GPI Tanks: leaders in stainless steel tanks
Gpi Tanks B.V., based in Lopik and part of the Gpi Group, was founded in 1994 and manufactures storage tanks for a wide range of applications. Its main markets are the dairy industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the food industry and tank storage. Gpi Tanks has a strong reputation and is known for its high-quality products. As a result, Gpi has many major repeat customers.
Gpi Group has five factories in Europe specialising in the manufacture of stainless steel tanks. Three of these are located in Poland and two in the Netherlands. In addition, Gpi has a factory in Gouda specialising in process technology, and a separate business unit that constructs large stainless steel tanks on-site, either at the customer’s premises or at external locations. In total, the company employs more than 300 people.
Gpi is strongly export-driven. Almost three-quarters of the customers to whom it supplies tanks and process solutions are based in European countries outside the Netherlands or Poland. Gpi Process Technologies, also part of the Gpi Group, operates on an even more international scale, supplying batter lines and Kelstream projects all over the world. A batter coating preparation system (the Batterline) is a cleverly designed, fully automated system for the industrial preparation of liquid batter. The Kelstream scraped-surface heat exchanger offers an innovative solution for heating and cooling viscous products in various industries such as food, animal feed, pharmaceuticals and non-food.
The tanks are made exclusively from stainless steel, which is strong, corrosion-resistant and requires relatively little maintenance. The tanks can be used both horizontally and vertically, and underground storage is also possible. The tanks have endless applications. Silos are manufactured for dry storage. These are used, amongst other things, for the storage of foodstuffs, building materials, plastics, animal feed, etc.
Tanks are generally used for the storage of ‘wet’ products. These may include milk, oil, beer, water, etc. In addition to storage, they can also be used to mix, heat and cool products. Tanks are also widely used in the chemical industry, where they are referred to as chemical tanks. In the chemical sector, these are often used in conjunction with reactors. A reactor is the heart of a chemical plant and must meet a wide range of requirements. During the design phase, Gpi’s engineers work closely with the client.
“Because Gpi is so strongly export-driven, Atradius Dutch State Business provides Gpi with invaluable support in mitigating risks and meeting customer requirements. In Gpi’s export markets, there is increasing pressure to provide bank guarantees. As a company from a small country that is heavily dependent on exports, it is essential that the government supports exporters with guarantees. This enables Dutch companies to grow globally.”
Tjibbe Steenstra, CFO Gpi Group
Counter-guarantees
Gpi Tanks has recently taken out four counter-guarantees with Atradius Dutch State Business. These counter-guarantees protect Gpi Tanks against the unjustified calling in of a guarantee by its customers. A further advantage is that their credit line with the bank is not unnecessarily strained.
For its first transaction, Gpi Tanks is supplying stainless steel silo tanks to GEA Process Engineering for the storage of liquids and chemicals.
The second transaction involves the supply of a battery recovery system and a Kelstream F700 for a chip processing plant. A ‘battery recovery system’ collects excess batter that falls off the chips, filters it and returns it to the production process.
For its third transaction, GPI Tanks is supplying two Kelstream F700s to Ruland Engineering & Consulting GmbH in Germany. Ruland Engineering is an EPC contractor operating in the food industry.
The fourth transaction involves the supply of one Kelstream F700 and four Kelstream F450s, including a scraped-surface heat exchanger, to Bawaco GmbH in Germany. Bawaco is a manufacturer of production lines for dairy and fruit drinks. Scraped-surface heat exchangers are systems that scrape the inside of the tanks clean, ensuring that thicker liquids, such as yoghurt drinks, do not burn onto the surfaces where the tanks are heated.
With an eye to the future, Gpi is constantly working on further digitalisation and automation. Gpi expects exports to grow even further in the coming years. The focus will shift increasingly towards welding automation in the factories and the use of AI in support departments. The factories are producing more tanks every year. Furthermore, last year Gpi acquired the assets of Gpi Schwarte. This provides additional capacity and an experienced team, enabling even more exciting projects to be realised.
Pim Niesink – Export Credit Specialist
Monique Duns - Marketing & Events Officer