Grape source of pride

Leslie McManus

Challenge

Spanish wine producer Garcia Carrión needed a cost-saving solution when fabricating new wine storage tanks.

Solution

Outokumpu’s Forta duplex stainless steel deliver exceptional strength, corrosion resistance and cost efficiencies to the fabrication of sixty-six wine storage tanks.

Delivery

Steel grade: 520 tonnes of Outokumpu Forta LDX 2101 and Forta DX 2304
Product form: Coil

Modern wine making and stainless steel go hand in hand: today stainless is practically the exclusive tank and piping material from fermentation to the storage of table wine. Rigorous product development further strengthens that relationship. Groundbreaking changes in stainless steel grades create new possibilities and significant cost savings, as demonstrated in cutting-edge tanks in southern Spain.

 

Process demands precision

Wine storage tanks have traditionally been built from two grades of austenitic stainless steel for the uppermost section and roof. A more corrosion-resistant grade is used to prevent pitting corrosion at tank tops caused by sulfides, which are added to avoid conversion of wine to acid. The two austenitic grades are used cold-rolled, with a smooth surface to allow for easy washing, and hot-rolled where structural purposes demand higher strength. But when Garcia Carrión, a leading Spanish wine producer and exporter, joined forces with one of Spain’s top tank fabricators, Martinez Sole y Cia, to build 66 new storage tanks at the Garcia Carrión production facility in Daimiel in southern Spain, that approach presented a challenge. Soaring nickel prices made tank construction quite costly.

 

Win-win-win solution

Outokumpu’s Forta duplex proprietary grades – Forta LDX 2101 and DX 2304 – provided a solution. With lower nickel content, these Forta duplex grades deliver major cost savings, and corrosion resistance that is at least as good as that of the austenitic grades, and often better. Additional savings come from the high strength of all Forta duplex grades, which allows use of thinner gauges for lighter structure. In building the world’s first wine storage tanks formed from Forta stainless, Martinez Sole can use thinner, either hot- or cold-rolled coil, instead of thicker hot-rolled material.

Outokumpu is one of the few manufacturers, who provide 2-meter-wide and 72-inch-wide coils well matched to state-of-the-art product engineering. Extra-wide material means fewer welds and faster installation. In addition to 520 tonnes of Forta duplex material used in the roof and top tier of each tank, Outokumpu provided all of the austenitic steel for the project.

Recommended products and insights

Energy and heavy industry

In energy and heavy industry, failure is simply not an option. When one single mishap can explode into a full-blown crisis, only stainless steel can deliver the assurance of control that you depend on.

Appliances

When it comes to appliances, today’s consumer insists on full functionality wrapped in effortless beauty. Corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, strong and formable: Stainless steel delivers durable, timeless perfection.

Food industry

In the food and drink industry, there is no room for failure. The highest levels of hygiene and safety are essential – and attainable, with Outokumpu stainless steel.

Forta

The Forta range contains duplex and other high strength stainless steels that enable thinner structures and weight reduction (measured in Rp0.2 > 400 MPa. PRE 16 to 43).

Cold rolled coil, strip and sheet

Available for use in a wide variety of applications, Outokumpu cold rolled coil, strip and sheet products are put to work across all industries and markets. 

Hot rolled stainless steel coil, strip and plate

Offering exceptional versatility, Outokumpu hot rolled coil, strip and plate are used in virtually all industries and markets. In addition to plates, Outokumpu produces quarto plate that is available in thicknesses up to 130 mm. 

Sustainability

Stainless steel is a superb material for sustainable solutions as it is 100% recyclable, efficient and long-lasting. Our vision is to become the customers’ first choice in sustainable stainless steel.

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