SPG Steiner and SSAB: A successful collaboration to deliver high-quality storage tanks worldwide

For engineering companies operating in the petroleum, petrochemical, and chemical industries, there is little margin for error. Storage tanks for ammonia and other critical substances must comply with the highest standards for safety, quality, and precision, often under tight deadlines and in challenging site conditions.

That is where the collaboration between SPG Steiner and SSAB proves its value. “We are a relatively small company with a flat organizational structure, and together with our team of experts, we have established exceptional efficiency in our project execution. This enables SPG to be involved in highly complex and demanding projects across the world,” says Patrick Achten, Business Manager at SPG Steiner. “That means we depend on partners who understand our requirements and can deliver exactly what we need, precisely when we need it. The quality and delivery reliability from SSAB Plate Components give us a competitive edge in large international projects.” 

Through its various business units, SPG Steiner designs petroleum and petrochemical plants and supplies complex equipment and engineered solutions for installation worldwide. The company operates across Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Asia.

Among its core competencies are large storage tanks, including ammonia tanks, low-temperature tanks, and CO₂ storage solutions for some of the world’s leading chemical producers.

“Our customers are global chemical companies with exceptionally stringent requirements, not only regarding material quality, but also documentation, traceability, and regulatory compliance,” Achten explains. “As regulatory demands have intensified over the years, there’s real peace of mind in partnering with SSAB. They know the terrain inside and out.”

Plate components as a strategic advantage

SPG Steiner has used plate components from SSAB Raahe mill since 2007. For the company, prefabrication is a strategic advantage.

“For us, the benefits are clear,” says Achten. “Prefabricated steel reduces construction time and overall project costs. It also improves safety and minimizes risk on site.”

Instead of cutting, shaping, and adjusting steel plates in often harsh environments, SPG Steiner receives ready-to-install tank plates fabricated according to exact specifications. This approach leads to optimized material usage, consistent quality, and more efficient logistics with faster, more predictable deliveries.

It is also critical that every key steel component arrives on site at precisely the right time. Coordinating deliveries and documentation work becomes significantly easier when the steel has already been fully produced and prepared at the mill, rather than fabricated on site under variable conditions. This is particularly important for ammonia tanks, where flatness, tight tolerances, and weld quality directly affect safety and long-term performance.

“In many regions, weather conditions, safety risks, and logistics make on-site fabrication inefficient,” Achten adds. “With plate components from Raahe mill quality is higher, tolerances are easier to control, and erection is faster.”

SSAB’s prefabrication process in Raahe, Finland, includes extensive inspections before shipment to ensure that every plate meets the required specifications.

“We carry out a pre-shipment inspection together with the customer,” says Toni Kivijarvi at SSAB. “The customer reviews the inspection findings, and we address any identified issues before delivery. Flame cutting and minor adjustments, such as bending or flatness corrections are all handled here in Raahe.”

By resolving potential issues at the mill, long before hundreds of workers and heavy equipment are mobilized on site, both risk and cost are significantly reduced. The result is a smoother installation phase and greater confidence throughout the project lifecycle.

For SPG Steiner, SSAB is far more than a steel supplier.

“SSAB understands storage tanks. They know what we can do and what we should not do,” says Achten. “That knowledge is a major advantage for a company of our size.”

With fewer than 100 employees, SPG Steiner relies on strong, knowledgeable partners to remain competitive in large international projects.

“We don’t need to do everything ourselves. With SSAB, we gain access to deep expertise, quality assurance, and reliable deliveries. The price is always competitive, but the real value is confidence.

One of SPG Steiner’s current flagship projects is an ammonia storage facility in Mexico for Proman, which is expanding its ammonia production capacity. The new plant will increase annual production to 2.8 million tonnes, supporting fertilizer production for Mexican agriculture.

SPG Steiner is responsible for three large ammonia storage tanks and three smaller water tanks, using pressure vessel and structural steel grades, supplied as prefabricated plates from SSAB’s mill in Raahe. In total, the project involves approximately 6,000 tonnes of steel, delivered in batches of up to 1,500 tonnes. Each batch is carefully inspected before shipment to ensure consistent quality and compliance. The steel is produced in accordance with the customer’s specifications and inspection and testing plan. The steel grades are based on standard grades A516 GR 70 MT LTV and A36. All main materials are precision- or shape-cut, bevelled, and bent according to the customer’s technical drawings.

For shipment to a distant location, all materials are carefully packed in steel cradles, bundles, or pallets to ensure that the quality of the parts is maintained even after weeks of transportation and handling. After dispatch, SSAB provides the final documentation package.

SPG Steiner’s experience with ammonia storage spans decades, including major projects in Pakistan and the Middle East.

“Ammonia is a critical product. You need the right steel quality, the right engineering, and deep know-how. We’ve developed that knowledge over many years,” says Achten.

Looking ahead, the company sees growing opportunities in green hydrogen, green ammonia, and CO₂ storage hubs, including new projects currently under development in Sweden.

“Ammonia will play a key role in transporting green energy from one place to another. And CO₂ storage will become increasingly important.”

Together with SSAB, SPG Steiner continues to refine how complex tank projects are executed, combining engineering precision, high-quality prefabricated steel, and reliable delivery to strengthen competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global market.

In an industry where safety, timing, and quality are non-negotiable, the partnership between SPG Steiner and SSAB demonstrates how technical expertise and trusted collaboration turn ambitious industrial projects into long-term, reliable infrastructure.