Skip to main content

Metso’s 150th anniversary

Crushing equipment specialist Metso is now celebrating its 150th anniversary. The firm started in business in 1868 as a local ironworks and the firm has evolved through a series of mergers, acquisitions and divestments. It now has operations in more than 50 countries and a workforce of over 12,000. Metso is a global industrial company providing the world's mining, aggregates, recycling, and process industries with innovative solutions for the sustainable processing and flow of natural resources. During its
September 17, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Crushing equipment specialist 6934 Metso is now celebrating its 150th anniversary. The firm started in business in 1868 as a local ironworks and the firm has evolved through a series of mergers, acquisitions and divestments. It now has operations in more than 50 countries and a workforce of over 12,000. Metso is a global industrial company providing the world's mining, aggregates, recycling, and process industries with innovative solutions for the sustainable processing and flow of natural resources.


During its 150 years, Metso has been in many businesses, ranging from steam engines, locomotives, car manufacturing, forest machines, and pulp and paper machines, to valves, metal and waste recycling equipment, and solutions for rock and mineral crushing and screening.  One of its core areas of expertise today is aggregates and minerals processing: key ingredients for the construction and manufacture of infrastructure.

The first innovations that kicked off mechanical crushing and screening processes in the mines and quarries were introduced in the 1800s. Bruno Nordberg, a Finnish migrant who settled in Michigan in the US, produced some of the first crushing equipment for mines. In 1928, Nordberg acquired the Symons cone crusher technology, an innovation that revolutionised crushing practices in mines and quarries. Bergeaud & Bruno was established in France in 1895 to manufacture crushing equipment, and in Tampere, Finland, Lokomo produced its first jaw crushers at the beginning of the 1920s. These industry pioneers are all key components of our DNA.

The amalgamation of Svedala Industri into Metso in 2001, and the introduction of solutions like primary gyratory crushers, grinding mills and vertical shaft impactors was elemental in the creation of its crushing and screening business.

As part of the celebration the firm is organising an exhibition of photographs showing its history.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Metso’s portable plants proving a hit for Asian and African road works
    January 24, 2014
    Metso's Indian-manufactured Nordwheeler portable crushing and screening plants are said to be playing an important role in a number of road and other construction infrastructure projects in Asia and Africa. During a short period of time, Metso has sold over 30 portable Nordwheeler plants to Asian and African-based aggregates producers. The plants are manufactured in Metso's factory in Bawal, India – earlier this year reaching the milestone of 1,000 Indian-manufactured portable plants.
  • Aggregates production innovations delivering efficiency
    August 1, 2017
    EvoQuip, the newest division of Terex Corporation, is launching a Cobra 230 impact crusher later this year, to sit alongside the Cobra 260. The 24tonne machine will offer a production capacity of 140-150tonnes/hour in asphalt and construction recycling. The Cobra 230 is 11.3m long and 2.46m wide, or 5.15m wide with a side conveyor. It features a quick set-up time and the machine can be moved onsite without having to stop the crusher. Keestrack says that its novel H4 tracked cone crusher is light and compact
  • Metso Outotec Company Profile
    February 16, 2023
    Visit Metso Outotec at Central Hall, C32231 at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 in Las Vegas...
  • Innovations in aggregate production
    February 20, 2012
    Innovations abound in the aggregate production sector - Mike Woof reports. With road construction accounting for a significant percentage of aggregate production, developments in this industry are of major importance for the highway sector. Technical advances in aggregate production methods have pushed technological boundaries, resulting in cost/tonne reductions for products and improving operating efficiency for major producers.