Apache Industrial Services has been a leading industrial blasting and coatings contractor for more than three decades. The company has earned its strong reputation in the petrochemical, industrial and energy sectors.
Throughout 30 years in business, Apache has seen the industrial landscape continually evolve. With project timelines tightening, waste slag's performance issues had become major roadblocks to productivity and profitability. Recent OSHA regulations and supply shortages only heightened the company's concerns about their current abrasive.
Apache also knew its techniques and equipment were keeping its blasters from optimising their productivity and costs. But like any high-quality contractor, the company wanted to know exactly what would be gained before switching its blasters from one abrasive to another.
As Apache was mulling a switch, its team was contracted to oversee blasting operations at a new storage tank facility in White Castle, Louisiana, USA with a razor-thin timeline. Seizing the opportunity to test waste slag alternatives, Apache contacted GMA. We were ready to illustrate exactly how GMA NewSteel™ and Black Beauty Fine stacked up.
GMA's Technical Experts organised a full demo blasting trial for Apache's Site Manager and Maintenance Manager. The trial design mirrored the requirements of Apache's upcoming job: three blasters on an eight-tonne pot with a 2mil to 4mil required profile.
When GMA performed this side-by-side, real-time comparison of GMA NewSteel™ and Black Beauty Fine, the results were clear. While both technically delivered the required profile, GMA NewSteel™ produced a 2.8mil profile, while Black Beauty Fine just squeaked by at 3.9mil.