Coal Preparation Society of America
Message from the President
Coal Prep 2013 has come and gone. In general the show was well attended, and a record number of vendors displayed their products for the show attendees. Attendance appeared to be a little lower than normal which was to be expected with the current downturn in the market for both steam and metallurgical coal products. It is so important for our industry to have this opportunity to meet a convenient location where ideas and discussions can occur outside the distractions of normal work day occurrences.
As expected, the Woodford Reserve event sponsored by CPSA was a rousing success. I think everyone had a good time in a relaxing atmosphere where good food and conversations were had by all. Not to mention the good “spirits,” and who can forget the extra entertainment by Dr. Olexandr Yegurnov of the Coal Preparation Society of Ukraine. We are planning on hosting this event again next year, so watch for the announcement and get your tickets early. All 168 seats were sold quickly this year, and I expect the same will occur next year. Once again I wish to thank our sponsors who helped make this evening a success for all our members.
CPSA is proud to announce that Jeffrey Stevens has been chosen as 2013 recipient of the G. William Kalb Scholarship, presented annually to a deserving student who has demonstrated a desire to further a career in the field of Coal Preparation. Jeffrey is a double major in both Civil and Mining Engineering at West Virginia University. Our Corporate and Individual Members have made this possible through their continued membership in this organization. Congratulations to Jeffrey and his Family.
We as an industry continue to find ourselves in a tough market condition. It is evident from the news and what we see in our own individual companies that the struggle continues to readjust to the challenging environment we find ourselves in at this time. Employment in this industry has plunged to record lows. Where it goes from here is anyone’s guess.
What I do know, as I have said in the past, is the Coal Preparation industry has a very important role in sustaining a return to more prosperous times. With the application of our knowledge and expertise, along with training and educating the current and coming work force, we can better position all companies to face the future in the coming months.
To that end, CPSA is scheduled to present its Coal Prep 101 Course this summer in the Midwest. The course will focus on the fundamentals of Coal Preparation operations and techniques and will be taught by the well respected Dr. Rick Honaker of the University of Kentucky and Dr. Gerald Luttrell of Virginia Tech. This course completely sold out in less than a week, but plans are underway to offer additional courses in the near future.
This industry will survive, but it will no doubt be changed in the future. We must work safe and productively to weather the storm. We always have and we always will. That is who we are.
Regards,
Robert “Bob” Hollis