Crane Composites is proud to share its prominent success in the Insulated Tank Container Market garnered through the global introduction of ArmorTuf AXSG Smooth fiberglass reinforced plastic panels as a superior solution for tank cladding applications. Insulated tank containers are a global method of transporting and exporting gases/bulk liquids, dry bulk materials, hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals, and edible liquids.

“Tank containerization has gained significant market share in the transport of commodities independent of those transported via large ships. These products were previously transported in drums, pallet sized liquid or bulk containers, or in bladder type units in 20’ dry freight containers. These versatile tank containers afford shippers a method of transporting liquids or dry bulk commodities on container vessels, railroad cars or over the road without loading and unloading. The tank container fleet has grown from its modest beginnings in 1967 to a global fleet of 400,000 units in service today. The growth pattern of the fleet has been double digit in recent years as more and more shippers discover the efficiency and security of shipping their products in tank containers.” – Steve Bryant, Business Development Manager | Crane Composites

“Up until recently, with the introduction of AXSG Tank

Cladding, the FRP/GRP cladding materials were

general purpose products with limited strength and

puncture resistance.”

Tank Cladding: A Momentous Journey for Crane Composites

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“In a year’s time-frame, Crane Composites AXSG

tank cladding only needed 10% of the repairs that

the tank with general FRP cladding needed”

Where tradition & Innovation Converge

Crane Composites is the manufacturer of ArmorTuf, Kemlite and a variety of other fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) composite panels. Inspired by the Kemlite tradition, Crane Composites has over 60 years of experience in Transportation Products and is a recognized industry leader in FRP applications.

Crane Composites now introduces, AXSG, an exterior gel-coated FRP panel, as an application for Tank Cladding for insulated tank containers.

What is Tank Cladding?Tank containers are generally a clean bore tank with exterior rings covered with fiberglass wool insulation to maintain product temperature. The insulation is held in place by panels of cladding material wrapped around the tank container. The tank

cladding is the outermost skin of the tank container, covering the insulation and the inner tank shell.

“Originally the cladding material was stainless steel or aluminum. The high level of damage in intermodal service led to the adoption of FRP/GRP tank cladding, which is lighter weight and will not dent as easily as metal cladding does. To date, about 90% of the market uses a FRP/GRP cladding. Up until recently, with the introduction of AXSG Tank Cladding, the FRP/GRP cladding materials were general purpose products with limited strength and puncture resistance.” – Steve Bryant, Business Development Manager | Crane Composites

At the time of AXSG’s introduction as a tank cladding solution into the marketplace, Crane Composites was addressing a need by end users for a

product with less maintenance & repair costs and better physical attributes, such as strength, weight, and puncture resistance. This competitive landscape within the tank cladding segment afforded Crane Composites the opportunity to compete based on a superior product that clearly addressed the customer’s need.

“The competitive FRP solutions in the marketplace were superior to stainless steel/aluminum cladding solutions in terms of dent and corrosion resistance, but the FRP cladding was still susceptible to scratches and punctures to the extent that customers were repairing the cladding of each tank at least once a year.”– Sonny Sun, Regional Sales Manager, China | Crane Composites

Not only does the cladding serve the purpose of protecting the insulation, but, in more ways than one, the tank cladding is the face of the brand. With high incidence of damage, company names on the tanks become undiscernible, as pictured.

The appearance of the exterior of tank containers convey a powerful message. A tank container that has several repair patches detracts from the company’s brand name. In comparison, AXSG tank cladding has performed much better in field operation.

“One particular operator that uses both AXSG and general FRP notes that in a year’s time-frame, AXSG only needed 10% of the repairs that the tank with general FRP cladding needed. The same sentiments were noted by a leasing company which holds that their tanks with AXSG cladding have seen no damage during their first year in operation, which has improved the company’s brand and led to them having more market share this year.”

– Sonny Sun, Regional Sales Manager, China | Crane Composites

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Competitive FRP Cladding

Competitive FRP Cladding

What is Tank Cladding? The Crane Composites SolutionThe Crane Way“Crane Composites has a rich history of engineering FRP products to meet a wide variety of applications, and was able to provide the tank container industry with a product that has superior strength, puncture resistance and UV exposure performance. Crane Composites AXSG has seen significant success since it’s introduction in 2012, and is now specified by several of the industry’s largest tank operators. The superior attributes of AXSG are proving to lower the Total Cost of Ownership for tank operators by decreasing damage, lowering repair and downtime costs while contributing to the tank tare weight.” -Steve Bryant, Business Development Manager | Crane CompositesIn 2013, the International Team at Crane Composites committed to driving this global initiative forward. Through market segmentation, targeted marketing efforts to establish communication with our target audience, tailored messaging per market segment, and an understanding of the competitive landscape, Crane Composites began to gain traction with key players. By early 2014, our customer portfolio consisted of two of the largest tank manufacturer’s in the market, Welfit Oddy, based out of South Africa, and CIMC, based out of China, as well as tank repair companies, Boasso and Brenner, based in the United States.

In May 2014, Crane Composites’ success in the tank container market reached new heights by solidifying a deal with Hoyer, the second largest tank operator in the world, based in Germany, to use our AXSG cladding in 2,600 tanks purchased through Welfit Oddy (2,300 new build tanks and 300 tanks for their European refurbishment program). For the first time in many years, the International Team brought a new multi-million dollar customer with Welfit Oddy and Hoyer resulting in profitable revenue growth with higher than average profitability levels.

AXSG Cladding in service

“We worked tirelessly with both our customer and our R&D center to achieve the comparative testing results necessary to back up our AXSG cladding material. It took almost twelve months of constant work and patience to bring the Hoyer business to fruition. During the twelve month period we visited and regularly communicated with Welfit Oddy in South Africa. We supplied samples, testing data and brochures which were diligently and professionally prepared by our internal Marketing team. We worked through the strategic selling process, identifying our strengths, red flags, buying influences, and target market data. We identified the buying influences including the Technical Buying influence. In this case, the technical director at Welfit Oddy was convinced that our material was the product to meet not only their needs but also that of their customers. They introduced Hoyer to Crane AXSG cladding using examples along with brochures and comparative testing data. Hoyer met with Welfit Oddy in South Africa to discuss and place the order for 2600 tanks. As a result of this meeting we were asked by Hoyer to present the material at their offices in Rotterdam, Netherlands, It was following this presentation and discussion that we were finally awarded the business.” -Andy Standen, European Business Director | Crane Composites

Hoyer & Crane Composites Join Forces

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Crane Composites Strategy“The Hoyer deal brought great excitement to the International Team as it is the largest single order the International Team has secured and as a consequence we have a great springboard to many other opportunities within this market. We continue to expand upon our knowledge of the Hoyer company and get to know Hoyer employees at various levels within their business. I am convinced this relationship will provide a great opportunity to open doors at other Tank operators and OEM’S.” – Steve -Andy Standen, European Business Director | Crane Composites

Crane Composites has a target market share of over 50%. With 39,000 new tanks built every year, Crane Composites has taken significant strides to reaching and exceeding its target.

“This is a journey and we are just getting started. For the first time in many years, this team converted new multi-million dollar customers for CCI and developed a healthy sales funnel to continue driving tank cladding success in the next quarters. Our AXSG tank cladding helps our Customers be more successful and this team has been relentless in selling value and capturing our fair share of such value through price realization. I expect our revenue to continue growing at double digit rates and delivering above average OP margins through a disciplined execution approach, in clear alignment with our 2020 Vision” – Rodolfo Martinez, Vice President of International Sales | Crane Composites

Crane Composites’ strategy focused on fulfilling an un-tapped need in the marketplace, driving innovation, and establishing Crane Composites as the market leader. Our messaging and launch strategy was driven with a goal of communicating our AXSG cladding as a solution to this un-tapped need.

Establishing a clear value proposition, supported by testing, that had a direct tie to addressing a need in the marketplace was the key to generating an interest from our target audience and driving profitable growth, while establishing Crane Composites’ AXSG tank cladding as a market leader. We have reached what we believe is just the beginning for AXSG tank cladding.

Future of AXSG Tank Cladding

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“The global transportation market for liquids is a niche segment in search of a better cladding solution versus aluminum cladding, growing on average 3% per year. Using our Crane Business System, especially our Sales Excellence methodology and our NPD process, the international team listened to our Customers and created a differentiated value proposition to address their unmet needs. Through great teamwork and a passion to succeed, this team was able to solve our Customers’ problems and exceed the initial sales expectations, making tank cladding our biggest success of year 2014, bringing new customers, repeat customers, sales growth and profitable share gains.” -Rodolfo Martinez, Vice President of International Sales | Crane Composites

“As our AXSG tank cladding continues to prove itself in the marketplace with our existing customers and newly acquired customers, we have confidence that this positive word of mouth by big players in the market will continue to result in increased market share for the future of AXSG Tank Cladding.”– Steve Bryant, Business Development Manager | Crane Composites