With over 200 exhibitors, this year’s Bluefield Coal Show is primed to exceed attendees’ expectations and retain its position as one of the best industry shows in the eastern United States.
Focusing heavily on mining technology and industry trends, the seminars at the Bluefield show will offer something for everyone. The presentations will be held Wednesday September 14 and Thursday September 15, beginning at 3pm both days, and will commence in a classroom near the exhibitor’s hospitality room at the Brushfork Armory. Each seminar will last approximately 30 minutes, with a longer panel discussion on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Alpha Natural Resources president Michael Quillen will kick off with a discussion entitled, “The Coal Industry Today”.
Following will be Norfolk Southern senior vice president of energy and properties Daniel Smith on transportation, American Electric Power program R&D manager Mike Mudd presenting “Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Power Plant Technology”, American Electric Power managing director Keith Barnett with “Future Issues and Challenges of Using Coal to Generate Electricity”, and Joy Mining engineering director Ed Niederriter, who will discuss “Lower Seam Longwalling with Shearers Past, Present and Future”
Thursday’s presentations will begin with West Virginia Coal Association president Bill Rainey discussing “The Importance of Coal to the Economy”, followed by Pemco’s James (Jay) Johnson with “Mine Duty Transformers” and DBT America senior chief engineer Andreas Filipak presenting “The Global Approach to Thin Seam Coal Mining”
After the trio of presentations Thursday afternoon, the seminar series will close with a panel discussion on mountaintop removal mining. Included in this year’s roundtable will be Jewell Smokeless chief engineer Robert Brendlinger, Mingo Redevelopment Authority director Mike Whitt, Pocahontas Land vice president John Payne, Mingo Logan Coal general manager Jim Mullens and engineer/consultant Jack Caffery.
The Bluefield Coal Show is scheduled to run from 10am-6pm on Wednesday and Thursday, and 10am-4pm on Friday. There is no admission fee for industry representatives for a show that promises to showcase the cream of the industry crop and offer the best and newest technologies out there.
