Bluefield Coal Show Expected to Attract Thousands
Posted Thursday, September 17, 2009 ; 06:00 AM | View Comments | Post Comment

Guests and exhibitors at the annual event are expected to come from throughout the nation and around the world.

By ANNETTE SORAH

For The State Journal

More than 200 exhibitors from across the country are expected at thisyear’s Bluefield Coal Show at the Brushfork Armory, according to TheGreater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce.

“We have several mining companies that are sending employees here,” said Chamber President Marc Meachum.

Exhibitors will include 232 representatives from 32 states and five countries including Finland, Germany and Australia.

“We have all the major manufacturers of underground mining,” Meachumsaid, adding, “This is basically an underground mining show.”

Meachum expects the show to attract 5,000 to 6,000 visitors fromthroughout the state and from around the world. He said the WestVirginia Development Office is bringing a delegation from China to theshow.

Harold “Hal” P. Quinn, president and CEO of the National MiningAssociation, will be the keynote speaker. According to information fromthe Chamber, Quinn will speak on the “New Political Landscape forCoal.”

Other guests on this year’s agenda include Mike Peelish, executivepresident and chief sustainability officer for Alpha Natural ResourcesInc.; Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association; andMike Adamczuk, vice president of global engineering for Joy MiningMachinery.

The coal show originated in 1976 and is open by invitation only topeople in the mining industry, Meachum said. With current obviousconcerns of the permitting process in the coal industry, Meachum saidthey are “doing everything we can to make sure that doesn’t do anythingto ruin the (coal) industry.”

“Most exhibitors are upbeat,” he added, “generally an uptake in the mining industry.”

The Bluefield Coal Show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 16 and 17 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 18.

Source: http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=66714