Business View Magazine | December 2020

83 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020 THE STEEL TANK INST I TUTE/STEEL PLATE FABR I CATORS ASSOC I AT ION their requirements to increase maximum tank capacity to 70,000 gallons and to store liquids much heavier than 0.1 and water, STI responded by creating engineering tools to help members optimize their supports while meeting national codes. O’Toole notes, “In my brief time here, I’ve learned that STI/SPFA members are a great group of people to work with. They care about the industry. They are passionate about what they do, not only for their individual companies but for the good of the industry as a whole. To see competitors at the table working together for a common goal is very special. And something I’m looking forward to getting more involved with and doing what I can to continue the legacy of the association that has been established over the last 104 years.” The Association currently has about 180 members and a staff of 13 that includes a technical engineer, who works closely with several regulatory agencies including of field erected water and industrial storage tanks, steel water pipe, pressure vessels, and specialty steel products. Today, STI/SPFA develops industry standards and specifications, produces safety manuals, performs quality assurance inspections, provides training courses and issues certifications, and serves as a liaison to regulatory authorities. Geyer recounts, “STI was the standards writer. It started developing standards in the ‘50s. The first one was pretty simple, working with the oil companies for underground tanks – to put the openings in a common pattern, so that they were universally built.” The Association is recognized by federal and state government, the broader steel industry, third-party agencies, and consumers as the organization best representing the steel fabrication industry. And its standards and specifications are deemed by regulators as the best in the market. For example, STI offers nearly a dozen designs for the supports to hold aboveground tanks. When UL updated