At Demo Serbatoi, Production Continuity is Ensured by the Paint Manufacturer’s Foresight

One of the most challenging fields of application for paint manufacturers is that of storage tanks, as these containers require protection against both the weather that attacks them externally and the chemicals inside them. Mirodur, a producer of industrial and protective coatings, has won the trust of one of the giants in this sector, Italian company Demo Serbatoi, thanks to its products’ high quality and performance but also its foresight, enabling to anticipate customer needs with formulations developed with a view to future enhancement.

Storage tanks in contact with chemicals of different kinds, from fuels and water to liquid foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, must comply with specific safety and environmental protection standards and, therefore, be made in corrosion-resistant materials such as steel or reinforced plastic and double-walled to prevent accidental leaks or spills. Their capacities range from small mobile tanks (200-500 litres) to large fixed tanks holding several thousand litres. Their exposure to degrading agents is twofold: they must be able to withstand, on the one hand, atmospheric agents such as rain, sun, snow, and temperature fluctuations and, on the other hand, chemicals stored in both liquid and vapour form. Choosing a suitable coating is therefore crucial to ensure their functionality and durability.

Demo Serbatoi, now a brand owned by Fuel Solution S.r.l., was founded in 1991 and started its activity with a line of storage tanks mainly for the agricultural sector. Over time, it expanded its production by adapting to the needs of national and international markets, gradually integrating advanced technological systems. “We aim to maintain a high standard of quality,” explains Federico Sabella, the Chief Operating Officer of this Abruzzo-based firm, “by using premium materials and specialised technicians who are very driven and feel a strong sense of belonging in our company. Demo Serbatoi’s young spirit, its ability to combine tradition and innovation, and its dynamism and adaptability make it the ideal partner for designing, manufacturing, and installing storage tanks that meet high quality and production standards. This is one of the reasons why working with coating manufacturers specialising in this industry – like our partner of choice, Mirodur Spa – is an additional guarantee of customer satisfaction.”

From agriculture to firefighting: Demo Serbatoi’s multiple production lines

In addition to its line of tanks for storing and transporting diesel for agriculture, Demo Serbatoi also manufactures products for the oil, industrial, and pharmaceutical sectors and plans to develop a range for storing water for firefighting use, a very promising market. “Our core business,” confirms Sabella, “is the production of fuel storage and dispensing tanks approved by our Ministry of the Interior, both in one-chamber versions with a 110% containment basin and in vertical two-chamber versions, in compliance with Italy’s Ministerial Decree of 22/11/2017. We also produce containerised refuelling systems complete with professional dispensing columns, UN-marked and ADR-approved tanks for the transport of fuel by road in steel and, more recently, polyethylene, tanks for service stations for private and commercial use, two-chamber tanks complying with EN 12285, AISI 304 and AISI 316L stainless steel tanks for industrial plants and high-pressure equipment, compressed air tanks, accumulators, hot water storage tanks, and steam manifolds built in accordance with Directive 2014/68/EU (PED). Finally, we are expanding our production line for industrial and firefighting water storage tanks complying with EN 12845.”

The JIT production system

Over the last few years, Demo Serbatoi has invested in insourcing several processes, also successfully entering foreign markets with its ‘just in time’ solutions. “Our company,” Sabella emphasises, “can offer design, development, and construction services in compliance with the main international standards. This is possible thanks to our technical R&D department and, where necessary, selected external engineering services capable of developing projects in compliance with the main directives and calculation codes. Our welding procedures and personnel are qualified according to European and/or American standards. Suitably trained and qualified internal or external staff tests our products. In the case of PED equipment or pressure vessels designed to contain fluids (liquids, gases, or vapours) at a pressure other than atmospheric pressure, which are distinguished by risk category, we carry out the entire process in cooperation with internationally accredited bodies.”

In the storage tank manufacturing industry, certifications are indeed crucial and play a vital role in several aspects, including safety, reliability, regulatory compliance, and market competitiveness. “In addition to quality certification according to ISO 9001:2015, Demo Serbatoi is certified for the manufacture of structural components and kits for steel structures (execution class EXC3, method 3a) under EN 1090-1:2009+A1:2011, including relevant welding processes and procedures. It is also UL and ULC certified in compliance with UL 142 and ULC S601 for constructing steel above-ground tanks for flammable and combustible liquids for the US and Canada. Finally, it uses strict in-house procedures for controlling and managing its manufacturing processes from raw material procurement to assembly.”

A new welding line for large tanks

Currently, the company has three separate departments for production, assembly, and storage. Each department is managed autonomously but with the help of a single monitoring system to guarantee quality, continuity, and reliable delivery times. All production steps take place in-house, starting with the raw materials, i.e. metal sheets and dished ends. “We begin by bending the metal sheets to obtain the cylindrical bodies that will form our tanks. Dimensions can vary from the smallest standard 1,200-litre products, with a footprint of 1.20 x 2.10 x 1.20 m, to the largest 9,000-litre products, with a footprint of 2.20 x 4.10 m and a height of well over 2 m. For fuel and firefighting tanks in both underground and above-ground versions, we can achieve larger dimensions (3-3.5 m in diameter and up to 16-18 m in length), as our department is structured to even build 150-m³ tanks in one piece. To ensure the constant development of our production of ‘special-order’ tanks, i.e. built to specific technical requirements and/or plant needs, whether small or large, we have decided to invest in our welding department by doubling the line handling these products. This will also guarantee shorter delivery times.”

The application of high-thickness paints

After machining and assembly, the tanks undergo a manual degreasing step and are then taken to the coating booth. “Each structure is led into the chamber where the operator manually applies a primer and a top coat with an airless pump,” illustrates Sabella, “which allows for fast application and, ultimately, increased production capacity. Depending on the size of the tanks, we can paint up to 4 structures at the same time, coating an average of 20 tanks per day. Our standard process includes the application of one coat of primer and one coat of finish. Underground tanks are obviously an exception due to the harsh conditions they are subjected to: in this case, we follow other construction standards requiring more complex treatments, such as the application of epoxy and fibreglass on the external surfaces and possibly anti-corrosion treatments on the internal ones, depending on the products stored inside the vessels. Our customers’ stringent specifications can require thicknesses of up to 250 µm and, in rare cases, even more. That calls for redefining our cycle and the type of coatings used, which, in turn, means we need to constantly keep our supplier Mirodur in the loop.”

“The paint products we supply to Demo Serbatoi are the result of formulations specifically designed for the tank sector, which has become a significant field for Mirodur,” says Riccardo Vitelli, Sales Manager at this Lazio-based company. “The development of such coatings began in our laboratories to meet the requirements of a long-standing vessel manufacturer, active since the 1950s, which was located near our first site in the outskirts of Rome. The same happened with a gas storage tank manufacturer located near our plant in Pomezia (Rome), which was then replaced by the current one in Aprilia. Such geographical proximity allowed us to get to know these businesses very well and thus specialise in this industry, developing specific products whose main characteristic is the possibility of achieving high thicknesses and which we provide to certain customers in the DTM version, i.e. applicable on metal in one coat.”

Technical characteristics of Mirodur coatings

Mirodur supplies Demo Serbatoi with primers and top coats based on the different characteristics of the tanks to be treated. “When high corrosion resistance is not required,” Vitelli emphasises, “we supply an acrylic primer that uses the same hardener as the top coat, thus allowing for a wet-on-wet application operation that ensures faster and more consistent results. In the case of stricter demands in terms of corrosion protection, we have formulated a zinc-rich epoxy primer that can be applied directly on the metal sheets, with the possibility of achieving high thicknesses to guarantee optimum corrosion resistance. These products contain adhesion promoters that enhance their barrier effect, a key factor for salt spray resistance: according to our studies, adhesion reduces blistering substantially.”

Production continuity guaranteed by the paint manufacturer

“Our first contact with Mirodur dates back to a request for a special paint product for some tanks intended for a military base,” Sabella recalls. “Thanks to their sales agent in our area, we discovered it as a supplier of coatings approved to military specifications: exactly what we needed at that time. We were impressed by its team’s professionalism, and when it came to looking for better-performing products for coating our tanks, we decided to conduct some tests with those formulated by Mirodur. They convinced us in terms of both thickness and visual impact, as well as final coating performance.”

“Compared to our standard product supply, we have recently corrected our formulation to meet this customer’s requirements,” explains Vitelli. “Within our portfolio of matte, gloss, and semi-gloss finishes, Demo Serbatoi favours high-gloss ones. Originally, our standard formulation was semi-gloss. We have improved it for better flexibility so that, should our customer request it, we can immediately supply it with the required product without stopping its operations due to the long lead times needed to modify our formulations. In future, we would also like to further develop water-based coatings in cooperation with this important player in the storage tank sector.”

“In addition to its products’ quality, the attention Mirodur devotes to us to guarantee our production continuity further confirms we have chosen the right supplier,” Sabella concludes.