Pioneering Northern Ireland mobile crushing and screening manufacturer celebrates 65 years of innovation and success

A recent anniversary event at Tyrone Farming Society grounds brought together almost 600 team members from across its four Omagh sites who have contributed to Finlay’s global success.

The celebration kicked off with a presentation by Matt Dickson, business line director of Finlay and general manager of Terex Omagh, providing insights into Finlay’s evolution from its founder John Finlay’s pioneering work in the 1950s to its current status as a global leader in the crushing and screening industry.

The presentation delved into the early days of Finlay, showcasing John Finlay’s ingenuity in creating the first mobile screener in 1958 to growing a product portfolio and establishing a reputation built upon reliability and performance. Finlay has also expanded its manufacturing footprint from its humble beginnings in Tullyvannon to now having several sites in Omagh, Dungannon and Campsie in Northern Ireland, Coalville in England, Jiading in China, Hosur in India, and Malaysia.

After becoming part of Terex in 1999, Finlay became known as Terex Finlay, but—recognising the strong legacy of the brand—rebranded back to its original Finlay name with a strapline ‘Strong Heritage, Strong Future. Looking towards the future, the anniversary event also highlighted key product developments in the pipeline as well as the brand’s commitment to sustainability, with plans to launch many more electric models to the Finlay product portfolio.

Terex is also investing expanding the Omagh site to allow additional capacity for the production of new innovative products.

Expansion plans include a new assembly line which broke ground due to be completed by the end of 2024, as well as the construction of a new office block to be branded as Finlay headquarters, expected to be completed in 2025.

The event featured a dinner served by locally based J Hutton & Sons Catering in a marquee, following which team members had the opportunity to explore the company’s timeline, watch video footage, and reminisce about the key milestones that have shaped Finlay’s 65-year-strong legacy. As a souvenir of the milestone year, team members will also receive Finlay branded clothing with the 65-year logo.

“This milestone is a testament to the exceptional dedication, innovation, and teamwork displayed by our team of over 600 people employed locally at Omagh,” said Matt Dickson, business line director for Finlay.

“Finlay has deep and long-term roots in the area, with a history dating back to our founder, John Finlay, who pioneered the concept of mobile screening equipment. This anniversary event was an ideal opportunity to share that with our team members while recognising the contribution they make to our global success.

“Finlay is more than a name or a logo; it’s a symbol of excellence, innovation, and integrity. It represents the hard work and steady commitment of our team. It’s a legacy that we’ve built together, one machine at a time and one satisfied customer at a time. With our dedicated team, exciting expansion plans at Omagh and product roadmap that will continue to push boundaries in the marketplace, Finlay’s strong heritage sets the foundation for an even stronger future.”