Shop Fabricated Atmospheric Tank Section Member Requirements

Fabricator Membership in the Shop Fabricated Atmospheric Tank Section is open to any person, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or similar business entity (a “Company”) whose principal steel fabricating facility establishes to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors that it meets the following minimum criteria for membership:

  • Primarily engaged in steel fabrication of products within (but not limited to) one or more of the following areas – shop fabricated atmospheric tank manufacturing, pressure vessel manufacturing, field erected tanks manufacturing, steel pipe manufacturing, or special fabricated products manufacturing;
  • Financially sound and provides proof of financial responsibility within such guidelines as the Board of Directors shall from time to time prescribe;
  • Has sufficiently trained personnel, facilities, and technical competence to produce and service steel fabricated products;
  • Will actively participate in, support and promote the technical, standards development, use guidelines and code activities of STI/SPFA;
  • Is not engaged in activities which are contrary to or opposed to products, standards, use guidelines, and codes promoted by STI/SPFA;
  • Agrees to be bound by the Terms and Conditions of the Trademark and License Agreement for the Section(s) in which it is enrolled;
  • Files the appropriate forms and consents to the physical inspection of all of its production facilities by representatives of STI/SPFA or its duly authorized agents when required for Section Membership;
  • Pays at the time of submittal of this application, by check, credit card, or wire transfer all applicable first year’s dues and fees, as outlined on page 3 of said application, inspection fees, and any other outstanding indebtedness to STI/SPFA;
  • Agrees to pay all future STI/SPFA invoices within thirty (30) days of invoice date; and
  • Agrees its membership in STI/SPFA is not transferable or assignable except as specifically provided by the STI/SPFA Bylaws.

The Shop Fab Section shall be open to those applicants, wherever located, who establish to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors that they:

  • Are currently, and have been actively engaged, for not less than twelve (12) months preceding said application, in the manufacture of:
    • Underwriters Laboratories UL-58, UL-142, UL-1746, UL-80, UL-2085 tanks or similar ULC standards; or
    • comparable Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) standards or API standards; or
    • international local standards which are acceptable to the Board of Directors, for cathodic protection, composite, jacketed or aboveground tanks for companies located in other countries; or
    • have purchased all or substantially all of the assets of, merged with, or consolidated with a Fabricator Member;
    • The Board may, at their discretion, consider ASME code vessel fabrication experience for at least twelve (12) months as a qualification;
  • Who indicate a desire to become licensed to fabricate one or more of the STI/SPFA tank technologies (i.e. sti-P3® , ACT-100® , ACT-100U® , PERMATANK® , F921® , FIREGUARD® , FLAMESHIELD® , AquaSweep™, or Generator Base Tanks); and
  • Agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Shop Fabricated Atmospheric Tank Section Trademark and License Agreement.
  • UL, ULC, or SWRI Listings may be required for tanks installed in North America or as stipulated in the applicable Licensed Technology Standard. STI/SPFA provides listings for each technology. Members wishing to have both UL and ULC listings will be charged an additional fee.
  • Member must pay any fees charges by UL and/or ULC to obtain and maintain Listings.
  • Companies located outside of North America may be billed additional fees incurred to translate documents, develop any necessary legal documents, or trademark registrations documents and fees.
  • Companies applying for Generator Base Tank Technology are advised that Fire-Tested Generator Base Tanks also require a Flameshield® license. Protected Generator Base Tanks also require a Fireguard® license.
  • Allow an initial inspection of the manufacturing facilities to verify for the Board of Directors that it has the proper facilities, equipment, and personnel to properly build tanks to the STI/SPFA technology specifications. Site inspection travel expenses must be paid before the application is approved and are non-refundable; and
  • Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors that all pumping, sandblasting and painting facilities are on the applicant's premises and under the applicant's control so as to assure that all quality control standards required by the Trademark and License Agreement will be met; and
  • Consent to such subsequent inspections of its production facilities and its administrative, welding, blasting, coating, and pumping procedures as the Board of Directors shall determine from time to time.
  • Agrees to send at least one delegate, to the STI/SPFA office, for a one-day orientation session. This orientation session must be attended before manufacturing will be allowed to commence.
  • Agrees to send one quality control person from each of its fabrication shops that manufacture a STI/SPFA licensed technology, to the mandatory biannual Quality Control Meeting and to pay the cost of attending such meeting.
  • Agrees to have up to the first five (5) tanks, manufactured in accordance with the applicable STI/SPFA technology standard, inspected by a STI/SPFA quality control inspector and agrees to pay for any and all travel costs of the inspector related to this activity.
  • Purchase and use the specific technology label kit, containing required decals and registration forms, from STI/SPFA.
  • Register all tanks produced to an STI/SPFA technology in specification in accordance with STI/SPFA registration requirements, within thirty (30) days of shipping the tank and pay the corresponding registration fee when an invoice terms.
  • Limited Warranty insurance coverage is required on all Fireguard® tanks and licensed UST technology tanks installed in the USA. This coverage is optional for all F921® and Flameshield® tanks installed in the USA and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Environmental Impairment Liability (EIL) insurance coverage is required on all licensed UST technology tanks installed in the USA and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Please inquire as to what the minimum coverage requirements are.