Damascus Corp. of Virginia says its solid designs and reliable service have made it a trusted supplier for the coal mining industry. The company specializes in personnel carriers for use in underground mines.

I've always been interested in anything that's got wheels on it," says Walter Stewart. As a teenager, Stewart's eye for automobile design won him the Fisher Body Craftsman's Award several years in a row. The contest, sponsored by General Motors, was a chance for young car enthusiasts to win scholarship money. "I paid my way through college with it," he says.

Today, Stewart is president and founder of Damascus Corp., a Virginia-based manufacturer of personnel carriers and equipment for the coal mining industry. He continues to use his design skills to be an innovator when it comes to underground transportation.

Founded in 1980 in Damascus, Va., Damascus makes battery- and diesel-powered rubber-tired transporters. "We build battery-powered [carriers] for two people to 12 people," Stewart says. Diesel transporters can accommodate two to 14 people, he adds. Other Damascus products include rock dusters, industrial vehicles and utility cars.

Depending on conditions, the battery-powered transporters can travel up to 20 miles before needing to be recharged.

Simpler is Stronger
The company abides by a design philosophy that simpler is stronger. "It begins with the basic design philosophy," Stewart explains. "We try to use sound principles of engineering and build a product that is user-friendly. Our aim is to make a product that is safe, dependable and easy to maintain."

Damascus also strives to make it easy for mining companies to get replacement parts for its vehicles. "All our distributors are stocking distributors," Stewart adds, noting that 98 percent of Damascus' products are sold through distributors.

"If a machine is down, the mines can usually get parts the same day if they need to," he says. The company has 19 distributors in the United States.

"We work with all major coal companies and quite a few of the smaller ones," Stewart says.

‘A Lot of Challenges'
In the last three years, Damascus' sales have tripled, Stewart notes. "Of course, the coal business has been in a real growth mode the last three years, and we're growing with it," he says.

In fact, Damascus has expanded its plant three times since moving to Abingdon, Va., in 1992. Further expansion is planned along with continued innovations and new products.

Product development is a constant at Damascus Corp. "We are continually adapting our products to what the customer wants, incorporating the latest technology available," Stewart says.

"There are a lot of challenges," he adds. Ever-changing mining safety and health administration laws and state regulations keep Damascus on its toes modifying its products and designing new ones. Technology changes, such as batteries with a longer life, broaden the possibilities for creativity in personnel carrier design and function. "Controller technology has improved a lot within the last three to four years with respect to electric vehicles," Stewart says.

Damascus continually works with its clients to adapt to mining companies' needs. "We work closely with our customers," he stresses, adding the company knows its clients' problems and works to come up with solutions. "Our job is to provide safe, dependable and efficient transportation to the coal miners that go underground every day to produce our nation's energy," Stewart says. E+P