60 Years Later, We Still #CrushEveryJob!

2026 marks the 60th anniversary of our company. We would like to thank our Dealers and Customers for helping us write this continuing American success story.

While traveling through Ohio to attend school in Chicago, Screen Machine Founder Bernard Cohen decided that Columbus, Ohio was a growing city, and the ideal location for starting up his own business. Striking out on his own, Ohio Central Steel began in 1966 as a steel fabrication business. OCS had a philosophy to use only the best American steel and customers soon followed. Bernard Cohen started out by manufacturing miscellaneous jobs for Carter Steel, Jeffery Manufacturing, E & I Corporation, and Ben Tom Supply Company. House beams, stairs, mechanical equipment components, bridges, guardrails… Anything he could make.

In 1978, Bernard made a cold call to W. W. Williams, one of the nation’s largest industrial distribution, repair and service companies, that changed everything. The VP of Aggregate Operations at W. W. Williams, asked if OCS could design a heavier-duty, American-made version of a portable screening plant being produced and imported from Europe. These portable machines eliminate the costly need to transport sand, gravel, coal, etc., to giant stationary plants. With portable machines, the aggregate can be processed right at the job-site, a huge leap forward in the future of the aggregate industry.

Through the combination of customer input, our staff’s mechanical expertise and Bernard’s desire to design and build the most heavy-duty machines on the market, the company was able to create a machine that utilized a system of screens to sort and separate different types and sizes of aggregate.

The foundation for Screen Machine Industries was born.

We were committed to design a machine that was better than the competition. We were one of the first factories in America to build this line of products and have accessible parts right here in the USA. Attention was paid to every detail … We designed it, built it, drove it to the customer, and then set it up for them.

Convinced of the quality of our products, we offered customers a chance to have a trial run of our machines. We would transport a machine to customers who said, “I’ll try it. If I like it, I’ll buy it.” We’d let them try it, then offer to either hook on and pull it back to the factory, or sell it to them. We NEVER had to hook up and
pull our equipment back home. Our machines are that good.

Through the rest of the 20th Century and into the 2,000s, Screen Machine continued evolve and grow. In 2005, the company was officially changed to reflect the focus of the business – Screen Machines. Demand was growing through distribution into new territories and an expanding product line of four new models, including the Maximum, Developer, Producer, and Pulverize II. After the 2002 introduction of track mounted screening plants, and of rock crushers in 2004, the need for additional space was undeniable and that was when the company built its present 125,000 square foot factory in Etna, Ohio, just east of Columbus.

After four decades of successfully guiding our company, Bernard eased into well earned retirement. His family, who had grown up with the business, were all part of the enterprise as well. Oldest son Steve was President and covered Sales & Marketing. Doug headed up Engineering while daughter Natalie managed Finances.

In 2012, Screen Machine began a partnership with Crane Group, a Columbus-based investment firm that partnered with companies that shared its roots — family-owmed, entrepreneurial in spirit and willing to challenge “business as usual.” That partnership continued until 2024, when MPP-Global, a division of Metso Corporation, acquired Screen Machine. So began a new era for the company.

Today, Screen Machine continues to set the standard for American-made quality in the Crushing & Screening industry. Our product line includes Impact Crushers, Jaw Crushers, Spyder Screeners and Trommels. All models have been designed by our in-house Engineering team, while our Product Support team provides the best support in the industry. As we continue to #CrushEveryJob, Screen Machine remains loyal to our core tenets:

  • Tough Machines
  • Simple To Operate
  • Superior Support
  • We Keep You Working