The Global Tank Storage Awards recognise the best talent, innovation and products in the tank terminal industry. In particular, the Innovative Technology award identifies solutions that are revolutionising the sector – and Nordweld’s Tank Building System took home the gold award in 2023.

Niklas Nordin, CEO and project manager at Nordweld, says: ‘It was great! I have put a lot of effort into developing this technology. This is an acknowledgment that we are doing something right and, hopefully, more companies will be interested in our Tank Building System. We will surely continue our journey to be the best supplier of different tank building solutions.’ ‘My advice to other participants is to remain dedicated to their work or product development projects, and open-minded. There is always a solution for every problem,’ he adds.

Nordweld’s Tank Building System

Nordweld’s Tank Building System allows clients to manufacture more tanks with fewer people, in a safer and more cost-effective way. ‘Our system uses the ‘top-down’ method of construction. The system consists of 15 or 9 tonnes electro- mechanical lift jacks, roller beds, wheel trolley (optional), tank rotators, a welding station and a tack weld/welding stand,’ says Nordin. The system is designed for the erection of large aboveground atmospheric and pressured tanks and enables the construction of tanks with a diameter of 8-50 m, weighing up to 600-700 tonnes.

The different parts of the system enable the loading and feeding of the shell plates individually from one location, and then rotate them around the tank’s periphery. All shell joints and any required stiffening rings are welded using a mechanised welding process, designed, and refined over many years of continual research and development. This rotating system means that a tank can be constructed in a limited space.

The top-down method allows for roof stability and means the construction process is not halted by bad weather. This increases quality and improves the working environment for its users. Nordin says: ‘Since the system is modular, we can offer different building and welding solutions depending on the type of the tanks and their material.’ All tank building components are transported in 20 ft shipping containers with a special movable transport rack for an easy and efficient unpacking. ‘Having all necessary components in one container is the perfect solution, including for overseas projects!’ he adds.

Safety, efficiency and streamlined process in Nordweld's practices

One element that caught the judges’ eyes is that work is performed at ground level, instead of at heights. This eliminates safety risks – a huge benefit. Another benefit is that all work can be done from a single location – from assembly and fitting to onsite welding. All shell materials can be rolled onsite either from flat sheets or directly from coil. Finally, all non-destructive testing (NDT) can be performed from one location during the erection phase.

The modular system can be customised to suit different sized tank constructions without too much engineering. It can be used to build tanks either from pre-rolled plates or add a vertical bending machine and roll flat material, or even use material directly from coil on site.Nordin adds: ‘I have worked for 35 years in this field and started my career as a tank builder. I have tried to cover everything from the transport of the equipment to its unpacking and installation, as well as its adaptability in order to enable the manufacturing of different types of tanks. This system is designed by a tank builder for tank builders.’