In 2000, Kevin Schulte approached Baranko about buying his company – Schulte Coal Company – that’s located in Center, North Dakota.

Glenn and his brother, Gregg, who were co-owners of Baranko at the time, found the purchase of Schulte Coal to be an excellent investment. They believed it would bring in more work and revenue during the winter months, which is typically a slower period for the construction industry due to the seasonal nature of the business. Diversifying into the coal mining industry seemed like a good fit, especially considering the stable and consistent pricing of coal compared to other resources like natural gas and propane. Thus, on October 2nd, Baranko Brothers, Inc. acquired Schulte Coal Company and changed its name to Center Coal Company.

Randy working at Center Coal

Since the acquisition, Center Coal has been supplying stoker and lump coal across North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and even Canada—typically with just 3 to 5 people handling the entire operations. Randy Schmidt, who has been at Center Coal for almost 19 years, said, “People don’t realize how busy Center Coal can get. At times, we’ll have a lineup of 20 or so semis, and we’ll load them up until they’re all clear. But what I love about working here is the variety of my tasks. I could be in the office, cleaning, out in the field, or loading trucks. There’s so much movement and a lot of freedom, too. I really appreciate that. It’s great to work for a company that places trust in you.”

A LOOK AT THE CENTER COAL OPERATIONS IN 2001: