Apache Stainless Blog

Apache Stainless is excited to once again host Tech Ed students at one of three different "Manufacturing Day" events.  These events are organized by the Manufacturing Business Alliance (MBA) of the Dodge County Region to include area high schools, area manufacturers and the Moraine Park Technical College. 



The Manufacturing Business Alliance of the Dodge County Region was formed in 2013. The group has been engaged in providing networking between manufacturers, business and educational institutions and works directly with the Wisconsin Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin for resources and support. MBA's activities include marketing and communication programs and public events to promote manufacturing in the greater Dodge County, Wisconsin region.



Tours and presentations are followed by lunch and an overview of technical education courses and programs, given by Moraine Park Technical College.  In the video, the students compete for prizes in a popular activity to work on team problem solving and time management.

Apache Stainless is exhibiting at the FEW (Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo) on Jun 19 - 21st, 2017 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minnesota. This is the 33rd year that the show has been running, where everyone in the industry from scientists to vendors can hear about future trends, learn about new technology and network with experts in the industry. And this is the 18th year that Mike Peterson is exhibiting , Apache's expert in tank and vessel sales support for the industry. Visit Mike at Apache's booth, #1637.

Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from corn and other plant materials known as "biomass". More than 95% of US gasoline contains ethanol which oxygenates the fuel and reduces air pollution.  Apache Stainless has proudly been supplying this environmentally driven and innovative industry since 1975.  We fabricate Mix, Tanks, CO2 Scrubbers, Yeast Tanks, Distillation Columns, Atmospheric Tanks and ASME Vessels to the Biofuel and Ethanol industry.

Visit Mike Peterson at Booth #1637 or give him a call at 920-356-7337.

Pickle passivation is the immersion of metal in a nitric-hydrofluoric acid bath. Pickled stainless material has a light matte appearance. Benefits include ease of sterilization and corrosion resistance.

Electropolishing is the immersion of metal in a charged bath of sulfuric and phosphoric acid. Benefits include ease of sterilization, improved cleaning properties, corrosion resistance and a mirror finish look.

Apache is a manufacturer of small and large vessels and food processing equipment. We can handle small parts or assemblies as large as our tanks that we build, with larger pieces possible with the use of fixtures or double dipping.

Visit STAINLESS FINISHING to download our brochures, white papers and watch videos on material finishing.

Apache Stainless has four different product groups, each specializing in working with stainless steel: Large ASME Tanks, Small / Portable Vessels, Contract Manufacturing and Mepaco - food processing equipment.

Our technicians and fabricators are versed in working across all product groups, which provides efficient production and creates a very skilled and knowledgeable production team. Apache's welders are ASME certified and newly hired welders are supported and trained to get their certification.

The Large ASME Tank group produces tanks in many industries using stainless and other high alloys. These tanks and vessels are constructed for fuel refineries, ethanol plants, chemical industries, food and beverage processing facilities, biotechnology companies, health and beauty plants and in water treatment facilities.

The Small/Portable Vessel group offers both a standard line and customized tanks and vessels, ranging from a few ounces to 100 gallons. These tanks and vessels serve industries that are highly regulated in terms of material, traceability, welds and governmental certifications.

The Contract Manufacturing group offers custom fabrication, assembly, gantry drilling, laser cutting, welding and metal finishing. Our in-house metal finishing includes pickle passivation and electropolishing. We can handle small parts and larger components, like our tanks, with the use of fixtures or double dipping techniques.

The Mepaco group offers a proprietary line of food processing equipment. With modifiable options, Mepaco's product line includes: cookers, mixers, blenders, augers, dumpers, sanitary conveyors and material handling systems.

Learn more about Apache's product groups on About Us!

Highlighted in Apache’s new ASME Large Tank brochure are our capabilities and services, including:

Passivation: Passivation is recommended as a final cleaning finish after all fabrication operations such as forming, welding, machine and mechanical polishing have been completed. Apache can passivate tanks and vessels of any size. Federal spec. ASTM A380 & A967

Electropolishing: Electropolishing is specified as a finish in many pharmaceutical, health and biotechnology industry tanks. Stainless material is immersed in an electrolyte bath subject to electrical current. Surface contamination is dissolved resulting in a mirror-like, extremely smooth finish. Federal spec. ASTM B912.

Robotic and Mechanical Polishing: Apache has the equipment to finish the vessel interior and exterior to required RA values.

FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing): The large tank team and our quality assurance technicians are available for customer inspection of the tank or vessel and can verify components including controls, mixing and agitation as well as compliance requirements.

TOP Packages: Apache provides full TOP Documentation for your vessel project, including hyperlinked Table of Contents and Bookmarks. Large file size TOP Packages are sent via FTP service.

Download our new brochure!

In the video, this 150 liter mixing Pharmaceutical Vessel has a bottom mag mixer that comes with a stainless steel control panel, touch screen with speed control.

There are numerous sanitary ports for add-ins, CIP spray ball, and sight glass with LED light. The interior surface materials and welds are all ground and polished with an electropolished finish.

The sidewall and bottom head are dimple jacketed with Thermalox coating, insulation and shroud for heat transfer operations. The side wall has sampling ports with optional sparger tubes to assist the agitation process.

The tank features a 24" hinged man way top with tool-less knobs and is easily portable.

Upcoming Pharmaceutical Shows:

ISPE, Raleigh, SC (March 14 Convention Center) - Booth 322 - Meet Nick Buchda and Ryan Metzdorf.
Interphex, NY (March 21-23 Javits Center) - Booth 3942 - Meet David Foulkes and Mike Peterson.

 

Apache's large tank and small vessel team will exhibit at Interphex 2017 - booth 3942.  Interphex is a large pharmaceutical and biotechnology trade show and conference event.  The Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) sponsors this long running expo.  The show focuses on technology, innovation and education to include all product development cycles. It is held in New York City with 10,000 professionals and 600 vendors in attendance.

 

Mike Peterson will be at the show representing the large tank group. Mike has served the pharmaceutical and bio-pharma industry form 20 years in technical sales and customer service of ASME vessels and tanks.

 

David Foulkes will also be at Apache's booth representing the small portable vessel group.  David has supported the sales of both standard and custom sanitary design vessels for 30 years.  The core of vessels manufactured in the small vessel group is for biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications.

 

From precise quality control to documentation requirements, Apache is committed to bio-pharma processors to help with their processing and manufacturing goals. We manufacture our own components including dimple sheet or half pipe exchange surfaces, man ways, flanged and dished heads, leaders, platforms, support structures and custom vessel internals.  Apache offers in-house polishing, passivation, electropolishing, riboflavin and saline testing.

 

WATCH A VIDEO on the Making of a Pharmaceutical Vessel

 

The ISPE South Carolina chapter is a non-profit society of technical professionals and engineers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.  This chapter is one of several chapters throughout the United States. 

 

The ISPE-CaSA 24th Annual Life Sciences Technology Conference is Tuesday, March 14th. It is a one day show with vendor exhibits, speakers, seminars, product demonstrations and networking.  Nick Buchda will representing Apache Stainless at Booth #322.  

 

Apache custom designs and fabricates regulatory compliant tanks and ASME vessels for the pharmaceutical, bio-technology, food and beverage and water filtration industries.  Apache manufactures vessels from a capacity of 1 gallon to 160,000 gallons.  

 

We manufacture many types of speciality sanitary design tanks, including: pressure vessels, dryers, evaporators, holding tanks and mixing vessels. We also manufacture our own components from heads and supports to vessel internals to give greater control over the production process.  

 

Apache has dedicated in-house vessel finishing capabilities including mechanical and robotic polishing, passivation and electropolishing.

 

Watch Pharmaceutical Industry Video >

 

Apache Stainless is hosting a Job Fair this Saturday, February 26th from 9am - 2pm.   We are growing and looking for skilled tradespeople to help us respond to customers with quality, on-time custom manufactured products.  

On Saturday, interested individuals can come to 200 W. Industrial Drive in Beaver Dam, and enter through the front of the building.   We will provide information about our company and benefits. Individuals can fill out an application during his or her visit.

Specialists in welding and fabrication will be on hand to answer any questions about the work and the type of equipment we make at Apache. We are also offering plant tours where there are plenty of projects to see and learn about in various production stages.

Several of the positions we are looking to fill are welding positions.  We are offering on-site welding tests as part of the application process. Apache is ASME certified and continually invests in training and certifications for all our welders.

Please share this post with the skilled tradespeople in your network!

Visit Apache's Career Page.

 

Wisconsin receives $2 million grant to improve career pathways

JPMorgan Chase and CCSSO announced Wisconsin will receive grant aimed at connecting students with skills-based education opportunities at a press conference today at Apache Stainless in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

MADISON — A $2 million New Skills for Youth grant announced today at a press conference in Beaver Dam will strengthen and expand career-education opportunities for Wisconsin students. The state is one of 10 grant recipients announced by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and JPMorgan Chase. The three-year grant will allow Wisconsin to build on existing efforts in the state’s 16 technical college regions to connect student interests and workforce needs.

Wisconsin’s plan was developed in conjunction with the Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation and a host of collaborative public and private agencies and officials.

Read more about the program on-line.