Universal Tank & Fabrication

What Universal Tank & Fabrication does

Universal Tank & Fabrication is a Dubuque, Iowa-based custom manufacturer of ASME-certified pressure vessels, steel tanks, and storage vessels founded in 2007. The company operates from a 71,000 sq ft footprint (43,000 sq ft original plus a 28,000 sq ft expansion completed in March 2026) and delivers end-to-end fabrication from design engineering through final inspection and shipping. Its customer base spans nine industrial verticals — water and wastewater treatment, chemical processing, oil and gas, air and biogas, agriculture, food and beverage, general manufacturing, transportation (DOT 407/412), and energy — with the heaviest emphasis on water treatment and chemical processing.

The technical stack combines Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD for design engineering, a FACCIN 4-roll plate bending machine (1-1/2" x 10' capacity, supporting A-36, SA-516-70, SA-516-70N, 304 and 316 stainless) for forming cylinders up to 14ft diameter x 40ft length, a Messer Metalmaster Evolution 5-axis plasma table (10' x 40' cutting area, 11 GA to 2" thick capacity, Hypertherm HPR400XD plasma with dross-free cuts), and Miller Deltaweld 500 robotic production welding. Certifications include ASME U-Stamp, NB-Stamp, R-Stamp, DOT FMCSA registration, and NSF-61/NSF-600 compliance for potable water tanks. Testing capabilities cover hydrostatic and pneumatic testing per ASME Sec. VIII Div. 1, radiography, magnetic particle, dye penetrant, hardness, lining continuity, Charpy V-notch, heat treating, and stress relief.

The business operates almost exclusively on a custom, quote-based project model: customers submit specifications or collaborate with internal engineers, receive a custom quote, and a dedicated project manager shepherds the build through engineering, procurement, fabrication, testing, finishing, and shipping. A smaller standardized product line (Water Treatment Tanks 2.0 stock vessels from 36" to 60" diameter, 150 PSI and 650 PSI air receivers, and UTF sight glass assemblies) provides faster-turn catalog SKUs. Distribution is direct, with no dealer network, and the sales team is led by President Dan Davis and VP of Sales Chris Doyle. Revenue is project-based one-time payment, with finishing and project management bundled into the fabrication scope.

Name

Universal Tank & Fabrication

Legal name

Universal Tank & Fabrication

Website

https://universaltank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Universal Tank & Fabrication is a Dubuque, Iowa-based manufacturer of custom ASME-certified steel tanks and pressure vessels serving industrial customers in water/wastewater, chemical, oil and gas, food and beverage, transportation, and energy sectors, with end-to-end capabilities from design engineering through fabrication, testing, and shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Pressure Vessel & Steel Tank Manufacturing

NAICS

Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing (332420)

SIC

Fabricated Plate Work (Boiler Shops) (3443)

akta.pro primary industry

Pressure Vessels, Columns & Storage Tanks (ASME/Process Vessels) (IMAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Custom pressure vessels
• ASME tank fabrication
• Industrial steel tanks
• Water treatment vessels
• Air receivers manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubuque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Tank and Pressure Vessel Fabrication: Project-based custom fabrication of steel tanks and ASME-certified pressure vessels. Customers provide specifications or collaborate on design, with pricing determined through quote requests. End-to-end service from engineering through delivery.
2. Stock Water Treatment Tanks: Pre-engineered stock tanks available in standard sizes (36" to 60" diameter) with ASME Code stamping and NSF-61/NSF-600 lining. Sold as inventory items with standard pricing.
3. Accessories and Components: Sight glass assemblies, ladders, platforms, handrails, and other tank accessories sold as add-on products for new or existing equipment.
4. Finishing Services: In-house blasting, painting, protective linings, weld polishing, citric acid pickling, and passivation services for customer tanks and vessels.
5. Project Management Services: Dedicated project managers oversee customer projects from engineering through fabrication, inspection, certification and delivery, included as part of end-to-end fabrication service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Universal Tank & Fabrication is a custom ASME-certified manufacturer of steel tanks, pressure vessels, water treatment tanks, air receivers, and sight glass assemblies. It operates an end-to-end fabrication model covering design engineering, plasma cutting, plate rolling, robotic and manual welding, testing/inspection, blasting and painting, project management, and shipping coordination from its Dubuque, Iowa facility. It serves industrial buyers across water/wastewater, chemical, oil & gas, energy, transportation, agriculture, food & beverage, and general manufacturing.

Product overview

Universal Tank & Fabrication is a custom tank and pressure vessel manufacturer operating as a single unified fabrication business with end-to-end capabilities. The core product portfolio centers on custom engineered pressure vessels and steel tanks, supported by a complementary line of standard stock tanks and air receivers (150 PSI and 650 PSI). The company offers a full suite of in-house services including design engineering using Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD, plasma cutting, plate rolling, robotic production welding, blasting and painting, testing and inspection, project management, and shipping coordination. Specialty products include Water Treatment Tanks 2.0 multi-media vessels with NSF-61/NSF-600 certification and UTF Sight Glass Assemblies for visual inspection applications. All products are manufactured at the company's 43,000 square foot facility in Dubuque, IA, with certifications including ASME U-Stamp, NB-Stamp, R-Stamp, and DOT registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Engineered Pressure Vessels Custom designed and fabricated ASME Sec VIII Div 1 pressure vessels manufactured in Dubuque, IA, serving industrial customers in water, wastewater, air, bio gas, transportation, chemical, and energy industries. Capacity up to 14ft diameter x 40ft length for cylinders; compliance with ASME, NB, R-Stamp, and DOT.
• Custom Steel Tanks Custom fabricated steel storage and process tanks in carbon steel, stainless steel, and specialized alloys, manufactured to customer specifications for industrial applications across water, chemical, oil & gas, agriculture, food & beverage, and general manufacturing.
• Water Treatment Tanks 2.0 Multi-media vessels designed for the water treatment industry with ASME Code Stamping at 100 PSIG and 150F, NSF-61/NSF-600 lining, and stock sizes from 36" to 60" diameter. Available as left-hand (duplex) or right-hand (standard) configurations.
• UTF Sight Glass Assemblies 3" x 12" 150 PSI sight window assemblies for visual inspection of tank contents, available in carbon steel (SA-516-70) and stainless steel (SA-240 304/304L and 316/316L), engineered for water treatment and industrial applications.
• Stock Tanks Pre-designed standard specification tanks for quick ordering, including DBT FLG series options for various industrial applications, distributed nationwide.
• 150 PSI Air Receivers Standard design air receivers rated for 150 PSI applications, distributed nationwide as part of the company's standard product line for compressed air systems.
• 650 PSI Air Receivers High-pressure standard design air receivers rated for 650 PSI applications, distributed nationwide as part of the company's standard product line for compressed air systems.
• Ladders, Platforms & Handrails Custom designed and built access and safety components (ladders, platforms, handrails) engineered to customer specifications for new or existing tanks and vessels.

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chart Industries, Inc. Public NYSE-listed manufacturer (GTLS) of cryogenic and industrial gas equipment, tanks, and process vessels — adjacent in fabrication capability and end-market overlap (chemical, energy) but operating at much larger scale.
• Trinity Industries, Inc. Public NYSE-listed industrial manufacturer (TRN) whose tank cars, barges, and structural steel product lines overlap heavily with Universal Tank's pressure-vessel and tank fabrication scope, but at substantially larger scale and with a broader product portfolio.
• Worthington Industries, Inc. Public NYSE-listed manufacturer (WOR) with a pressure-cylinders and engineered steel products business overlapping tank and pressure-vessel manufacturing; much larger, diversified across multiple industrial end markets.

Direct peers

• Kennedy Tank & Manufacturing Co., Inc. Indianapolis-based ASME pressure vessel and custom tank fabricator serving chemical, petroleum, and industrial customers across the Midwest — directly comparable in scale, certifications, and project mix.
• Custom Metalcraft, Inc. Collinsville, OK-based manufacturer of custom and standard stainless/carbon steel tanks and pressure vessels serving the same food & beverage, chemical, and industrial fluid handling markets as Universal Tank & Fabrication.
• Modern Welding & Heating Co. Midwest-rooted pressure vessel, tank, and structural fabrication company with multiple regional plants serving the same industrial water, chemical, and energy verticals.
• Bison Pro Inc. Sterling, IL-based ASME pressure vessel and custom metal fabrication shop; comparable custom-engineered pressure vessel work, similar Midwest location, and similar customer mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universal-tank-fabrication-llc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Universal Tank & Fabrication