NTtank applies APC linings

STEP INSIDE

LININGS • IT MAKES A GREAT DEAL OF SENSE FINANCIALLY TO HAVE A NEW TANK LINED WHERE IT IS MANUFACTURED. APC AND NTTANK ARE SHOWING THAT THERE ARE MORE BENEFITS THAN LOWER COSTS

ADVANCED POLYMER COATINGS (APC), which manufactures the ChemLINE® tank lining for tank containers and the MarineLINE® range of coatings for tanker vessels, has been providing its products for newbuild tank containers at Nantong Tank Container (NTtank) since 2009. NTtank is one of the world’s largest tank container manufacturers, with an annual capacity of more than 12,000 units.

Last year, APC and NTtank came to a new arrangement, under which the application of ChemLINE linings is carried out in-house by NTtank itself. This saves costs, which NTtank passes on to its customers as part of a turnkey service, and provides NTtank with a competitive position in the marketplace.

Helen Zhu, general manager of international sales at NTtank, explains the rationale: “We decided to line the tanks ourselves to save the customer costs associated with lining the tanks elsewhere and shipping them back to China. The customer can average at least $10,000 per unit savings.” Moreover, ChemLINE offers further cost savings compared to the use of PTFE or PFA linings of up to $80,000 per tank. “This reason alone is why most of our customers prefer this lining to save their costs,” Zhu adds.

The switch to in-house application was eased by the fact that NTtank had already built more than 1,000 tank containers specified with the ChemLINE 784/32 lining so its engineers were well equipped to offer the service. As a result, says ChemLINE’s sales representative in China, He Liangxing, “NTtank and ChemLINE are changing the way ISO tanks are purchased and/or leased. The end users see profitable and pure cargoes while leasing companies are ensured maximum cost savings for the highest quality tanks and lining system. The entire process ensures a seamless start-to-finish operation offering a complete package of convenience, cost and time savings. Everyone wins here.”

QUALITY COUNTS There is a broader aspect to the move, too. “Our industry continues to encounter headwinds resulting from inflationary pressures, labour shortages and supply chain constraints,” notes Matt Sokol, vice-president of sales and marketing at APC. “As such, APC has remained highly proactive in our efforts to mitigate the effects of these macro-challenges on our customers. Integrating our ChemLINE coating system into NTtank’s operations exemplifies that strategy and our dedication to our customers, affording everyone involved significant cost savings by offering turn-key throughput when choosing ChemLINE. APC continues to explore expansion opportunities globally.”

It is NTtank’s policy to provide its customers with tanks and services of the highest quality and reliability, consistent with sound commercial practices and economic considerations. With that in mind, ChemLINE is an essential element in the production of high-quality tanks. As Zhu says, “ChemLINE from APC is a great lining suitable for many different corrosive cargoes. It not only meets the requirements of anti-corrosion for the tank vessels but it can also save the tank tare weight to benefit our customers to allow carriage of more cargoes. It is a very safe and cost-saving lining.” www.adv-polymer.com www.nttank.com