Alabama Byproducts Corporation
Alabama Byproducts Corporation (also called ABC Coke) in Tarrant City is the United States' largest producer of foundry coke. The company was founded in 1920 as the North Birmingham By Products Coke Oven Plant by the Sloss-Sheffield Steel & Iron Company. The facility provided coal gas to loft the balloons participating in the 1920 International Balloon Race, which launched from the grounds near the plant.
Since 1985, it has been a division of the Drummond Company. ABC supplies all of the foundry coke for GMC's engine blocks and won that company's "Worldwide Supplier of the Year" award in 1993.
Until recently the plant burned coal to produce steam and incinerated excess gas in a large flare, visible for miles around. A project to harvest this combustion energy to power the plant has produced significant energy cost savings.
External links
- Turnkey Cogeneration System case study at Reverecontrol.com