As Good As New
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Durable, cleanable stainless steel beverage kegs are re-used over and over. By Dean
Jobb
Nickel magazine, April 28, 2003 -- Be forewarned if you happen to sing, or
even whistle, Roll Out the Barrel within earshot of Robert Sulier: at any given time,
the president of Sabco Industries Inc. could oblige with one of the tens of thousands of beer and soft-drink
kegs on hand at his busy plant in Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.
Sabco is North America’s largest recycler of stainless steel kegs, repairing and reconditioning more than
100,000 units each year for breweries and beverage producers in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well
as a few overseas customers.
Founded in 1961, Sabco (derived from the company’s original name, Save-A-Barrel Corp.) has refurbished more
than 3.5 million barrels. Among its 1,500 clients are beer giants Miller and Fosters, soft-drink icons
Pepsi and Coca-Cola, and numerous micro-breweries.
"We recondition kegs fully, disassembling and rebuilding them to meet federal specifications for capacity and cleanliness," says Sulier. "We also recondition the valves that go in the kegs. We know of no other company that specializes in stainless steel food product containers which is as focused as we are on breweries and beer kegs."
The containers are made from S30400 stainless steel, which welds cleanly and provides the smooth interior needed to prevent bacteria from gaining a foothold (S30403 is used in newer models), according to John Pershing, vice president. Reusing 58.7-litre beer barrels and their slimmer cousins, the 19-litre soda keg, is not just environmentally responsible; it makes good economic sense. New barrels cost in the range of US$70 each, but Sabco resells kegs it has bought, cleaned and reconditioned for about US$50.
Sabco’s 30 employees also perform routine maintenance on customers’ kegs. Large breweries have a
great many barrels in their inventory, and they routinely truck these to Toledo for restoration.
Says Sulier: "If you send me a keg that's totally out of commission because of either denting or valve
malfunctions, or just completely filthy on the inside, I will give it back brand-new, inside and out, and
I’ll do it for less than 20 dollars."
Compare that with the scrap value of the 14 kilograms of metal in a typical beer keg (about US$8), and the
advantage of using stainless steel kegs is clear. Brewers routinely buy surplus kegs from competitors that
are scaling back or go out of business, then bring them to Sabco for a refit.
"Companies that purchase kegs from other companies will usually arrange to have them sent to us
first for a clean-up, before receiving them," says Sulier. "That way they know what they're getting."
Durability is another plus – a properly maintained barrel will have a lifespan of 30 years or more.
"They’re incredibly durable," says Sulier. "We recondition kegs from the 1970s that are in perfect
condition; some are from as far back as the early 1950s." (Brewers stopped using the
traditional, slightly rounded barrel once operations became automated to handle newer,
straight-sided models.)
Sabco’s services vary in accordance with a customer’s needs and the condition of the barrels. Some brewers
want new labels applied or an existing name removed. The metal skirt at the bottom of a barrel, prone to
damage if the container is dropped, may have to be replaced. Valves may need to be cleaned or replaced, or
the entire barrel may have to be disassembled and rebuilt.
Dents can affect the capacity of a keg or prevent it from being handled and washed by automated machinery;
Sabco workers remove dents by hand or insert the keg in a mould and use pressurized water to pop them out.
Caustic solutions and acid baths are used to thoroughly clean barrels before they leave the plant.
Barrels can also be converted to other uses in the consumer market. For example, Sabco fits soda containers
with beer-keg valves for use in pubs and micro-breweries. It also markets a computerized miniature brewery
consisting of three kegs and attachments, for the serious home brewer. "You can put it in your garage and
make commercial-quality beer," notes Sulier.
Larger kegs are fitted with lids to become oversized kettles and deep fryers, ready to be pressed into service for lobster boils, clambakes, picnics or canning. They can even be used to deep-fry a whole turkey, Cajun-style. "Use your imagination," Sulier says. "What are some things you could do with an open, stainless steel food product container fitted with a 30-centimetre lid?"
Versatility is key to Sabco's success: for four decades it has been refurbishing barrels so that
they are competitive with new ones. At any given time, the plant will have three or four production lines
refurbishing barrels for resale or carrying out specific projects for customers. The company is
also a distributor for German keg manufacturer Blefa-Franke, though Sulier says the American market for
new kegs is saturated and that most customers are looking only for small lots of replacements.
 Robert Sulier, President |
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