Since 2015, the number of breweries in the U.S. has increased by almost 50% to over 5,500 breweries. As the industry becomes more crowded, the competition among beer makers is also increasing. That means craft breweries need to find more cost-effective ways to scale their business.

Stainless steel tanks are the traditional choice for storing the materials for making beer. But innovative breweries are beginning to realize the business benefits of polyethylene storage tanks.

Sodium hypochlorite, or bleach, is one of the most commonly used chemicals across all industries. But that doesn’t mean you should use a common chemical storage system to contain this aggressive oxidizer. Whether you’re using a bleach concentration of 0.8%, 6%, or 12.5%, sodium hypochlorite will attack your storage tanks more aggressively than most other solutions. Without the proper storage tank system, you could be looking at a catastrophic failure in less time than you expect.

There’s more to chemical storage tank colors than you might expect.

When you purchase a Poly Processing tank from the catalog, you can select an unpainted translucent tank or a black tank. But many of our customers want to know if they can order a custom color for aesthetic reasons or branding purposes. If you need a custom color for your tank, you have a couple of options—some are better than others.

We get it. When it comes to fully draining a tank, cone-bottom tanks get the job done.

The problem is that cone-bottom tanks fall short on several fronts. People who rely on these tanks to clean and minimize residual waste in their storage solution often face unique challenges.

These tanks require additional vertical space and safety precautions -- not to mention they can cost a pretty penny.

So, how do you get all the benefits of a cone-bottom tank without the high maintenance or the hefty price tag?

 It’s common for wastewater treatment plants to rely on cross-linked polyethylene chemical tanks, but many municipal drinking water plants are using inferior linear polyethylene or fiberglass tanks. While the short-term benefits are tempting, using linear polyethylene or fiberglass tanks is like pouring money down the drain. Instead, Poly Processing’s cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) tanks give you better performance, greater cost-effectiveness and more innovative solutions.

 
Once your food production facility outgrows your 300-gallon totes, it’s time to look into larger storage tanks for food storage and clean-in-place chemicals. There are several options on the market to choose from, but you’ll need to consider which storage tank can meet your greatest challenges: FDA requirements, full-drain capabilities, and cost-effectiveness.

Leachate and condensate from landfills can contain hazardous constituents either as a direct result of the waste disposed in the facility (e.g., household hazardous wastes) or as a result of the breakdown of the chemical compounds found in waste (e.g., leachate derived constituents).

Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), also known as caustic soda or lye, is a common inorganic compound that is typically used as a strong chemical base. It has a wide variety of uses such as making paper, drinking water, medicine and is even used in food preparation. It can be found in many household items such as drain cleaner, detergents, and bath soaps. While this chemical is widely used, its properties present special storage and handling challenges. 

Sulfuric acid can be a tricky chemical to store. Used in a wide variety of industrial applications, sulfuric acid is heavy, can create toxic or flammable gas, and can burn the skin. A smart storage solution for sulfuric acid should start with a well-thought-out tank design - not of just the tank material but the entire storage system and all components.

We have all heard the adage, “if a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right”. Poly Processing believes this to be true 110% of the time when it comes to containment. Every single piece of a tank system needs to be completely secure to protect your workspace, your employees, the environment and the chemical being stored. Thus, when you install a tank-within-tank system like the SAFE-Tank with a sidewall fitting, it is critical to also install a bellows transition fitting.