30-06-2026
Discover how corrosion increases the total cost of ownership of tanks and industrial equipment and how FRP helps reduce maintenance, downtime, and risks.
Introduction
When a chemical plant acquires a tank, reactor, or scrubber, the decision usually focuses on the purchase price. However, the acquisition cost represents only a small part of the actual cost of the asset during its 20 or 30 years of useful life. The real losses come from unplanned downtime, corrective maintenance, energy consumption, environmental risks, and production loss.
According to the IMPACT study by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), corrosion generates losses of approximately 2.5 trillion dollars annually, equivalent to 3.4% of the global GDP. Between 15% and 35% of these costs could be avoided through proper material selection and prevention strategies.
The true cost of corrosion
Why does FRP change the equation?
- High chemical resistance to numerous aggressive products.
- Absence of electrochemical corrosion.
- Less need for maintenance and inspections.
- Higher operational availability.
- Longer lifespan and reduced total cost of ownership.
Digitalization as the next step
Predictive maintenance based on sensors allows the detection of anomalies before leaks or integrity losses occur. This strategy reduces unnecessary interventions and improves asset availability. Ollearis is developing solutions that combine advanced materials with intelligent monitoring to maximize performance throughout the lifecycle.
Conclusion
Corrosion should no longer be understood solely as a maintenance problem. It is a factor that conditions the profitability of a plant. Analyzing the Total Cost of Ownership and selecting appropriate materials from the engineering phase allows the reduction of risks, improving availability, and significantly decreasing operating costs.
References
- IMPACT - International Measures of Prevention, Application and Economics of Corrosion Technologies.
- API 571 - Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment.
- ISO 12944 - Corrosion protection of steel structures.
- European Federation of Corrosion (EFC).