR circuits. More accurate classi cation allows a greater share of the workload to be handled by energy-ef cient HPGRs,” Metso director for HRC products Stefan Sakendorf said. AB

Metso has released the GFF series of screening solutions.

Image: Metso

Be immersed in the industry

The quarrying and aggregates sector is gearing up for some of its biggest trade shows in 2026.

JUNE 2026

June 23–25, 2026

Hillhead 2026

Organiser: The QMJ Group Ltd

Tel: +44 (0)115 945 4367

JULY 2026

July 1–2, 2026

PNG Expo

Organiser: Prime Creative Media

Tel: +61 03 9690 8766

SEPTEMBER 2026

September 2–5, 2026

SteinExpo 2026

Organiser: GEOPLAN GMBH

Tel: +49 7229 606-30

OCTOBER 2026

October 6–8, 2026

IQA National Conference

Organiser: Institute of Quarrying Australia

Tel: +61 (02) 9484 0577

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