Coal Here to Stay: Coal Prep 2013 Ends on Positive Note

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--This year's Coal Prep international exhibition and conference, which ran April 29 through May 2 in Lexington, Kentucky, wrapped up its 30th anniversary show.

The show featured nearly 300 exhibitors from all over the world, including everyone who is anyone in the coal or mineral ore processing business: engineers, consultants, manufacturers, suppliers and contractors. Booths featured an array of the latest and greatest available technology, such as steel coating, crushing and conveying, cyclones, lighting and control systems, mining machines and equipment, and safety equipment.

For many attendees, it was their first time to have a booth at the show. Industrial Info Resources (IIR) has covered the show since 2009, but this was the first year IIR had a booth: Booth #2616 in the Rupp Arena.

Many products showcased can be applied beyond mining and processing. Many cross over into other industries beyond Metals & Minerals, such as Food & Beverage, Oil & Gas, and Industrial Manufacturing. Some exhibitors have always crossed many industries, while others said a natural progression toward other industries over the years was necessary due to the coal market being depressed. However, the general consensus was that a full recovery is on the horizon. More and more people were talking about various expansions on the drawing board.

The overall sentiment this year on the exhibit floor, as well as at the Technical and General Sessions, was that the U.S. coal market had reached rock bottom, no pun intended. While no one could agree on exact percentages, the message was clear: Coal-fired electric generation is still projected to be the dominant source of energy for the foreseeable future.

The path to recovery will not be easy.

"As an industry, coal took quite a few punches this year, and the road forward is not without challenge," said Florence Torres, the Coal Prep show's director.

Coal Prep is the only annual trade show and conference in the U.S. dedicated to the coal preparation and processing industry. Industry professionals come from all over the world to share the most recent innovative technologies in coal preparation and aggregate processing plant technologies. The show is held every year at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Kentucky.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.