Walter Energy
Encyclopedia
Walter Energy, Inc. , with its U.S. headquarters in Birmingham
, Alabama
and its Canadian & U.K. headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the world’s leading, publicly traded “pure play” metallurgical coal
producer for the global steel industry. The Company also produces steam coal
and industrial coal
, anthracite, metallurgical coke
, and coal bed methane gas. While currently operating from both its U.S. and Canadian & U.K. headquarters, the Company has said it is exploring alternative cities to host its corporate headquarters after closing its Tampa office on June 30, 2011, but has not yet made an announcement on a new location. Current Interim CEO Joe Leonard resumed his role on August 1, 2011 after serving as the Company's Interim CEO from March 2010 until April 1, 2011.
The company's U.S. underground mines produce high-quality coal
from Alabama's Blue Creek seam. Jim Walter Resources, the Company's U.S. underground coal mining unit, has grown from a small producer of less than 1 million tons of coal per year, produced solely for use in its sister company's coke ovens, into one of the 25 largest coal metallurgical coal producers in the United States, with 2010 metallurgical coal sales of approximately 6.0 million metric tons and plans to expand sales to 8.5 million metric tons of metallurgical coal by 2013. Its metallurgical coal mines, No. 4 and No. 7 , are two of the deepest vertical shaft coal mines in North America at nearly 2,000 feet deep. The mines also produce a significant quantity of coal bed methane gas. Jim Walter Resources also operates the North River steam coal mine.
The U.S. Division operates the Maple Coal and Gauley Eagle mines in West Virginia, and mines in South Wales
in Britain
. These mines were formerly owned by Western Coal Corp.
Walter Minerals, an Alabama-based surface coal producer with a capacity of nearly 1.5 million tons, which produces coal for the Alabama steam and industrial coal markets, also is included in the Company's U.S. operations.
Walter Coke, the company's fuel coke
producer, manufactures coke for use in blast furnaces and foundries. The Birmingham
, Alabama
company was formerly known as Sloss Industries.
Canada & U.K.
Walter Energy's Canadian and European operations consist of three mines in British Columbia, Canada and a project in Wales at Aberpergwm
, UK.
in 1946 as a builder of affordable, stick-built homes across the southeast. It spun off Mueller Water Products in 2006, closed Jim Walter Homes in 2009, also spinning off Walter Investment Management Corporation in 2009.
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and its Canadian & U.K. headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the world’s leading, publicly traded “pure play” metallurgical coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
producer for the global steel industry. The Company also produces steam coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and industrial coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, anthracite, metallurgical coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
, and coal bed methane gas. While currently operating from both its U.S. and Canadian & U.K. headquarters, the Company has said it is exploring alternative cities to host its corporate headquarters after closing its Tampa office on June 30, 2011, but has not yet made an announcement on a new location. Current Interim CEO Joe Leonard resumed his role on August 1, 2011 after serving as the Company's Interim CEO from March 2010 until April 1, 2011.
Divisions
U.S.The company's U.S. underground mines produce high-quality coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
from Alabama's Blue Creek seam. Jim Walter Resources, the Company's U.S. underground coal mining unit, has grown from a small producer of less than 1 million tons of coal per year, produced solely for use in its sister company's coke ovens, into one of the 25 largest coal metallurgical coal producers in the United States, with 2010 metallurgical coal sales of approximately 6.0 million metric tons and plans to expand sales to 8.5 million metric tons of metallurgical coal by 2013. Its metallurgical coal mines, No. 4 and No. 7 , are two of the deepest vertical shaft coal mines in North America at nearly 2,000 feet deep. The mines also produce a significant quantity of coal bed methane gas. Jim Walter Resources also operates the North River steam coal mine.
The U.S. Division operates the Maple Coal and Gauley Eagle mines in West Virginia, and mines in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. These mines were formerly owned by Western Coal Corp.
Walter Minerals, an Alabama-based surface coal producer with a capacity of nearly 1.5 million tons, which produces coal for the Alabama steam and industrial coal markets, also is included in the Company's U.S. operations.
Walter Coke, the company's fuel coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
producer, manufactures coke for use in blast furnaces and foundries. The Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
company was formerly known as Sloss Industries.
Canada & U.K.
Walter Energy's Canadian and European operations consist of three mines in British Columbia, Canada and a project in Wales at Aberpergwm
Aberpergwm
Aberpergwm is the site of a colliery in the Vale of Neath near Glynneath in south Wales.The drift mine was reopened in 1996 after being closed by British Coal in 1985. It is owned and worked by Energybuild, a private company now wholly owned by Walter Energy of the USA...
, UK.
History
The company was formerly known as Walter Industries, Inc. and changed its name to Walter Energy in April 2009. The predecessor company was founded by Tampa entrepreneur the late James W. Walter, Sr.James W. Walter, Sr.
James W. Walter, Sr. , of Tampa, Florida in the United States, was a home builder who started Jim Walter Homes and Walter Industries, now doing business as Walter Energy, Inc., a leading producer of metallurgical coal for the global steel industry, in 1946 with $1,000 he borrowed from his father...
in 1946 as a builder of affordable, stick-built homes across the southeast. It spun off Mueller Water Products in 2006, closed Jim Walter Homes in 2009, also spinning off Walter Investment Management Corporation in 2009.