MAJOR Wire Industries Debuts Game-Changing Thermo Screen Technology at ConExpo 2026

When it comes to screening hot materials, heat has always been the enemy. Polyurethane connections melt, wire integrity degrades, and production grinds to a halt for costly maintenance cycles. At ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 in Las Vegas, MAJOR Wire Industries is unveiling a solution that could fundamentally change how the industry approaches high-temperature screening applications.

The Oklahoma-based company’s new OptimumWire Thermo Screen, making its debut at Booth C32269 in Central Hall, represents the culmination of years of engineering focused on one deceptively simple goal: keep screening efficiently when temperatures exceed what any conventional screen can handle.

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The 2,192-Degree Problem

The challenges facing operators in asphalt production, mineral processing, and industrial screening operations have remained stubbornly consistent for decades. Traditional screen media relies on polyurethane connections to bond wires together—and polyurethane doesn’t play well with extreme heat.

At temperatures exceeding 400°F, conventional polyurethane begins to soften. By 600°F, most traditional screen connections have degraded significantly. For operations dealing with hot mix asphalt at 300°F to 350°F, recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) at similar temperatures, or hot clinker and quicklime that can exceed 1,500°F, this presents a constant battle between production demands and equipment limitations.

The OptimumWire Thermo Screen addresses this head-on with MAJOR’s proprietary OptimumWire technology, replacing traditional polyurethane connections with a heat-resistant bonding system capable of withstanding temperatures over 1,200 degrees Celsius—that’s 2,192 degrees Fahrenheit, or roughly four times the melting point of aluminum.

How the Technology Works

The engineering approach differs fundamentally from conventional screen design. Rather than relying on continuous bonded panels, the OptimumWire Thermo Screen allows individual wires to vibrate independently while maintaining structural integrity at extreme temperatures.

This independent wire movement creates what MAJOR calls a “self-cleaning action”—the constant micro-vibrations prevent material from lodging in screen apertures, addressing the blinding, pegging, and clogging issues that plague high-temperature screening operations. When processing hot, sticky materials like asphalt binder or partially molten aggregate, this self-cleaning characteristic becomes critical to maintaining consistent throughput.

The screen media also benefits from faster material stratification. Because each wire can move independently, materials separate more efficiently across the screen surface, allowing properly-sized particles to pass through while oversized materials continue to the discharge end.

Performance Metrics: The Numbers Behind the Claims

According to testing data from MAJOR’s engineering teams, the OptimumWire Thermo Screen has demonstrated significant performance improvements in asphalt production applications:

  • Throughput increases up to 35% compared to conventional screen media in hot mix asphalt production
  • Maintenance cost reductions of approximately 40% due to extended screen life and reduced downtime
  • Extended service intervals in high-heat applications where traditional screens required frequent replacement

These improvements compound when considering the true cost of downtime in asphalt operations. Hot mix plants often operate on tight delivery windows—when the paving crew is waiting, every minute of screening downtime translates directly to delayed production and potentially missed contracts.

Applications Across Industries

While asphalt production represents a primary target market for the OptimumWire Thermo Screen, the technology’s temperature tolerance opens applications across multiple industries:

Asphalt Production and Recycling: The fastest-growing segment for the technology. With RAP (recycled asphalt pavement) usage increasing industrywide as contractors seek sustainable material sourcing, the ability to efficiently screen hot recycled materials has become increasingly important. RAP must often be heated to temperatures exceeding 300°F before integration into new mix designs.

Hot Clinker Screening: Cement manufacturing relies on screening hot clinker—the nodular material formed when limestone and other materials are heated to approximately 2,640°F in rotary kilns. While clinker cools before screening, temperatures can still exceed 1,000°F at the screen deck.

Quicklime Processing: Quicklime (calcium oxide) is produced by heating limestone to temperatures exceeding 1,650°F. Screening operations for quicklime must handle materials at elevated temperatures while managing the material’s caustic properties.

Mineral Processing: Various mineral processing applications involve screening heated materials, from phosphate processing to specialty aggregate production.

The Broader MAJOR Portfolio at ConExpo

The OptimumWire Thermo Screen represents just one element of MAJOR’s ConExpo 2026 presence. The company is also showcasing several other innovations designed to extend screen media life and improve operational efficiency:

Advanced Polyurethane Strips for FLEX-MAT Modular Series: For applications involving wet and corrosive environments—the opposite end of the spectrum from the Thermo Screen—MAJOR has developed polyurethane strips engineered to resist degradation from moisture and chemical exposure. Company testing indicates these strips can last up to ten times longer than traditional polyurethane in certain corrosive applications.

Updated MAJOR App: The company has enhanced its mobile application to provide operators with expanded functionality, including RFID reader capabilities and the FLEX-MAT Sensor system. This allows customers to track screen media data, streamline ordering, and manage inventory more efficiently.

Wire Cut Challenge: In a hands-on demonstration, MAJOR is inviting ConExpo attendees to test the strength of their engineered wire in an interactive challenge format—a practical demonstration of the wire quality that underlies all of their screen media products.

Industry Panel Participation

MAJOR representatives will also participate in the panel discussion “Screen Smarter: Practical Strategies for Peak Performance” during ConExpo. The session is designed to provide aggregate and mining professionals with actionable insights on optimizing screening operations, reducing maintenance costs, and improving overall production efficiency.

The Market Context: Why High-Temperature Screening Matters Now

The timing of the OptimumWire Thermo Screen launch reflects broader industry trends. Several factors are converging to increase demand for high-temperature screening solutions:

Sustainability Mandates: State and federal infrastructure projects increasingly require recycled content, pushing asphalt producers to incorporate higher percentages of RAP. Processing these recycled materials efficiently requires screens that can handle elevated temperatures throughout extended production runs.

Infrastructure Investment: The ongoing wave of infrastructure spending has increased demand for asphalt and aggregate products, putting pressure on producers to maximize output from existing facilities. Any technology that increases throughput by 35% without requiring new plant investment becomes immediately attractive.

Labor Challenges: With skilled labor remaining tight across the construction materials industry, technologies that reduce maintenance requirements and extend equipment service intervals help operators do more with fewer maintenance personnel.

Energy Costs: Higher operating temperatures often correlate with more efficient material processing. Equipment that can reliably handle higher temperatures may enable process optimizations that reduce overall energy consumption.

Competitive Landscape

MAJOR operates in a competitive screening technology market that includes companies like Metso, Sandvik, and various regional manufacturers. The company has built its reputation on wire quality and the distinctive FLEX-MAT tensioned screen technology that allows wires to vibrate independently.

The OptimumWire Thermo Screen extends this independent-wire approach into temperature ranges where few competitors have established products, potentially giving MAJOR a significant first-mover advantage in the high-temperature segment.

Availability and Pricing

MAJOR has not yet announced specific pricing for the OptimumWire Thermo Screen, noting that costs will vary based on application requirements, screen dimensions, and aperture specifications. The company is taking orders at ConExpo with anticipated deliveries beginning in Q2 2026.

Interested operators can visit MAJOR at Booth C32269 in Central Hall during ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026, running March 3-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Bottom Line

For operations that have struggled with screen media degradation in high-temperature applications, the OptimumWire Thermo Screen represents a potentially significant advancement. The claimed 35% throughput improvement and 40% maintenance cost reduction, if validated in real-world operations, would deliver compelling ROI for asphalt producers, mineral processors, and other high-temperature screening operations.

The technology also reflects a broader industry trend toward engineering solutions for specific operational challenges rather than asking operators to work around equipment limitations. As production demands increase and sustainability requirements push more recycled materials into the production stream, screening technology designed specifically for high-temperature applications may transition from nice-to-have to essential equipment.

MAJOR Wire Industries appears well-positioned to capitalize on this shift—and ConExpo 2026 attendees will have the opportunity to evaluate the OptimumWire Thermo Screen firsthand.

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