The July-August 2021 editions of Aggregates Business reported on Terex’s acquisition of Irish company MDS International (MDS), a manufacturer of heavy-duty and recycling trommels, apron feeders and conveyor systems based in Co. Monaghan.
Speaking exclusively to this magazine for the September-October 2021 issues, Conor Hegarty, MDS’s general manager and business line director, says the newly acquired company’s heavy-duty mobile trommels will deliver big market reach and commercial synergy gains for Terex’s Materials Processing (Terex MP) business segment.
“MDS’s product range stands out in the market. There are a few stationary heavy-duty rock trommel makers out there, but MDS is the first to take them and make them mobile. The acquisition brings us into certain operations and applications, like processing rock up to 800mm Riprap (armour rock) and quarry overburden, that our existing Terex MP product range doesn’t cater for.”
Commenting on the timeline of the MDS acquisition, Hegarty says: “The deal was actually pretty straightforward. We started the process in mid-March this year, and it was completed by the start of July. The previous owner [Liam Murray] was excellent in preparing all the information that we needed. Over the last few years, the company has been on a great growth path. The deal ticked a lot of boxes for everybody.”
MDS’s 34,000-square-foot facility will be the first Terex location in the Republic of Ireland, which the company says diversifies its footprint and provides access to a new labour pool.
The facility is within a short driving distance of the Terex Dungannon and Omagh sites, providing ready access to Terex MP’s Northern Irish team and enabling close coordination with the resources at these facilities.
Hegarty emphasises how MDS will remain a standalone brand along with Terex MP’s crushing and screening businesses, including Powerscreen, Terex Finlay and EvoQuip.
“MDS has been very successful in building its brand, and customers recognise the company as a heavy-duty mobile rock trommel manufacturer. The company has a reputation for innovation and quality. They’ve also done very well on building up an extensive distribution network throughout the world that we can develop further.”
Touching on the next year’s trading outlook for MDS, Hegarty continues: “Like most manufacturers [given COVID-19 pandemic-induced disruption], MDS has quite a healthy backlog of orders to 2022.
“Longer term, we want to expand our manufacturing capacity and grow what is already an excellent dealer network and distribution footprint. There are some gaps in Europe that we are looking to fill. Beyond that, we want to extend our reach in Asia, Africa and South America.
“We will also continue to invest in R&D and expand our product range. We want to get out and hear from the MDS customers and dealer network where we need to go next in that area. It will likely be next year before you start to see new MDS products on the market.
“The current product offering consists of four mobile products and three stationary models. The robustness and heavy-duty nature of the products, along with their ability to work in applications that are beyond traditional flat-deck screening, are what MDS is renowned for. We are looking forward to expanding on the range and continuing to give our dealers and customers a unique offering.”
A highly committed and successful member of the Terex Corporation team for nearly 19 years, Hegarty agreed to head up MDS after seven years as the international sales director of Terex MP’s environmental business, Terex Ecotec.
“I’ve spent my whole career within Terex and Terex MP. I started in sales back in 2002 and moved to the U.S. with Powerscreen and the old Terex Pegson brand, working with dealers in North America. I moved back to Ireland in 2006 and continued to work for Powerscreen in various dealer management roles worldwide. In 2014, I moved over to Terex Ecotec and led the growth of that business into what it is today.
“I started in the crushing and screening world before moving to the environmental side of the business. Coming back to crushing and screening with MDS is something I’m very familiar with, and I’m looking forward to getting back into it.”
When it comes to the production of stone, sand and gravel, operators need equipment that is sturdily built with a strong return on investment. Aggregate producer Fenstone Minerals understands this need very well.
Fenstone Minerals is a UK-based supplier of aggregates to the construction, agricultural, sports and equestrian industries. The company operates two quarries in north and east Yorkshire that produce crushed rock, sand and gravel, silica sand, recycled products, tarmac planings, agricultural lime, soil and clay.
The family-owned business, started up in 1976, also supplies calcium carbonate to the whiting industry for use as filler in a variety of applications, including rubber and plastics, sealants and mastics, adhesives, paints, powder coatings, printing inks and paper products.
In addition to the numerous products being produced, Fenstone Minerals operates disposal and recycling facilities for brick, concrete and inert soil. So, it is safe to say that the company runs its fleet hard, and has a need for tough, versatile production equipment. That fleet is largely comprised of equipment from McCloskey International.
“We are continuously investing in new plants and equipment so we can offer a more efficient and reliable service,” says Paul Fenwick, plant operator at Fenstone Minerals, who has worked there for 15 years running McCloskey International crushers and screeners. “Reliability is extremely important for us, and breakdowns are really something we can’t afford.”
To meet those needs, Fenstone Minerals turns to Agg Pro, an equipment dealer with more than 50 years of experience servicing and maintaining crushing and screening technologies for the industry. Headquartered in Tamworth, England, Agg Pro has been selling and servicing the McCloskey International brand since 2008.
“We have worked with Fenstone for a number of years and are delighted that they have chosen McCloskey products to meet their exceptionally high-quality standards and expectations,” says Ian Mills, manager at Agg Pro.
Over the years, Fenstone Minerals’ fleet of McCloskey International equipment has included an R230 screener; two J50 jaw crushers; an i54 impact crusher; a 123 sizer heavy-duty scalping screener; and eight S190 Double Deck screeners.
Agg Pro looks after Fenstone Minerals’ crushing and screening fleet through its 40,000 square feet of workshops in Tamworth.
“Equipped with cranes, welding equipment, fabrication amenities and a top team of experienced, dedicated engineers, we are fully prepared for machine repairs, maintenance and servicing,” Mills says. “Our company philosophy is simple, look after our customers. We understand the importance of having a team you can rely on. Therefore, we ensure our customers receive the best aftersales support from us, whether they need advice, an on-site engineer or machine parts – we’re on hand to help. We also carry an extensive parts supply, and if we don’t have it, we’ll do our best to source it as promptly as possible.”
Agg Pro has experienced significant growth and success over its years of operation. What’s its secret? It focuses on the fundamentals that keep customers coming back.
“Service and support are key,” Mills says. “This is central to our philosophy at Agg Pro and it’s this level of customer care that has seen customers returning time and time again, something we are extremely proud of.”
Metso Outotec has appointed Exeter, south-west England-based Duo Group as a distributor for its aggregates solutions in the UK.
The distribution agreement covers the current aggregate business serviced directly by Metso Outotec. This includes aggregates-processing solutions including crushers and vibrating equipment, crusher wear parts and spare parts as well as commissioning, service contracts and technical support for aggregate quarries in England, Scotland, and Wales. The contract will come into effect in September 2021.
“The partnership expands our distribution model to include the larger aggregates quarrying customers in the UK,” says Olli-Pekka Oksanen, senior VP, distribution management office at Metso Outotec. “With Duo’s local presence and world-class know-how, we will improve our ability to offer more comprehensive solutions and aftermarket support with the agility and responsiveness appreciated by the quarrying customers.”
“The partnership with Metso Outotec will set us apart from the competition,” says Martin McWilliams, managing director of Duo Group.
Metso Outotec has also recently agreed new distribution agreements in Turkey and the Philippines, and Tennessee and Mississippi in the U.S. The company has also expanded its distributor partnership in Spain with Hispano Japonesa de Maquinaria.
