FIBA provides variety of gas storage equipment, services
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Mary Davis
Cutts estimates that the company's services are split equally between manufacturing and maintenance facilities, with tube trailers commanding the majority of repair services. Tank trailer repair and maintenance services are typically conducted at the company's location in Pennsylvania. Both Kentucky and Pennsylvania facilities handle repairs and testing for carbon dioxide tanks mounted on truck chassis and have the capability to assemble the vehicles.
FIBA has rehabilitation and requalification capabilities at all locations that include hydrostatic, acoustic emission, and ultrasonic examination. Services are available for vehicles, including new vapor barriers, insulation, jackets, undercarriages, piping, pumping, metering, and high-gloss coating. Label, placard, and logo decal applications are provided. Among a variety of testing services is acoustic emission diagnostics used to pinpoint vessel conditions that could lead to cracking.
Cryogenic rehabilitation is performed in Kentucky and Pennsylvania where both facilities are ASME-coded shops. The Kentucky shop holds both U and R stamps, which allow both manufacturing and repair of cryogenic vessels. Maintenance and repair capabilities include leak detection, complete equipment refurbishment, stretching of cryogenic transporters, and product conversions.
Technicians who inspect and repair tanks and cylinders are recertified annually and receive refresher training. Shop employee retention is good, thanks to an intensive background check prior to hiring, says Cutts. Corporate personnel screen applicants and review background checks, but final hiring decisions are made by local managers.
We look for applicants who have a variety of skills, such as plumbing and welding, Cutts says.
To coordinate the large company-wide operation, FIBA uses a Sage MAS 500 manufacturing and materials requirement planning (MRP) accounting program that handles inventory control, procurement, production planning, and accounting. With the use of the program, work orders are entered and engineering procurement and inventory are assigned to the job, which are routed through the various production phases and assigned to the shop floor.
Future projections
Increasingly, process gases are being used in a greater extent in manufacturing processes for consumer and industrial products.
All those manufacturers rely on equipment to store and transport the gases they need, says Joe Sandello, FIBA executive vice-president. At the same time, FIBA sees a technology frontier in the storage of alternative fuels for automobiles. If and when the hydrogen-fuel market gets traction in the United States we expect around 2020 hydrogen storage should become a standard feature across the country. We also are reviewing huge markets for compressed natural gas in India and China and for vessels to transport and store it.
Other gases-related future markets include those related to electronics and solar panels. And, the company forecasts continued demand for the sale and lease of tube trailers, all of which serve the company well for its future successes.
