Feature

Global tank expertise

Harry Pepels, director of cotac, speaks to Bulk Distributor’s editor Paul Warner about the company’s innovative technologies, global operations and long-term commitment to sustainability in tank container services.
Can you explain the work that cotac does in the tank cleaning space?
cotac stands for complete tank care, and offers certified quality standards for cleaning, repairing and maintaining tank containers at 12 locations worldwide. cotac provides interior cleaning, exterior washing and ensures proper, safe and compliant processes at all locations. On request, we offer customerspecific pre- and post-treatment cleaning, tailored to client requirements – such as H2O2 rinsing.
Residue removal from the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food industries is carried out at all cotac stations.
At our sites, we also offer heating services for tank containers using steam, water or electrical heating. These are used to maintain the required temperature of loaded tanks, reheat tanks to re-liquefy cargo for discharge, or pre-heat for specific operations. Electrical cooling is also available.
We provide 24-hour monitoring and, if needed, reporting of temperatures achieved or maintained.
As one of the world’s largest fullservice providers for road tankers and tank containers, we offer equipment inspection and repair at every station. Workshop services include safety and periodic checks – two-and-ahalf and five-year intervals – general overhauls, and modifications for tank containers, IBC totes and gas tanks. Daily tasks include gasket replacement, labelling, instrument maintenance and refurbishment.
Our cotac team is qualified for corrosion repairs as well as work on insulation, frames and coatings. This includes fully automated interior grinding, known as Robogrind.
Robogrind is a state-of-the-art, computer-calibrated system for interior grinding and polishing of tank containers. It significantly boosts both efficiency and safety:
• Efficiency: Up to 75% faster than conventional manual methods
• Safety: Fully automated–eliminating the need for an operator inside the tank. Operated by a single technician externally.
• Precision: Delivers consistent, high-quality surface treatment, essential for corrosion prevention and hygiene compliance.
• Integration: Robogrind is a core part of cotac’s repair services, especially for interior damage or corrosion. Beyond standard maintenance and repair of tank containers and IBC totes, cotac also offers full refurbishments and modifications, including:
• Installation or reinstallation of heating and cooling systems (electric, hybrid, or liquid-based).
• Complete stripping, reassembly and repair (frame, insulation, cladding, shell, components).
• Loading/discharge system repair or modification.
• Lining repairs for lined tank containers. Our container depots provide preand post-service space and can handle both empty and, in some cases, loaded tank containers. Several sites are equipped for the storage of hazardous goods, such as pumps and hoses, is available for hire.
Heating by steam, warm water or electricity is available at all locations.
Can you explain some of the technology that cotac uses?
Safety is a core value for cotac, and we continuously seek ways to enhance it. One such innovation is our new pager system: introduced through a successful pilot, it reduces the risk of onsite accidents by improving coordination.
Upon gate entry, each driver receives a pager and proceeds to the waiting area. The pager emits an alert when it’s the driver’s turn, indicating which cleaning lane to use. This system ensures that cleaning staff can focus on their work while drivers wait safely, improving communication– especially across language barriers.
After cleaning, the pager is returned with ease. At our Antwerp workshop, we convert standard stainless-steel containers into tank containers with specialised coatings for highly corrosive products.
Only a few global service providers can handle such tasks.
For six years, we’ve offered repairs of spray-on and rubber coatings, and now we provide APC tank coatings as a full-service provider – a globally in-demand offering. This is now available at our Antwerp site.
The spray coating is applied in a three-stage process, meeting the highest quality and safety standards.
We also coat technical components, offering a fully integrated, onestop solution in Antwerp – covering modification, coating and repairs. Repairs for these specially lined tank containers are also available at our Dormagen and Ludwigshafen sites.
How important is sustainability and what does this mean for cotac?
We are deeply committed to longterm sustainability – for our employees, partners and the environment. Conserving resources is part of our daily practice, ensuring our company’s continued success and responsibility for future generations.
We think and act with long-term vision.
Our cleaning sites in Mannheim and Schkopau were among the first in Europe to be officially listed under Operation Clean Sweep®, an international programme aimed at preventing plastic waste in marine environments. By pledging to OCS®, cotac ensures that no micro- or nanoplastics enter the environment.
Thanks to the HOYER Group’s high standards, our European cleaning sites met OCS® requirements with minimal adjustments. We paid special attention to cleaning processes for silo road tankers carrying plastic pellets.
Can you outline some of the new cotac projects that are in the pipeline?
In 2024, we opened a new site in Ludwigshafen called MuTac. It offers a full-service package: cleaning, depot, workshop and heating–as well as rubber and APC lining repairs. The trimodal site is accessible by road, rail and ship. In Rotterdam, a new heat recycling system allows us to recover unused energy from wastewater, exhaust gases and air compressor cooling.
This preheats incoming water and cuts energy use significantly – reducing gas consumption by 30% and lowering costs for water, energy and chemicals. For customers, this means more reliable, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly cleaning.
We are expanding depot space at our Dormagen site in the second half of the year to offer more capacity and flexibility. In Thailand, our depot has increased in area and doubled its storage capacity.
New facilities for food-grade product cleaning, expanded repair and cleaning halls, and improved wastewater treatment will be operational this Autumn. Finally, we are enhancing digitalisation at all sites.
By the end of 2025, a driver kiosk and customer portal will streamline the pre-announcement process for tank containers, making service access easier and more efficient.