WW2.site Forum

Just signed a lease on a small warehouse in the Sohar industrial area and I'm piecing together my setup for blending industrial degreasers and detergents. I've been trying to find IBC Tanks in Sohar that are UN approved for holding concentrated raw materials like surfactants and acids before blending, but most of the suppliers I've called seem to only stock general purpose units or they want me to buy a whole container load from Dubai. I don't need massive quantities yet, maybe six to eight tanks to start, but they absolutely have to be certified because the local inspectors are apparently pretty strict about chemical storage around here. Has anyone worked with a decent supplier between Sohar and Buraimi who actually keeps UN rated stock on hand? Also curious if anyone's had luck with those refurbished and recertified units, or is that asking for trouble with corrosive stuff? Really don't want to cut corners but the budget is already stretched thin from the warehouse deposit. Thanks in advance.

Be careful with the refurbished route when it's acids. Unless you know exactly what was in them before, residue and seal compatibility can bite you later. The certification is only as good as the paperwork, so would you really trust a recert on a tank that held something unknown?

Good luck with the new place, starting small is the smart way to do it. Try calling a couple of the bigger chemical distributors around Sohar, since they often know who keeps stock. Eight tanks is a reasonable first order, so don't let anyone push a full container on you.

I blended cleaning products in Sohar for a couple of years, and sourcing was the hardest part at the start. What worked for me was asking my raw material suppliers where they bought their own IBCs. I ended up with a mix of new and reconditioned ones, and the reconditioned ones were fine as long as I got the test dates in writing.

For surfactants and acids you want to look at the UN code on the plate, the HDPE grade, and the valve and gasket material, because EPDM versus Viton matters depending on what's inside. Also check the date of the last leakproofness test on any reconditioned unit. Concentrated acids can need different gaskets than surfactants, so don't assume one tank type fits everything.

What's your inspector actually asking for, just the UN marking or also secondary containment and ventilation? That changes how many tanks you really need to buy upfront. And are the acids and surfactants going to sit in the same area?