ST. LOUIS, Sept. 12, 2012 -- Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) today earned a spot in the top 250 of the 2012 InformationWeek 500.  This marks the seventh consecutive year that Arch Coal has been ranked one of the nation's most innovative users of business technology by InformationWeek. 

Arch Coal most notably was recognized for the speed of integration following a major acquisition.  In May 2011, Arch Coal announced the $3.4 billion acquisition of International Coal Group (ICG), a leading global metallurgical coal supplier with more than 3,000 employees. 

"We firmly believe that integration speed is a strategic differentiator," said David E. Hartley, Arch Coal's vice president and chief information officer.  "To that end, we effectively converted the acquired company to our technology solutions at the remarkable speed of seven weeks from start to finish.  Approximately 95 percent of business transactions were captured using Arch Coal's systems on the first day the acquisition closed."

"Because of the swift and precise integration, the two companies acted as one during the very first year following the transaction," said John T. Drexler, Arch Coal's senior vice president and chief financial officer.  "Our business process approach, involving teams composed of functional experts and technologists, allows Arch to drive real value throughout the organization, whether we're tackling a massive acquisition or deploying new technologies."

"The InformationWeek 500 has recognized the most innovative users of business technology for 24 years, and this year's innovations were particularly impressive," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston.  "What the editors looked for are unconventional approaches – new technologies, new models, new ways of grabbing business opportunities and solving complex business problems with IT."

Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/.

U.S.-based Arch Coal (NYSE:ACI) is a top five global coal producer and marketer. Arch is the most diversified American coal company, with mining complexes across every major U.S. coal supply basin.  Its core business is supplying cleaner-burning, low-sulfur thermal and metallurgical coal to power generators and steel manufacturers on five continents.  In 2011, Arch continued to lead the U.S. coal industry in safety performance and environmental compliance among large, diversified producers.