Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you based?

Our team work out of Ayrshire in Scotland, however, we work with companies all across Europe and Internationally, building relationships with customers in the USA, Canada, Pakistan, Turkey, India and multiple locations throughout Europe.

We welcome enquiries from across the globe and will work to ensure we provide a solution where possible.

What challenges have you had since Brexit?

Whilst there have been some challenges in terms of logistics between the UK and Europe, we have fortunately not experienced any delays due to Brexit and our transport partners have always been reliable to deliver as and when requested.

This is key for our customers as they can expect an accurate delivery date to organise logistics on site, such as cranes for offloading. This is also something SBS can organise as we can include offloading and positioning in our offering.

What are the benefits of Stainless Steel Tanks versus Mild Steel or Plastic?

Corrosion resistance:
All grades of stainless steel have a high resistance to corrosion. Low alloyed grades resist corrosion in atmospheric conditions; highly alloyed grades can resist corrosion in most acids, alkaline solutions, and chloride bearing environments, even at elevated temperatures and pressures.

High and low-temperature resistance:
Some grades will resist scaling and maintain high strength at very high temperatures, while others show exceptional toughness at cryogenic temperatures.

Strength:
The cold work hardening properties of many stainless steels can be used in design to reduce the material thicknesses and reduce weight and costs. Other stainless steels may be heat treated to make very high strength components.

Aesthetic appeal:
Stainless steel is available in many surface finishes. It is easily and simply maintained resulting in a high quality, pleasing appearance.

Hygienic properties:
The cleanability of stainless steel makes it the first choice in hospitals, kitchens, food and pharmaceutical processing facilities.

Life cycle characteristics:
Stainless steel is a durable, low maintenance material and is often the least expensive choice in a life cycle cost comparison.

Ease of fabrication:
The majority of stainless steel can be cut, welded, formed, machined and fabricated readily.

What challenges have you had due to Covid-19?

In the initial few months of lockdown, things did slow down however we continued to work with a reduced workforce and were able to provide solutions to our customers. As we eased out of lockdown we started getting busier and we are now back helping out customers regularly and travelling both UK and Europe wide, wherever the project requires.

Our team enjoy site visits and it is great to be able to meet face to face with our customers again.

What process equipment do you sell in addition to tanks?

We offer a range of equipment, mainly in the food/beverage, pharmaceutical and chemical industries such as filling lines, reactor vessels, generators and turbines.

What size of projects can your company handle?

Day to day, we handle a lot of new and used tank requests, this can range from one brand new bespoke tank to forty used tanks, depending on client requirements.

In 2019 we managed a complete turnkey project for our client; removing, loading, chartering a ship and offloading 40 x 330,000 litre used stainless steel tanks.

Additionally, we have completed projects involving the removal and sale of a bottle filling line to the complete decommissioning and relocation of a power plant.

No project is too small or too large for us to manage and where we don’t have the necessary in-house skills required, we work with close partners to ensure we can always provide the highest quality solution for our clients.

Do you offer installation?

Here at SBS Ayrshire we can offer a complete installation and commissioning service.

Although this may often be undertaken as a part of a full package of project works, we can take on stand-alone plant and process installation involving equipment and machinery from a diverse range of industries.

These could involve the installation of tanks, vessels and ancillary equipment, package boilers and steam systems including the controls, filling lines and bottling lines from the food and drinks sectors.

New vs Used – The benefits of both

Here at SBS we offer both new and used tanks and there are benefits to both options:

New – You can design the tank to your exact specifications, such as grade of stainless steel, accessories such as manholes, CIP, heating/cooling jackets and insulation to name just a few. We can also work around your workspace to ensure the tank dimensions are appropriate and with your P&ID, you can see how they will look before signing off on production

Used – They are ready immediately and you can avoid waiting the time of manufacturing new tanks. If you don’t need high or exact spec we are confident we will be able to offer you a solution and can work on delivery straight to your site.

Why should we choose SBS?

SBS Ayrshire tailors our services to your exact requirements – if you are unsure of what you need our experts can advise, if you know exactly what you need we will work timely and efficiently to bring you your solution as soon as possible.

With over 25 years of experience in the multiple industries we work in, you can be sure that we will offer you the best value in your decision as well as offer you a personalised service along the way.

In truth, the answers to all of our frequently asked questions are the reasons our customers continue to choose us.

Frequently Asked Questions

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