By Ben Beakes, President, Metallurgical Coal Producers Association

May 27, 2026 - This year’s Metallurgical Coal Producers Association Annual Conference theme was “Redefining Resilience.”  Given what we learned from our industry experts, it was a fitting theme that should drive us to success over the next year.  There were over 200 people registered, every exhibitor space occupied, and we left understanding that we must seize the opportunity as the world’s reliable steel-making coal. 

1.   Steel production predicted to grow.  Both domestically and globally, the steel output is expected to increase.  In 2025, American steel production increased by 3.1 percent.  It is projected to increase another 1.7 and 2.0 percent in 2026 and 2027 respectively according to Kevin Dempsey from the American Iron and Steel Institute – one of the high-profile speakers at the conference.  Other speakers noted that there are other bright spots like India and Indonesia. 

2.   Australia is not the met coal king it once was.  Australia has long been king of metallurgical coal exports.  However, its reign as king is dwindling.  Australian met coal exports is down 22 percent since 2016 due to several factors, including an increasingly unfriendly government that would like to shift away from coal production.  As Australia continues to shrink its met coal exports it is a perfect opportunity for U.S. met coal exports to show its strength according to Ted O’Brien with Oluma Resources, another conference speaker. 

3.   Align with infrastructure.  MCPA Board Chairman Scott Kreutzer stated that it is a perfect time to strengthen our ties to infrastructure needs here at home and across the globe.  The world continues to invest in critical infrastructure needs which have one thing in common, the need for steel to build it – and met coal makes steel.  In fact, 70 percent of the world’s steel production depends on met coal.  We need to promote infrastructure investments and other issues such as the rise in automobile manufacturing. 

While signals are strong for our industry we learned there are a few factors contributing to depressed prices for met coal currently.  Those factors include China’s dumping of cheap steel across the world, tariffs and geopolitical events that contribute to uncertainty, and the recent increase in diesel prices due to the Iran conflict.  

But the met coal industry is resilient.  We heard about that resilience from Perry Longacre, CEO of Allegheny Metallurgical.  As Andy Eidson and other MCPA member-company executives like Charlie Bearse and Chris Anderson said, “We were made for times like these!”  

I am as excited as ever to lead the Metallurgical Coal Producers Association as its president.  We hope you are as excited to be part of the MCPA as our producing members are.  Now is our time.  Let’s seize our opportunity!