In the vibrant Hubei province, under the August sun, the Second Meeting of the GB/T 12337-2014 Steel Spherical Storage Tank Standard Revision Working Group, organized by the National Standardization Technical Committee for Boilers and Pressure Vessels, was successfully held in Jingmen on August 27th. The meeting was hosted by Jingmen Hongtu Company, a subsidiary of CIMC Enric.

Hongtu Company's General Manager, Zheng Zhijun, extended a warm welcome and sincere gratitude to the attending leaders and experts. He noted the honor of hosting the meeting. Since entering the spherical tank market in 2011, Hongtu has focused on the design, manufacturing, and installation of spherical tanks, continuously developing new environmentally friendly materials and processes. The company prioritizes research and development in large-scale, lightweight, and intelligent spherical tank technologies to enhance product competitiveness. Simultaneously, Hongtu actively promotes digital transformation, building a smart factory to achieve intelligent control of the entire spherical tank production process. Furthermore, the company is continuously expanding into overseas markets, enhancing the international influence of China's spherical tank industry and national standards, contributing to the global prominence of "Made in China." The meeting's discussions are expected to provide new impetus for the revision of the national standard, driving the industry towards higher levels. Hongtu will continue to support standardization efforts and contribute to industry development.

Jingmen Municipal Market Supervision Bureau's Party Committee member and Deputy Director, Lu Junfeng, delivered a speech, congratulating the successful convening of the meeting. He emphasized the critical importance of the quality and safety of steel spherical storage tanks, relating to public safety and the ecological environment. The revision group should focus on safety and market demands, providing high-quality standards to support industry development. The national standard, having undergone years of practice and incorporating numerous technological innovations, should be revised to reflect these advancements while maintaining a forward-looking approach for continuous improvement and guidance of industry development.

Professor-level Senior Engineer Chen Zhiwei from the National Standardization Technical Committee for Boilers and Pressure Vessels, stated that the joint participation of the committee and the Fixed Pressure Vessel Subcommittee aims to standardize the manufacturing and downstream industries, promoting coordinated development of the supply chain and fostering a collaborative atmosphere to provide users with higher quality standards.

Professor-level Senior Engineer Zhang Xiaohu from the Fixed Pressure Vessel Subcommittee of the National Boiler and Pressure Vessel Standardization Committee, noted that national standards reflect current industry advancements and trends, guiding technological innovation for businesses. He encouraged innovation based on these standards to enhance competitiveness. Unified national standards facilitate technical exchange and cooperation between companies, enabling resource sharing and complementarity to improve the overall industry's technical capabilities.

Liu Fulu, former Deputy General Manager of Gansu Lanko Petrochemical High-tech Equipment Co., Ltd. and head of the Steel Spherical Storage Tank Standard Revision Working Group, provided a brief introduction to the background, purpose, and significance of the GB/T 12337 standard revision. He pointed out that national standards should be revised and improved in line with industry changes and technological progress. More than a decade has passed since the last revision, and changes in market demand, new technologies, and regulations necessitate an update to ensure the standard remains relevant and effective in regulating the industry and improving product and service quality.

Dang Zhanwei, Professor-level Senior Engineer from Gansu Lanko Petrochemical High-tech Equipment Co., Ltd., presented a summary of the collected drafts from participating units.

After presentations on the standard revision process and key technical content, experts meticulously reviewed the draft standard. With a scientific and rigorous approach, they provided valuable suggestions, resulting in a revised draft. A specialized seminar on spherical tank seismic calculations was also held, providing a solid standard basis for product quality evaluation and guiding technological advancements in the industry.

During a break, experts, accompanied by Mr. Zheng, visited Hongtu Company's exhibition hall and its green manufacturing management platform, LPG tank truck intelligent management platform, and smart construction site & HSE digital management platform, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the company's advanced intelligent management and technology application.

Subsequently, the expert group visited the workshops, including the cryogenic production line, LPG tank truck intelligent production line, welding laboratory, and Li Zhongjiang Master Studio. They particularly examined the intelligent assembly line for spherical shells, featuring advanced automatic welding robots with a tracked structure enabling flexible, heavy-load movement. The intelligent control ensures precision and versatility in welding operations, showcasing Hongtu's advanced digital capabilities. The experts highly praised the scale of the spherical shell production line and the company's manufacturing capabilities.

High standards produce high quality. This meeting significantly advanced the standardization and normalization of spherical tank technology. The official release and implementation of the standard will provide clearer technical guidance and regulatory frameworks for industry players. Jingmen Hongtu, as a participant in the standard revision, will play a leading role, combining theoretical and practical research to achieve high-quality standard revision and promote healthy, sustainable industry development.