Pressure vessels and storage tanks are central to the daily operations of numerous industries, including Oil & Gas, Energy, Pharmaceuticals, and Food & Dairy. Each industry has its own specific needs and requirements, demanding a manufacturer who can customize equipment to their specifications, while still meeting rules and regulations.

In the Food and Dairy industry, custom steel tanks are used to mix, process, store, cook, and refrigerate. Pressure vessels are required to meet ASME code, while many non-pressurized storage tanks have to meet FDA and USDA approval as well. Commonly found vessels and tanks in the Food and Beverage Industry include:

• Smart tanks and vessels
• Mix tanks
• Storage tanks
• Processing tanks

What makes these vessels unique is that the surface is often polished, or enhanced, for a bright, smooth finish. This can be done in one of two ways: electropolishing, which is an electrochemical process, or mechanical polishing, which involves grinding or buffing. The roughness of the surface is measured in Ra – roughness arithmetic average – where the lower the number, the smoother the surface. While in most cases, this is done for sanitary reasons, doing so can actually improve corrosion resistance.

Pressure vessels and storage tanks are vital pieces to the existence of the companies that keep our families happy and fed. Though they may adhere to different regulations, be used for different purposes, or have different finishes, they are stable fixtures in facilities worldwide.