AMAX COAL COMPANY
In the mid 1980s Std was performing a great deal of work for Amax Coal Company in the Mid American coal fields. Amax was the third largest coal company in the United States at that time and was merged with Cypress Mines and later sold to Phelps Dodge.
Mike Schaelford was head of quality control for Amax at that time and he and Troy became very good friends. This relationship eventually led to Std acquiring the Amax central lab facility in Evansville, Indiana about 1985. This was a very large facility and helped Std become the largest coal lab in Mid America.
The lab was originally managed by Mike Alexander who replace Jan DeMar, who became a staff person doing training and corporate quality control administrator.
Eventually, Tim Steiner and then Aaron Smith were managers of this facility.
The Evansville lab has become one of Std’s largest labs since its purchased and still stands as the largest, most capable lab in that part of the country.