Coal and energy companies develop international sales

Five coal and energy companies participating in a two-year export program have grown their international business by 47 percent, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Thursday.

The companies graduated this June from the Go Global with Coal & Energy Technology (GGCET) program, a collaboration of the governor’s office,  the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA).

The two-year GGCET program was created in 2015 to help coal and energy technology companies in the Virginia coalfield region expand their international business. It is modeled after and linked to VEDP’s Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program.

Collectively, the GGCET class members increased their international sales by more than $2 million, representing an increase of 47 percent during their two years in the program.

“By exporting their coal and energy technologies, they are ultimately increasing their customer base and becoming less dependent on the coal sector,” McAuliffe said in a statement. “I congratulate the inaugural GGCET class from Tazewell County on these impressive results, and look forward to each company’s continued success in both Virginia and the global marketplace.”

The inaugural graduating class of GGCET companies include: AMR PEMCO, Ceramic Technology, Consolidated Steel, Simmons Equipment Company, and The PBE Group.