Unearthing success: explore the 185-year evolution of McLanahan in providing process solutions
Amidst a tough marketplace with preoccupying concerns such as safety and sustainability, McLanahan Corporation (McLanahan) aims to help its customers overcome those challenges by helping them be more efficient, productive and profitable. The company serves as a global provider of process solutions for a variety of industries, including mineral processing, aggregate processing, and agricultural, among others. By leveraging equipment renowned for its reliability and long service life, McLanahan upholds the highest standards for engineering and manufacturing. Building upon over 185 years of excellence, the organization relentlessly improves its equipment, designs and processes to continue exceeding the expectations of its esteemed clientele. Mark Krause, Vice President of Business Development (North America), shares valuable insights into the company’s rich history. 
“Founded in 1835, McLanahan proudly stands as one of America’s 100 oldest family-owned businesses still in operation. From our beginnings as a foundry servicing local farms and coke furnaces, we have grown and diversified. Over the years, our shift has become broader and more global in the mining sector, with installations in everything from coal, salt, and potash to gold, lithium and copper. Historically, McLanahan has always provided tailored solutions to our customers rather than a one-size fits all solution. Our engineering teams work with end users to understand their processing needs and create a solution using the best equipment for their specific application. This is why our equipment line is so vast, as we manufacture multiple crushing, feeding, dewatering and tailings management solutions.
“Today, the company is a sixth-generation family-owned business, employing over 650 people worldwide. In terms of manufacturing footprint, we currently operate multiple facilities in the US, including headquarters and a plant located in central Pennsylvania, a facility in Tennessee, as well as two offices and a factory in Iowa. Globally, McLanahan maintains offices and manufacturing capabilities in China, Australia, Northern Ireland, England, Chile, and Italy,” he adds.
Comprehensive portfolio
Lately, McLanahan’s growth has been through the roof thanks to strategic acquisitions, notably that of Diefenbach, an Italian manufacturer of filter presses and thickeners. Mark sheds light on the company’s considerations when acquiring a new business. “Diefenbach, our latest acquisition, enabled us to expand our line of filter presses and thickeners. While we already offered these products, Diefenbach brought us a larger equipment range with more styles and features, thus enabling us to support a broader range of applications, including more mining sectors. For example, our iONIC Filter Press is built with high-grade stainless steel and protective coatings, allowing it to process highly acidic slurries, such as those found in lead and lithium battery recycling applications. This was a great addition to our product lineup, enhancing the range of solutions we provide to our existing customer base. When considering acquisitions, we are always looking at how well the products a company offers can integrate into our existing portfolio. In this case, Diefenbach was a natural extension,” he enlightens.
Alongside its comprehensive products and services portfolio, McLanahan offers bespoke solutions. Mark elaborates on how the company works hand-in-hand with industry professionals to provide tailored solutions that meet its clients’ needs. “Within the aggregate and agriculture sectors, we predominantly operate through local dealers who provide localized service and parts. Within the mining industry, a considerable portion of our market comes from collaborations with global engineering companies that frequently send us requests for quotes. In these cases, we typically provide specific components such as apron feeders, sizers, crushers, or even filter presses, rather than supplying complete systems,” he explains.
Seamless service
On the topic of supply chain, Mark discusses the challenges posed by online shopping and McLanahan’s strategy to successfully overcome them. “In our present era, the convenience of online shopping has transformed the way people obtain goods. With the ability to order anything they want and receive it overnight or even within two hours, consumers have become used to waiting until the last minute before placing an order and still receiving it on time. This increased emphasis on fast delivery has prompted companies to adapt their operations. Therefore, businesses must have local inventory, parts, and service available in different locations. When considering the implications of plant downtime, even a few hours can be very costly, so having these readily available spares and a team that can be readily deployed to assist on site is paramount. In line with that, McLanahan diligently manages its suppliers and its own internal efficiency to ensure a smooth path to market and that our collective focus is centered on delivering to our customers as fast as possible,” he ends.
Through innovative acquisition strategies and a focus on service, support, and designing systems meeting specific customer needs, McLanahan is poised to strengthen its global leadership in materials processing.