I have been getting a few emails concerning what these look or how they actually go on the tanks.

why do you need it?
1) protect literally thousands of dollars in fuel,
2) prevent thieves from stealing and pawning your pumps!

What you are seeing here is the anti-theft pump box and anti-theft fill cap box, along with the special pad locks. This is all packaged in.

Will they fit on my tanks?
We have different size diameters to fit almost any standard diameter. Call or email me for more details.

While preparing for this next entry, I came across a very interesting article that made me stop and think about YOU and how you are going to absorb the following information. Will it be just another lame post about what we have to offer, who we are, or perhaps the old hit and miss approach of throwing something on the wall to see if it sticks?

We are all so overexposed to junk Email, spam, and unsolicited requests. So I stopped for a second to think about how important it is for me to feel like you have gained something from this entry, to walk away with information that is actually useful and valuable to YOU, and available anytime at no cost to you whatsoever. (This is the reason for this blog by the way).

“ We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”

So, in me telling you that we have several IBC totes available for sale here in Houston, considered ‘overstock’ equipment, and for which we can make you a good deal; …….just doesn’t resonate well with me.  Instead, let me give you a bit more.  Follow me:

1)  What is an IBC tote? An IBC tote is a common term used in the industry to describe an Intermediate Bulk Container. Whether handling bulk liquids, viscous products or dry flowables, IBC totes or portable bulk containers can meet transportation and handling requirements for corrosives, flammables, food and beverages, custom chemicals, lubricants,  pharmaceuticals, in a safe and cost effective way. The most common sizes are 350 and 550 gallon capacity.

2.) Do you have a need for IBC totes? If you find yourself interested in purchasing IBC totes, you will need to answer a few basic questions:.  1) Will this equipment be used  for a  hazardous or flammable product?, 2) what size works best ?, 3) Do you require Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel , new or used, and finally 4) Quantity of IBC totes required.

3.) IBC totes offered carry the following designation:

DOT UN31A permits the shipment of flammable and combustible liquids authorized by Title 49 CFR.

Allowable modes of transportation: motor vehicle, rail freight, cargo vessel, or air freight. NMFC Item 41032, Sub 1, Class 125. (per DOT)

Those are basics, as most of you already know and understand.  Following on that note, have you come across the situation when you need to re-test these IBC totes?  I get lot of questions on re-certification.  For those of you who may be looking to see what it takes, how to do it, and where to begin; we have put together a manual to give you point by point instruction when the time comes to re-certify your IBC totes.  Why do you need to this?  Per DOT regulations, these totes must be maintained within a current inspection period of every 2 1/2 years.

So, when you find it’s time to re-certify your IBC totes, perhaps you have purchased totes from us in the past, or hopefully you are in the market to purchase a few, feel free to email me andyd(at)tank service(dot)com to request a copy of the “Guide to Retesting of Intermediate Bulk Containers”.

As always, feel free to ask any questions, and post them here so that we can all gain from each other.

In light of the hurricane season, we are now taking our standard single wall or double wall UL-142 skid tanks and outfitting it with everything that you need to just drop and go.http://storagetanks.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/1000-gal-ul-142-skid-package.jpg?w=179

In addition, custom add ons are available as well as special colors.  Don’t forget that UL-142 heavy duty skid tanks are also available at your request.  Here we just finished a set of double walll UL-142 heavy duty skid tanks ready for shipment.

Double Wall UL142 skid tanks

If you are looking for a UL142 skid package, this is our base package:

1. 500- 1000 gal heavy duty skid tank with emergency vents, fill cap, and std vent pipe.

2. Pop up leak gauge for 64″ diameter or less.

3. Pump package 115 volt shipped loose, including: Filter adapter, 12Ft hose, Auto nozzle w/ hanger, meter is built in.

4. On-site installation is available for an extra charge.

Local delivery is free for a limited time only, with min order of 2x tanks.

1000 GAL ul-142 SKID PACKAGE

There was an interesting question that popped up on my email and I thought I would share it with all of you. Concerning the fitment of these totes inside a 20Ft container, the only way to get them to fit (we are discussing 550 gall IBC totes)is to stagger them.

The next consideration is weight.  If you are planning to ship a container full of totes (empty) then you can fit approximately 10 units.  Now, if you are shipping them full, my suggestion is to do the numbers and double check the max weight allowed to make sure you do not exceed it.

You can see pictures from the original post here

Below is a quick sketch illustrating the set up

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I get phone calls very frequently about needing to either remove and relocate an existing tank or to help to set up a new tank system. We are pleased to announce that we are now offering these new services. So, if you need a tank relocated or have a new set up pending, call us to discuss your immediate need.

In the pictures following we have outfitted these turn key systems with pumps, electronics, back up system, and much more.

Services include:
Concrete services
Electrical Services
Plumbing and piping services
Accessories (pumps, telemetry, cabinet style dispensers, specialty valves, card readers and much more)

IBC’s seem to be a commodity these days, but if you are looking for same day pick up in Houston, we stock used 304 stainless steel 550 gallon IBC totes and some 350 gallon IBC totes in our La Porte Terminal.
For your convenience, we also have a surplus amount of “unused” 350 gallon IBC totes on the ground and ready to move.

Last, these IBC totes can be fitted with tracking devices, heating elements, insulation jackets, and other accessories…. Are you looking for a turn-key package? Don’t hesitate to request information on our line of pumps, filters, hoses, and nozzles.

Application for IBC containers: Chemicals/petrochemicals, waste disposal/recycling, food industry, paints/lacquers, plant construction, Biodiesel, and much more.

These Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC totes) have the following specifications:
1. DOT UN31A (new builds) permits the shipment of flammable and combustible liquids authorized by Title 49 CFR.
2. Per DOT, allowable modes of transportation: motor vehicle, rail freight, cargo vessel, or air freight.

Call for availability and specifications…

IBC tote 350 gallon

Intermediate Bulk Container 550 gal

Intermediate Bulk Container 350 gal

Intermediate Bulk Container 350 gal manway lid

Intermediate Bulk Container 350 gal (New)

Picture of IBC tote bottom valve

April was another successful time in celebrating earth day, bringing to light the many little things that we can all do to cooperate and help our planet.  There are two companies that I want to recognize for taking the initiative to become environmentally friendly.

The first one:

Sandra Graves from National Chassis debuted her “green” page on her chassis site. Click here to visit her site and read the quick little interview about the small steps being taken to become more conscious about our planet.

Our Aussie friends Kingston Water Tanks are a responsible and environmentally friendly company, located in Melbourne, Australia.  They stock over 2000 water tanks on 15 major brands. Check out their site here

I must applaud our Aussie friends once again, for the initiative to ban plastic bags beginning in 2009.

We do not think about what the impact plastic bags have on our wild life & oceans. Video here

South Australia To Ban Plastic Bags Beginning In 2009.
Read more here

Thanks for reading!
-Andy

We have been getting the following email requests from some one that apparently has a lot of time on their hands.  I must say that a lot of thought has been put into the creation process and it is actually pretty funny.  So, I decided to place it here so that you all can read it.

Note to writer:  It was funny at first, but I am getting enough now so please stop.

“Please quote the following, a portable 1,375,000 gallon salt water shark tank with filter. The M.A.P. (mobile aqua pod ) Would require the following: Seamless front glass with rounded corners for optimum viewing 12′ thickness 55′ x 10′ x10′ High-performance ultra-bright lighting Surface-skimming system- Zeon water Tension g4 Mechanical hydrostatic diatom filter We will supply all the tubing required as well as the colored gravel. If you have any questions please call. If you have already quoted this job please disregard. Please send quote and lead times. Regards, Tad Pohl”

OPTIMISM—If you are willing to look really, really hard.

This past weekend I downloaded Time Magazine to my Kindle and found a very unusual article. I say unusual because the author puts a positive spin on what is going on in these tough economic times. I have completely stopped watching media coverage because, well, I am burned out of all the negativity being tossed around.  Justin Fox , the author, writes four positive points that we can all learn from.

1. The stock market is no longer overpriced.. The Dows’s descent below 7,000 for the first time was greeted with much wailing on Wall Street and the media. That is understanding, the market’s fall reflects a growing consensus that the current recession will be nasty and long. In addition, if you own stocks, you cannot sell them for nearly as much as you could previously. But the recent fall in stock prices also means that are now, by just about every possible measure, fairly priced or downright cheap. It does not mean prices won’t go even lower. It does mean there is no longer a huge, unsustainable overhang of overvaluation weighing on the market and the economy. House prices may not have reached this point yet, but they are getting there. The great turn of the millennium asset bubble has finally deflated. This is going to teach us that buying and selling houses and financial instruments do not bring lasting prosperity. What brings prosperity is work.

2. Consumers are adjusting to the new economic reality and fast. The simplest explanation of what led to this financial mess is that too many American consumers spent more than they earned. That is ending in dramatic fashion: consumer spending dropped in the fourth quarter at the fastest rate in 29 years. After skidding along near zero from 2005 through 2007, the savings rate hit 5% in January, the highest since 1995. This rapid retrenchment is the main reason we sank so quickly into a deep recession. But as long as the consumer pullback doesn’t spiral into an economic shutdown, it is a healthy medium and long term development. For the long term, as long as spending remains moderate, the US economy will be on a much more sustainable path.

3. Reinvention and change are what the US is all about. The financial and real estate sectors got too fat in the 2000’s. They are shrinking rapidly, and our economy needs to find new drivers of growth and prosperity. That is not going to be easy, but it certainly helps that switching gears is something of a national specialty. We Americans are willing to move thousands of miles from home, to change careers, to strike out on our own, if that is what it takes to get by. This is far less true in most other countries in the developed world. This isn’t just because we are an adaptable lot; it has much to do with the inherent advantages of having the dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

4. The Government is on the case. Don’t laugh. The Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve and the White House and Congress really are all working to fix this mess. They are making lots of mistakes. They are doing some things too quickly and many things too slowly. A political climate increasingly hostile to bailouts is tying their hands. But the recession to the current crisis has been infinitely smarter and more forceful than that of the early years of the Great Depression.

These four points may all be exercises in finding silver linings in a really bad time, but I believe that faith will pull us through. Let’s not forget that it is exactly when the news is most discouraging and most gloomy that recoveries begin.  Please do share your comments.

AD

Good morning folks, our main websites are still down due unexpected IT issues but currently working to get us back on line.  Email is up and running now for your convenience.  Thank you for your patience.

A.

andyd @ tankservice . com