With decades of industry knowledge and a desire to make its customer’s lives easier, Metso is helping to revolutionise the crushing and screening industry.
A lot can happen in a century.
Industries rise and fall, cities transform, and companies like Metso help to reshape the mining industry as we know it.
During the past century, Metso has been at the forefront of crushing applications. From the primary crusher stage down to fine crushing and pebble applications, the company is renowned for its benchmark crushing solutions – and it has no plans of slowing down.
“Metso takes pride in the deep knowledge of our people and our strong customer service commitment,” Metso crusher technology manager –capital equipment Troy Barry told Australian Mining.
“In Australia for example, we have an impressive footprint of service locations and experts, including our recently opened Karratha Service Centre, Metso’s largest service centre globally.
“We also have a particularly strong team of crushing experts here in Australia, some with over 30 years of crushing expertise – working closely with our expert global design and engineering teams.”
Having been involved in the industry for as long as it has, Metso is no stranger to adapting with the times, especially when it comes to one of the industry’s favourite buzzwords: digitalisation.
Nordberg MP crusher.
Image: Metso
“Metso includes a full digital offering for its XM crusher series, comprised of SmartCone, SmartStation and Mineral Crusher Pilot (MCP) automation,” Barry said.
“We deliver intelligence from the simple connection of our IC (integrated control) system at a local level through to the full connection of the operator’s control suite, and all the way to expert global teams remotely monitoring and evaluating the crusher performance.”
The ability to remotely monitor and evaluate a crusher’s performance allows Metso’s teams to be in constant contact with the machine, able to recommend changes to optimise performance in real time.
“This advanced technology extends the time between maintenance intervals and allows for a more continuous operation,” Barry said.
Recognising that each customer has differing crusher requirements, Metso always adapts its approach to suit.
“Our end targets are always based on the customer’s requirements,” Metso senior manager, crusher technical support Neale Baigent told Australian Mining.
“With our chamber optimisation program for instance, each crushing process is unique and feed material properties change over time.
“Based on Metso’s extensive database of over 40,000 crushing installations, plus tools such as our unique simulation software and CrusherMapper scanning, we select optimal alloys, choose or design chamber geometry to maximise wear life and performance.”
The chamber optimisation program is an evolution borne from customer demand, as it’s now also available to non-Metso crushers.
“Based on our results from this program, customers wanted our chamber optimisation also across non-Metso crushers, which is what we now do,” Baigent said.
In terms of evolution, the new poly-cer product, part of Metso’s protective wears portfolio, gives up to four times better wearlife, reducing shutdown frequencies.
“Poly-Cer is a specially designed blend of rubber and high-quality ceramics, reinforced with steel. This ensures both strength and performance,” Baigent said.
“Installation of Poly-Cer is easy and safe, with plug-in, bolt-in installation for most crushers.”
As the company evolves, Metso’s crushing capabilities are always increasing, with the XM series a particular highlight for Barry.
“The entire premise of the XM series is giving the customer the highest performance equipment to achieve optimisation,” he said. “Our up to 25 years warranty protects the customer’s investment and is unheard of in the industry.”
Barry said Metso’s drive to change means it has been able to stay at the forefront of innovation.
“The recently launched XM crusher series combines resilient engineering, unmatched warranties and a new digital package,” he said. “It combines the toughest and most advanced mechanical parts with the latest in digital technologies and automation. And by using the most robust crushers available on the market, the XM series enhanced the Nordberg MP cone crusher and the Superior MKIII primary gyratory with the most extreme duty parts, increasing wear life.”
As Metso looks to the next century, it’s clear this crushing behemoth isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
“As we look to the future, we continue to develop our alloys, product offerings and services,” Baigent said.
“We are always looking to improve and innovate in anticipation of our customers’ needs– after all, the best new developments come from feedback and challenges faced by our customers.”
This feature appeared in the February 2025 issue of Australian Mining.
