Water-storage solutions provider SBS Water Systems installed a 94 kℓ SBS tank in November last year at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Museum and Documentation Centre, in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal, which was commissioned for use in May.

SBS Water Systems MD Delayne Gray says the SBS tank will store rainwater and will meet all the water requirements of the centre.

He tells Engineering News that the company introduced its range of SBS tanks, which are zincalume steel liquid storage tanks, in February last year.

Gray explains that the launch of the SBS tanks was preceded by two years of continuous design and testing before the first test tank was manufactured and installed.

“We built a 3.3-million-litre test tank, which is the biggest in our range, in November 2012. This tank is still in operation as a community water storage tank in Baynesfield, KwaZulu-Natal.”

He highlights that SBS Water Systems is a registered member of local products and services promoter of the Proudly South African campaign.

“We manufacture all our items locally and support local companies,” Gray asserts.

Increasing Demand

Gray says the company is currently installing about ten SBS tanks a month and is in the process of increasing installation teams to deal with the increase in demand so that the company can double its installation capabilities.

“The market is gradually opening up for us, as the tanks are suitable for use in several sectors, including the mining, fire protection, municipal, food and beverage, and water conservation industries.

“We are selling more tanks than ever before owing to SBS Water Systems’ quick turnaround time, high-quality and competitively priced product range, which are well suited for these industries,” he enthuses.

However, he concedes that many companies continue to use “the old- fashioned concrete tanks and are not willing to accept that the steel tanks are more economical and less time consuming to manufacture and commission”.

Gray emphasises that the company places significant emphasis on promoting its product range by attending trade shows and exhibitions.

SBS Water Systems exhibited for the first time at the Mining Indaba, in Cape Town, last year, and regularly attends the Water Institute of Southern Africa’s and the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa’s (Imiesa’s) yearly conferences.

The company will attend Imiesa’s 2014 conference at the Durban International Convention Centre, in KwaZulu-Natal, from October 29 to 31.

Technical Specifications

According to steel producer BlueScope Steel, which manufacturers the zincalume steel used for the panels, the coating on zincalume comprises 55% aluminium, 43.5% zinc and 1.5% silicon.

“Zincalume steel has excellent corrosion-resistance and fabrication capabilities and is available in high-strength grades,” states BlueScope Steel.

The steel producer adds that zincalume steel was developed after extensive research into improving the traditional performance of galvanised steel.

“By blending aluminium with zinc in an alloy coating, researchers discovered a way to significantly enhance corrosion resistance. Therefore, our extensive testing programme indicates that roofing or walling made from zincalume steel lasts up to four times longer in the same environment than galvanised steel with its Z275 coating.”

Further, Gray points out that the SBS tanks receive in a AZ150 aluminium heavy-duty, thermosetting coating, while the tank’s liners consist of a 700 g woven polyvinyl chloride multilayer.

He says SBS tanks comply with the Australian/New Zealand 4020:2005 standard for the testing of products that come in contact with drinking water.

Gray notes that SBS tanks are manufactured in accordance with global provider of standards, management systems, business improvement and regulatory approval information South African Bureau of Standards’ ISO 9001:2008 standard for a quality management system.