Savage buys coal reclamation cos.

Savage, a privately owned supply-chain solutions and industrial services company based in Salt Lake City, has purchased Abingdon, Virginia-based Gobco LLC and Power Fuels LLC. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The two acquired companies are active in coal reclamation in Virginia. Gobco specializes in the removal of waste coal piles from abandoned mines and the restoration of impacted land, streams and forests. The waste coal, known as gob, is separated from rock and transported by truck to the Power Fuels terminal in St. Paul, Virginia, where it is blended with run-of-mine coal and used to generate electricity at Dominion’s state-of-the-art Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center.

“Gobco’s award-winning reclamation work is improving the environment and contributing to better water quality,” said Kirk Aubry, Savage president and CEO. “We’re excited to continue providing excellent service to Dominion and making a positive difference. “Working with Dominion and government agencies, Gobco and Power Fuels have converted previously unusable waste coal into a reliable source of energy for southwest Virginia communities.”

According to a release from Savage, there are hundreds of waste coal piles in the region, some dating back more than a century and many containing hundreds of thousands of tons of material. After removing waste coal, Gobco replaces topsoil and plants grass at the sites to help transform the land back to its pre-mining appearance. The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy facilitates the planting of tree seedlings as part of the state’s Abandoned Mine Land Program, with funding from U.S. Office of Surface Mining grants.

Founded in 1946, Savage has more than 3,500 employees in over 240 operating locations throughout North America and internationally. The company’s businesses span rail, truck and marine transportation and logistics, terminal and facility operation and design, materials handling and other environmental and industrial services.