Tanknology celebrates 25 years

It was 25-years ago – in 1988 – that US EPA regulation 40-CFR-280 came into force. It was a landmark environmental regulation, which established the first federal requirements for protection of virtually all underground storage tank fueling facilities such as gas stations

That set of regulations, crafted and implemented during the Reagan Administration, forever changed the fuel dispensing industry in the US. The rules established minimum federal requirements for tank tightness verification and ongoing monitoring, spill and overfill protection, corrosion protection and monitoring, and demonstration of financial responsibilities. Then the states and municipalities got involved, some of which established higher standards than the federal minimums.

In response to the new rules, an industry focused on the testing, verification, installation and service of UST environmental compliance systems was born. Large operators of gas stations across the country, primarily major oil companies, needed help navigating the varying state and local requirements and ensuring that their facilities were in compliance.

Enter Tanknology. From that very first year when the regulations were implemented, Tanknology positioned itself as the full-service provider of environmental compliance solutions for UST operators. In 2013, a quarter-century later, the company celebrates its 25th anniversary as the dominant nationwide player in that industry.

“From the very beginning, the vision for Tanknology was to create a single company with the capability of managing all environmental compliance issues for UST fueling facilities,” said Allen Porter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tanknology.

“There were tank testers, leak detection providers, corrosion protection companies – lots of small companies all across the country, who were providing one or two of the required services,” Porter said. “But larger operators, with facilities in many states, needed a single provider to put it all together in a comprehensive program, with proven, state-of-the-art technologies that ensured they were in compliance with the myriad regulations governing their sites.”

That’s what Tanknology set out to do 25 years ago – and the company today stands alone in its position as the only nationwide provider of comprehensive UST compliance services. Internationally, Tanknology is the largest provider of such services in the world, teaming with more than 20 international licensee partners, serving the largest oil companies in the world.

Porter attributes the company’s long term success to several key factors. First-and-foremost are the people. “We have the most qualified and experienced professionals in the business on our team – from the inventors of our proprietary technologies, to our regional operations specialists, to our highly trained and experienced team of field technicians,” Porter said. “What makes Tanknology an enduring partner with thousands of customers over these 25 years really is this unparalleled team of people.”

Another key factor to the company’s success, according to Porter, has been its ability to adapt and respond to the changing regulatory environment with innovative new services.

“This compliance industry has changed substantially since it was created 25 years ago,” Porter said. “As regulations were further implemented at state and local levels and then expanded in the succeeding years, we invested millions of dollars in new technologies and services. We knew that the key to staying on top in this industry was to continue to provide all the compliance services needed by our customers.”

In the succeeding years, Tanknology developed and launched services for pipe testing, cathodic protection monitoring, remote visual internal tank inspections, spill bucket testing, tank deflection testing, fuel filtration, ethanol preparation, Stage I and II vapor recovery, Aboveground Tank inspections and testing, Class B and C operator training, and many more – all the way up to comprehensive Compliance Management Services, in which Tanknology manages every aspect of a customer’s compliance program.

In all, the company provides more than 30 unique services dedicated to fueling system compliance. “We have launched new services virtually every year of our 25-year history,” Porter said. “Our customers face a new challenge or regulation and they turn to us for a solution. Many of the services we offer today were created in conjunction with one of our customers to satisfy a unique challenge. That’s how we have been able to stay successful for these 25 years – we partner with our customers. We package all the services they need, from a single, responsive provider. And we are in it with them for the long haul.”

“A milestone like this is very significant for our company and our people. In many cases we still service some of the same customers we helped with their initial compliance programs 25 years ago,” Porter said. “That’s a considerable feat in today’s business environment, and one we can all be very proud of.”

Looking forward, Porter said he is excited about the state of the industry and the opportunity it provides the company. “A significant update to the EPA regulations is in the works, regular site inspection requirements were recently implemented and many foreign countries are just now beginning to tackle environmental regulations for tank facilities. There continues to be regular developments in this industry that create new opportunities for Tanknology. We see exciting days ahead.”

Download the brochure here and learn more about Tanknology.