From the MK1 mobile screen to its latest crushers and digital tools, Powerscreen is celebrating six decades of shaping the global crushing and screening industry
Powerscreen is marking 60 years in business, celebrating six decades of innovation that helped shape the mobile crushing and screening industry.
Founded in 1966 in Northern Ireland, Powerscreen began as Ulster Plant and introduced the concept of mobile screening equipment capable of working directly at the quarry face.
At a time when material typically had to be transported to stationary processing plants, Powerscreen’s approach improved efficiency and reduced operating costs for customers.
This became a global shift in how operators work, and that same mindset continues to guide Powerscreen’s product development, engineering and customer relationships today.
“Celebrating 60 years is not simply a milestone, it is a tribute to our people who have shaped Powerscreen since day one,” said Sean Loughran, Business Line Director for Powerscreen.
The MK1
Powerscreen changed how aggregates are processed with the introduction of the MK1 mobile screening plant.
The mobilization of the screening process became the foundation of Powerscreen. The company exported its first machine to Sweden in 1969, and by the 1970s, the Powerscreen name was in use.
In 1975, Doughty Aggregates in Lakefield, Ontario, purchased the first Powerscreen MK1 sold in Canada. The sale established Powerscreen of Canada, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Since that first sale, Powerscreen of Canada, based in Oshawa, Ontario, has grown to become a supplier of portable screening, crushing, washing and stockpiling equipment for the aggregate and recycling industries.
Six decades later, the MK1 remains an important part of Powerscreen’s history. Its design helped pave the way for modern mobile screening plants, including the Chieftain and Warrior ranges, and cemented Powerscreen’s reputation as one of the pioneers of mobile material processing.
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The introduction of the Chieftain screening range in 1980 is another major milestone in Powerscreen’s history, which remains one of the company’s flagship machines.
In the following decades, Powerscreen continued to broaden its portfolio, adding crushing, screening and conveying solutions for the aggregates, mining, recycling and construction sectors.
The company became part of Terex Corporation in 1999. A continued investment in product development led to the launch of several successful equipment lines, including the Warrior heavy-duty scalping screen range. In 2009, Powerscreen and Terex Pegson crushing businesses merged under the Powerscreen brand, strengthening the company’s position in the mobile processing equipment market.
Celebrating in Vegas
The 60-year anniversary celebration started earlier this year at ConExpo. As North America’s largest construction trade show, ConExpo provided a fitting stage to highlight Powerscreen’s six-decade milestone as well as two of its latest innovations; the 1300X Maxtrak and Trakpactor 480SR.
The 1300X Maxtrak represents the next step in the brand’s cone crushing line, advancing the legacy of its predecessors with a focus on cubicity, throughput and consistent performance for secondary and tertiary applications.
The updated Trakpactor 480SR also made its debut, which is designed to meet the needs of the United States market. The enhanced configuration is now available with an independent pre-screen and underpan feeder that builds upon the impactor’s reception since its initial launch in 2023.
“As we enter our seventh decade, innovations such as the 1300X Maxtrak and the Trakpactor 480SR demonstrate our ongoing commitment to setting the standard for performance, safety and reliability,” Loughran said.
Powerscreen at Hillhead
Powerscreen’s anniversary year continued at Hillhead in June, the United Kingdom’s largest aggregate trade show.
Alongside its UK distributor, Blue Group, Powerscreen exhibited a refurbished MK1 screening unit, the original machine that launched the Powerscreen story and helped establish the concept of mobile screening.
At Powerscreen’s Hillhead booth, visitors were also able to explore the company’s history, its impact on the industry and its restoration journey through archival content and video displays.
People who have contributed to the brand’s development throughout its six decades in business were also recognized during a hall of fame induction during the show.
Alongside showcasing its heritage, Powerscreen presented its latest equipment, including the Chieftain 2200 triple-deck screen, the largest inclined screen in the range.
Designed for high-output applications requiring consistent, high-specification material, the machine features a patented, configurable drive system and a dual-screenbox design for efficient performance across a wide range of applications.
“Powerscreen pioneered mobile screening, fundamentally changing how aggregates are processed worldwide,” Loughran said. “Early machines such as the MK1 were at the forefront of mobile processing, while the Chieftain design platform went on to provide the blueprint for many modern mobile aggregate screens.
Looking ahead, visitors were able to preview an early example of the next stage in Powerscreen’s product development, with a prototype of the 1000X Maxtrak cone crusher.
The company also demonstrated some of its technology solutions, including TRAC, a multi-sensor system designed to enhance screening performance and machine durability, and INNEX, a new digital platform developed to improve the end-user experience through integrated tools and AI-driven capabilities.
“Reaching a 60-year milestone brings the focus back to what has always mattered at Powerscreen,” Loughran said. “Strong machine design, effective support and long-standing relationships remain central to the business, alongside continual innovation to enhance the end-user experience and deliver a strong return on investment.”
