Balmoral Tanks commentary / industry views

Balmoral Tanks’ land-based aquaculture range, blutanQ, was developed to help producers maximise production and ROI.

The product is the result of close collaboration with the developing recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) industry and has been welcomed enthusiastically by the sector.

In dealing with aquaculture infrastructure choosing the right solution is of paramount importance and clients tell us they “want to work with suppliers who see the bigger picture and fully understand our industry”.

With so much at stake, clients clearly want to partner with vendors they can trust. With more than 40 years’ experience of designing and manufacturing liquid storage products Balmoral is highly qualified to help refine and create the optimum solution.

“Our view is this: lean on us, ask our opinions, ask for ideas,” says Jon Smith, UK sales director with Balmoral.

“We’ve been in the tank industry for a very long time. Let us know what you need, and we’ll deliver it for you.

“For us, it’s never about one project. It’s about long-term relationships and truly working together with our clients.”

No two companies have the same requirements. Instead of a one-size-fits-all product, Balmoral benefits from an unrivalled portfolio that allows the company to create bespoke solutions to meet project-specific requirements that will deliver for years to come.

Significant project savings can be realised with early involvement and planning. Apart from supplying tanks, Balmoral provides infrastructure steel work and pipework backed by a dedicated project management team and direct after-sales support.

“We view our clients as partners,” says Jon. “We’re not just in it for the transaction. We help clients throughout the entire process — from conceptual design to the final tank being tested and follow-up support. We take full responsibility for our product and the buck always stops with us, no third parties are involved.

“Our flexibility and experience allows us to consider the finer details – even down to colouring the tanks to match clients’ corporate branding and, using our own teams, can multi-crew to minimise installation schedules on a global basis.

“Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like further information or just to have an informal chat about blutanQ options.”

Example of 3D Model – Master “Solar System”

Significant investment in a new drawing process allows Balmoral to offer an unrivalled service, reducing time and improving quality while delivering on the company’s “right first-time ethos”.

The design team at Balmoral Tanks recently made the switch from 2D-based drawings to BIM-ready (Building Information Modelling) 3D drawings adding value for clients at all stages of their project.

BIM models are offered to the client as well as traditional engineering drawings with the 3D models being used throughout the project to improve planning and execution of the build while eliminating costly errors.

For example, a cylindrical tank 3D model can be dropped into clients’ designs allowing visual checks for clashes and help plan external pipework in much greater detail than previously possible. This is also known as the “digital twin” concept, an accurate virtual representation of an object which can be used to plan, predict, monitor and analyse product or process data.

This is done by utilising a 3D “Master model” that offers numerous advantages for both internal and external customers. The new process allows for a 75% decrease in initial design time due to the significant investment the design team has made over the past few years in continuous improvement of their virtual library.

The 3D models are intelligently designed in CAD software to allow for quick and easy modification to a client’s specific needs. Designing the system in this way also speeds up any changes required by the customer; for example if a different component size is required, this can easily be done at the click of a button.

Installation teams will also benefit from the new process as communication is shared more visually than before. Information the installer needs is now depicted more clearly and adapted to suit the specific requirements for a particular project.

Future enhancements include sharing a “live” 3D model with the install team using specific BIM software and tablets allowing for a reduction in delays when sharing information on site. This will tie in with the design philosophy Balmoral is building upon, to share information in a more visual way to all clients.

Substantial investment at the front end means the department offers this solution today. All members of the Llantrisant-based design team have been involved, creating smart logic-based designs of all components needed to create the final product.

Specific BIM software means greater collaboration with the end user design team as it gives a common ground of communication, reducing the risk of error. Historically, separate systems or paper-based drawings were used to communicate the design of the product and did not allow for this.

The new process differentiates Balmoral in the market by significantly reducing the time required to complete a first issue drawing without compromising on quality.

The system also provides scope for instant client feedback. As the industry adapts to virtual meetings, Balmoral now uses video sharing platforms to discuss projects with clients and make changes on the fly, sharing live visual information on how the product will look. This reduces the number of revisions required which, in turn, gives the client a solution they need in a shorter period than was previously possible.

To discuss our new system further, or to see any examples, please feel free to contact the design team.

A Balmoral glass fused to steel tank installation

With ever increasing demands on asset life assurances how do our customers know that we are supplying them with products that will continue to meet their expectations?

All we hear is ‘quality this’ and ‘quality that’ from companies who have changed nothing for 30 years. The bottom line is that technology moves on and, for the benefit of our clients and the future of the industry, we stay ahead of the pack through our strategy of investment in people, facilities and products.

Having recently invested some £10 million on a new, state of the art, vitreous enamelling glass fused to steel (GFS) production line, we reviewed the competitive options in the market before deciding what would set us apart from what was already available.

The feedback was unequivocally uninspiring and, in many ways, highlighted the same old ponies pulling the same old tricks.

Now for the scientific explanation of what differentiates Balmoral’s GFS tanks in the marketplace... In traditional GFS production methods, finely ground glass particles are suspended in water using inorganic clays and salts. These form a coagulation network that holds the glass particles in suspension when sprayed onto steel sheets using conventional application systems. The inorganic clays and salts linger in the coating along with the finely ground glass particles.

During the firing process the water remaining within the clay particles is released as a vapour thereby increasing the risk of subsurface voids in the final coating. The salts, having a lower melting temperature than the clays, will decompose and release gases as they heat up during the firing process.

Consequently, by minimising the amount of gases released during fusion, a coating of vastly improved integrity will be produced. We are renowned for pushing technological boundaries at Balmoral so you won’t be surprised to learn that our GFS process utilises the latest vitreous enamel dry powder application system.

This technique deposits finely ground glass particles onto the steel using electrostatic forces that eliminates the need for inorganic clays and salts. Ultimately, and most importantly, this means the Balmoral GFS product delivers superior intrinsic quality and performance capabilities than any of our competitors.

Our message to you is sincere and straightforward: buy better, buy smarter, buy Balmoral and, if you would like to learn more about the benefits of our bulk liquid storage solutions, drop us a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“Once a new technology rolls over you, if you’re not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road.”
Stewart Brand