Divisional structure

UCC was formed by private investors, (including James McGlothlin who was one of the founders of the original United Coal Company in the 1970s), and grew through acquisitions of metallurgical coal producers.  

Since then UCC has grown to be one of the leading producers of metallurgical coal in the United States, ranking (by public company estimates) sixth among U.S. metallurgical coal producers. Production capacities of UCC’s four operating business units total approximately 7 mln. tons. UCC mines metallurgical and steam coal using both underground and surface mining techniques in the states of West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. UCC’s proven coal reserves, as defined by U.S. Securities Exchange Commission standards, as of December 31, 2007 totaled 160 million clean metric tonnes of coal, 82% of which were metallurgical coal (coking coal and coals used for pulverized coal injection (PCI)).  UCC estimates that it is one of the five largest metallurgical coal reserve holders in the Central Appalachian region of the United States.

In 2008 UCC extracted 5.1 mln. clean metric tonnes of coal (both metallurgical and steam coal), which represented 17% growth over 2007 production. UCC’s metallurgical coal production accounted for approximately 4% of total U.S. metallurgical coal production in 2008. Revenues totaled more than $500 million in 2008.

UCC’s metallurgical coal customers are primarily steel companies and merchant coke producers in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States, although nearly half of metallurgical coal volumes were exported, primarily to South America and Europe. UCC’s steam coal customers are large utilities and industrial customers in the Eastern region of the United States.

Metinvest has acquired 100% stake in United Coal Company on April 30^th, 2009.