News

Hillhead 2026 was another great event for McLanahan Corporation, with visitors from across the quarrying, recycling and construction industries gathering at Stand J4 to see the company's latest processing solutions. Sharing the stand with fellow McLanahan Family of Companies brands, Anaconda and RubbleCrusher, the exhibition highlighted how customers can benefit from complete processing solutions spanning crushing, screening, washing and material recovery.

At the heart of the stand was the official launch of the McLanahan Discovery Wash Plant, a compact, modular solution designed for small operations. It delivers the washing capability needed to upgrade product quality and unlock new market opportunities. Its quick setup, intuitive operation and efficient layout make it an ideal choice for producers looking to add wet processing without the complexity of a traditional wash plant.

A New Approach to Compact Washing

The demand for compact, efficient washing solutions continues to grow, particularly in the UK and Europe, as producers look to improve product quality, recover valuable materials and meet increasingly stringent specifications. Recognising this need, McLanahan developed the Discovery Wash Plant to provide an accessible entry point into wet processing while maintaining the quality and reliability the company has built its reputation on for more than 190 years.

Designed to process approximately 50-70 tonnes per hour, the Discovery Wash Plant features a Coarse Material Screw Washer, Inclined Screen with ProPOD Technology, sump, Pump, Hydrocyclone, split-deck Dewatering Screen and an integral blending conveyor in one streamlined system. Material enters the Coarse Material Screw Washer, where lightweight contaminants float out over a rear weir and are directed onto one side of the Dewatering Screen for moisture removal before discharge. Cleaned aggregate exits the Screw Washer and feeds onto the Inclined Screen, which separates the material into three coarse product sizes while sending the sand fraction to the sump. The result is the production of three clean aggregate products and a washed sand from a compact, modular installation.

Innovative Features That Captured Attention

One of the most talked about features of the Discovery Wash Plant during the exhibition was its integrated sand blending conveyor. Rather than requiring operators to manually blend stockpiled materials to produce ballast, the system then automatically reintroduces a controlled amount of washed sand into the 10-20 mm aggregate stream. This innovative approach not only saves time and labour but also helps deliver a more consistent finished product.

Visitors were also interested in the plant's transportability and ease of installation. Engineered to ship in just two to three containers or flatbed loads, the Discovery Wash Plant offers a practical solution for producers looking to add washing capacity quickly while minimising installation costs and downtime.

Engineering Designed Around the Customer

Throughout the show, McLanahan's engineering and sales teams were on hand to discuss the development of the Discovery Wash Plant and explain how the system can be adapted to suit different applications. Visitors learned how screen media, Hydrocyclone selection and screw washer configuration can all be tailored to match varying feed materials and product requirements, allowing producers to optimise performance for their individual operations.

Engineered to produce three clean coarse aggregate streams and one washed sand product, the Discovery Wash Plant handles a wide range of feed materials, from virgin aggregate to C&D debris. An integral blending conveyor allows operators to combine sand with a coarse aggregate stream directly on the belt, eliminating the time and cost of manually mixing stockpiles. This built-in flexibility makes the plant especially valuable for producers who want to create a ballast product with minimal handling.

Complete Processing Solutions on Display

Visitors also had the opportunity to explore the wider capabilities of the McLanahan Family of Companies.

Anaconda showcased the DF410 and J12 tracked jaw crusher while RubbleCrusher introduced the new RC-J72 tracked jaw crusher, providing a compact crushing solution capable of processing harder rock alongside traditional C&D materials.

Looking Ahead

For McLanahan, the launch of the Discovery Wash Plant represented more than the introduction of a new product. It demonstrated the company's ongoing commitment to developing practical solutions that help customers improve efficiency, recover more value from their material and adapt to changing market demands.

As interest in compact washing systems continues to grow, the Discovery Wash Plant is well positioned to provide producers with a simple, reliable and cost-effective pathway into wet processing, bringing McLanahan's proven engineering expertise to a new generation of aggregate and recycling operations.