The STI/SPFA Board of Directors approved an ambitious series of projects designed with one clear goal in mind: delivering enhanced value to members.
These initiatives are shaped by direct member input, aligned with the association’s strategic plan, and focused on practical outcomes—safe jobsites, stronger technical resources, expanded education, and enhanced digital tools.
While the projects span multiple sections of the association, they share a common purpose: support STI/SPFA’s mission to promote and unite the steel plate fabricated products industry through standards development, education, and communication.
A Continued Focus on Safety
Safety remains a core priority for STI/SPFA and its members.
The association will expand its library of safety resources with new video content covering member requested topics such as fall protection, overhead cranes, lockout/tagout, electrical safety, and near-miss reporting. These videos are designed to support onboarding, refresher training, and ongoing jobsite awareness.
To better serve member companies and their workforces, safety resources will continue to be available in both English and Spanish. By expanding multilingual access, STI/SPFA is helping members reinforce consistent safety practices across diverse teams and jobsite environments.
In addition, STI/SPFA will be revamping its Safety Awards to add more value and create a stronger, more impactful program for members. More information on the revised Safety Awards submission process will be shared later this year.
Providing Meaningful Benchmarking for Members
STI/SPFA will begin developing benchmarking resources designed to give members a clearer picture of how they compare within the industry.
These efforts will focus on collecting and sharing high-level, anonymized data that helps members better understand industry trends, common practices, and areas where there may be opportunities to strengthen operations. The results will give members useful context they can apply in practical ways.
All members will be encouraged to participate in the benchmarking process. Participation helps ensure the data is representative of the industry as a whole and increases the value of the insights shared with the membership. Importantly, all information will be submitted to a third-party and will be kept confidential. No company-specific data will be identified or disclosed.
Additional details, including participation timelines and next steps, will be shared with members as the benchmarking effort moves forward. Members are encouraged to keep an eye out for more information in the coming weeks.
Supporting Workforce Education and Training
STI/SPFA will continue translating select technical and instructional materials into Spanish. These efforts help ensure that critical information—whether related to installation, inspection, or product guidance—is accessible and clearly understood.
Training programs will also see enhancements in 2026. Existing materials for programs such as the Tank Integrity Management online course will be updated and expanded with new video-based content, creating a more engaging learning experience.
Expanding Education and Industry Promotion
Several 2026 initiatives are aimed at helping customers, engineers, inspectors, and those new to the industry better understand the strength, durability, and benefits of steel solutions.
New video content will be developed for field erected tanks, highlighting the benefits of welded steel tanks in both water and industrial storage markets. These videos will serve as educational tools and customer-facing resources that promote the strength and versatility of steel solutions.
Content will also be developed for pressure vessels, with a focus on educating customers and industry stakeholders about steel pressure vessel applications. These resources will support member outreach efforts and help communicate the performance, safety, and versatility of steel pressure vessels.
Improving Digital Tools and Member Technology
Enhancements to Tank Manager will introduce expanded functionality and improved data visibility. These updates will support members and staff by providing clear insights into registrations, inspections, and broader market trends.
The association will also move forward with improvements to tank labeling, improving label quality and functionality while adding digital features such as QR codes. These enhancements will make it easier for tank owners and inspectors to access essential tank information while increasing visibility of STI/SPFA technologies.
Website improvements planned for 2026 will focus on usability, content development, and search optimization. These updates will help promote member products, reinforce the role of steel in the marketplace, and ensure the website remains a trusted industry resource.
Advancing Technical Leadership and Standards Support
Throughout 2026, the association will support a range of research and technical initiatives developed in collaboration with academic and industry partners. The outcomes of this work will be shared through white papers, educational materials, and seminars, providing members with practical insights and reinforcing steel’s role in critical infrastructure.
STI/SPFA will continue advancing STI tank technologies through the development of new solutions and ongoing improvements to existing technologies.
Enhancing Design and Specification Resources for Steel Pipe
For the Steel Water Pipe Section, 2026 will bring new digital tools designed to support engineers, specifiers, and designers.
STI/SPFA will develop web-based calculators to assist with key aspects of steel pipe design and specification, including life-cycle considerations, load analysis, and pressure design. These tools will serve as useful resources for designing and specifying steel pipe.
Additional educational content will complement these tools, further strengthening STI/SPFA’s role as a technical authority in the water infrastructure space.
Looking Ahead
These projects reflect STI/SPFA’s ongoing commitment to member value and promoting member products. Whether through safer jobsites, improved training, or stronger technical resources, each initiative is designed to support members and advance the steel tank and pipe industries.
As projects roll out throughout the year, members will continue to see the impact through new resources, enhanced programs, and expanded opportunities to engage with the association.
Progress updates on these initiatives will be provided to members throughout the year, including formal updates at the STI/SPFA Annual Meeting and Business Meeting. Members are encouraged to follow project updates, participate where possible, and share feedback as these initiatives move forward.
In the meantime, please contact STI/SPFA at 847-438-8265 or info@steeltank.com with questions about these initiatives or ideas for future projects.
