After 22 ½ years in Apache’s field services group, Bob Dolan is retiring! Apache Stainless is grateful for Bob’s many years of service and sharing his expertise with engineering, sales and customers. Bob recounts some memories through the years with one of his first jobs completing assembly of six tanks (partially built at Apache) in 1996. It was extremely hot with a tight timeline. When the tank arrived, the roof was already off for it and other equipment to be set. The team worked through the night to set and weld the vessel to be out of the way of the day shift millwrights. “I enjoy the work. It is gratifying to help customers and I enjoy meeting people,” Bob expressed. “In the first 18 months, I went from a beginner to a STEP 7 certified welder. After 22 ½ years, I believe I’ve welded and serviced tanks throughout the entire U.S.” “The most challenging job I was on was a tank with a cone bottom. At first sight, it looked like maybe it couldn’t be done. The bottom had to be cut off to get inside. Then I had to service and polish it while hanging upside down. I made a platform to lay upside down, 25 ft. off the floor. That project took one week.” Bob recalls another project where an extremely heavy 32” flange wasn't lining up with the pump. The company had an option to bring in new equipment which would have been costly and time-consuming. Bob modified an elbow pipe leading to the flange that ultimately allowed a perfect fit with the pump. “They didn’t think I could do that one, but we did it. My advice to serving customers and creating solutions is to ‘keep it simple’. Don’t overthink it, most of the time a solution is more cost and time effective for the customer and Apache with a simple approach and customers will agree.” Bob has been a member of the Free Masons for over 33 years. “Free Masons are guided by a code of morals, type of lifestyle, honesty and integrity. I think that it fits in well with the service industry and I’ve tried to do my best to live up to that code.” Bob adds. In his retirement, Bob is going to get to his rebuilding work on the five antique Harley Davidson motorcycles in his home shop. He is planning time for more travel and spend time with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “It has been rewarding working for a company that holds itself to high standards. I’ve always enjoyed working at Apache and the feeling of self-satisfaction of helping customers. One time, I had a customer say, ‘When I saw you walk through the door, I know everything was going to be okay’.” All of us at Apache Stainless wish Bob a happy and healthy retirement!
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.
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.
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.
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