OBIC Products Help to Rehabilitate Aging Infrastructure in Germany
OBIC has been steadily growing its presence in the European market, particularly in Germany, where the need to restore aging infrastructure presents both challenges and opportunities. A recent project in Stassfurt, a historic salt mining town 2 hours southwest of Berlin, highlights OBIC’s capabilities and its commitment to delivering innovative solutions anywhere in the world.
The project in Stassfurt involved a steel tank used to store saturated saltwater, a critical component in the salt mining process. As metal and salt notoriously don’t mix well, the 39-foot tall by 26-foot diameter steel tank had significant corrosion and rough surfaces due to the harsh salt mixture.
Doug Simmons, Operations Director, traveled to Germany to help in this rehabilitation effort. “It was a great opportunity to help a new installer apply the OBIC Armor System to give this steel tank new life,” he said.
Tearing down and replacing the aging tank with a new one was not a viable option due to Germany’s stringent permitting process and red tape for new construction, so rehabilitation was the most efficient and cost-effective solution. The OBIC Armor System was chosen to restore the tank and extend its life for its chemical-resistant properties. OBIC Armor is a multi-layer lining system, consisting of OBIC 1306 closed-cell foam sandwiched between two polyurea layers of OBIC 1000. OBIC 1000 is highly resistant to a wide range of chemicals and corrosive substances commonly found in harsh environments, helping to protect structures from degradation.
OBIC felt it was important to have a representative from the company onsite to ensure the substrate was in perfect condition for lining, as well as the primer and foam were installed correctly. This is not an uncommon training practice for new applicator crews and it’s a testament of dedication to OBIC’s global certified network of installers. In addition, lining a steel tank is a very tricky and timely process as flash rust will occur on metal surfaces within minutes to a few hours after sandblasting.
While Simmons was on-site at the tank project from Tuesday through Thursday, all three layers of the OBIC Armor were applied from the top of the tank to two feet above the floor. At that point, the scaffolding could be removed to finish the job the following week.
By using OBIC Armor, the project restored the tank’s structural integrity and provided a long-lasting solution to withstand the corrosive saltwater environment. The success of this project could pave the way for more OBIC applications in the region.
The project in Stassfurt marked another milestone for OBIC in Europe, thanks to the efforts of Roland Stuiber, OBIC’s European distributor. Having built a strong relationship with Roland over multiple visits to the EMEA region, Simmons was well-prepared to assist. “I had been working with Roland on this project remotely. This trip was about hands-on training and ensuring the installation met OBIC’s high standards,” Simmons shared.
OBIC’s growth in Germany and the broader EMEA region has been focused on building relationships with companies like Swietelsky-Faber, providing training, and laying the groundwork for larger-scale projects. Simmons noted, “This year has been about setting the stage. Next year, we anticipate even more opportunities as our partner companies have been impressed with what OBIC offers.”
If you’d like to learn more about our OBIC-certified installer network, discuss your next project, or schedule a demo, please send an email to info@obicproducts.com or call 866-636-4854 and our team will be happy to help you!