Made in Germany | Coal Mining Technology

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Germany's coal mining industry is all but finished as viable coal seams are worked out. Following an earthquake, mines in the Saarland will close in 2012 and mining in North Rhine-Westphalia's will end in 10 years at most.

But German mining equipment is still in demand; more than a hundred mostly medium-sized businesses have found customers in countries where mining is booming. One such company is Eickhoff, in Bochum, which produces milling and cutting equipment for coal mining. Now Eickhoff exports 95% of its mining equipment, mainly to China and Russia. Robert Donauer went to a mine in the Ruhr Valley and paid a visit to Eickhoff.