Sintex to produce fuel storage tanks

The Mehsana-based Sintex Industries is set to manufacture fibreglass underground tanks for the storage of hydrocarbons.

Major petroleum companies have already approached Sintex to carry out test trials at their installations. These tanks will be manufactured at Sintex's plant at Kalol in Mehsana.

The company has received licences from the explosives department and the US Labs to manufacture underground tanks.

"We have started trials of the tanks at all major petroleum companies as well as other big companies. By the month end trials of these tanks will be complete, after which we will start marketing them," said Amit Patel, managing director, Sintex Industries.

The company has so far invested Rs 50 crore in the underground hydrocarbon tank project at the Kalol facility, which has a capacity to manufacture 3,000 tanks a month.

Each tank has a capacity of 50,000 litre. The company has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the US-based Containment Solutions for the purchase of equipment, licence and technology on an exclusive basis for the manufacture of fibreglass hydrocarbon storage tanks.

Meanwhile, its new plant at Salem, which has been set up with an investment of Rs 45 crore, has become operational and the new plant at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh is scheduled to go on stream by October, Patel said.

With this plants, the capacity of Sintex will increase from 45,000 units per year to 81,000 units, he added.

The plants at Salem and Baddi will have a capacity of 18,000 units each.

"The new plants will have a tonnage capacity of 1,800 tonne each. The Baddi plant will also manufacture pre-fabricated buildings in addition to water tanks. The company has financed both the new ventures through internal accruals. With the Salem plant becoming operational, SIL manufactures products from nine facilities across the country."