Metso Minerals, a rock and minerals processing firm, Nov. 17 announced a U.S. facilities investment plan it said will significantly improve customer service and grow the company’s crushing and screening business.

The plan is the result of an in-depth study on how best to match Metso’s North American crushing and screening operations to increasing market demand.

Key components of the plan include:

• Re-opening and expanding Metso’s dormant manufacturing facility in Columbia, SC, and establishing a heavy equipment assembly operation for North America at that location

• Consolidation at Columbia of leased warehouse operations currently housed in Milwaukee, WI; Boonville, NC; and Carlisle, PA

• Transfer of screen and vibrating equipment manufacture from Gastonia, NC, to the renovated Columbia facility

Metso Minerals also announced that Jouni Salo, president of the crushing and screening (CSR) business line, has relocated to Columbia from company offices in Tampere, Finland. Salo will continue his duties and responsibilities as head of CSR, and will also oversee development of the Columbia facility.

The Columbia plant was built in 1969 for the manufacture of crushing and screening equipment by Litton Industries for Hewitt-Robins. It offers ample room for warehouse operations, screen and vibrating equipment manufacture and future assembly of mobile crushing equipment and select cone crushers. The plant covers more than 40 acres and has 203,000 sq. ft. of factory and office space. It features six 60-by-483-ft. high bays with overhead cranes.

According to John Olsen, president of Metso Minerals’ North and Central America region, “This plan represents a multi-million dollar commitment to the U.S. market by Metso Minerals. We will be able to improve customer service by having inventory available to support market needs throughout North America. When fully operational, the Columbia facility will be an advanced manufacturing and service facility that gives us room to grow our business to meet increasing market demand.”

Relocation of the warehouse and Gastonia operations will take place over the next 18 months. Other Metso locations in North America will not be affected by this decision.

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