LP Cylinder Service

What LP Cylinder Service does

LP Cylinder Service, Inc. is a US-based industrial services company specializing in the refurbishment, recertification, and remarketing of propane cylinders and tanks. Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Shohola, Pennsylvania, the company operates two purpose-built campuses (53 acres and 17 acres) that store customer assets during service and house hydro-testing, shot-blasting, coating, and valve-installation equipment. Its core offerings are an 8-step DOT cylinder recertification service that returns out-of-date portable propane cylinders to DOT compliance, a 10-step ASME tank refurbishment service for permanently installed vessels ranging from 120 to 2,000 gallons, and a line of on-site manufactured polypropylene lids and universal domes. It also distributes new steel tanks sourced from sister manufacturers Quality Steel Corporation and Buckeye Fabricating Company.

The company's commercial model is B2B services-plus-hardware for the US propane industry. DOT recertification is mandated every five years after a cylinder's 12-year mark, creating a non-discretionary recurring revenue base anchored to commercial propane dealer fleets. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; customers engage regional sales managers by territory or, for export, a dedicated international sales representative. The company bundles round-trip transportation (air-ride trailers with lift gates for cylinders, flatbeds for ASME tanks) with its refurbishment services. Marketing is conducted primarily through trade-show presence (NPGA Southeastern Convention and International Propane Expo, Eastern Energy Expo) and active membership in national and regional propane associations.

LP Cylinder operates as a subsidiary of LT Corporation, a Cleveland, Mississippi-based ESOP holding company it joined in 2019. LT Corporation owns sibling companies in adjacent manufacturing (Quality Steel, Buckeye Fabricating, Kryton Engineered Metals, Tate Metalworks, LT Logistics, Tanco Engineering) and deployed capital into Kryton and Tate Metalworks during 2023. The company emphasizes 100% US-made parts and components, an employee-ownership culture, and proprietary coating technology that it claims outlasts the recertification cycle, positioning itself as a quality leader in a niche industrial services market.

Name

LP Cylinder Service

Legal name

LP Cylinder Service, Inc.

Website

https://lpcylinder.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LP Cylinder Service is a US propane cylinder and tank refurbishment specialist, providing DOT recertification and ASME tank refurbishment services, on-site polypropylene accessories, and new tank distribution to commercial propane companies, operating as an ESOP subsidiary of LT Corporation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Shohola

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. DOT Cylinder Repair & Recertification: Services returning out-of-date portable propane cylinders to optimum performance according to DOT standards. Includes round-trip transportation, eight-point refurbishment process, and recertification extending cylinder life for additional 5-year cycles.
2. ASME Tank Refurbishment: Refurbishing services for permanently installed propane vessels ranging from 120 to 2000 gallons. Ten-step process returns tanks in like-new condition with premium components including polyester powder coating, methanol additive, and new valves.
3. New Steel Tanks Sales: Company serves as distribution partner for new propane storage tanks and vessels through affiliated manufacturers Quality Steel Corporation and Buckeye Fabricating, which manufacture aboveground, underground, and pressure vessels.
4. Polypropylene Accessories: Manufactured on-site polypropylene lids and domes for propane vessels. Universal lids feature anti-static, U/V resistant, wind-resistant design. Universal domes fit 120-1000 gallon tanks. Available in multiple colors and ready to ship.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

LP Cylinder Service refurbishes and recertifies portable DOT propane cylinders and permanently installed ASME propane tanks (120-2000 gallons) through proprietary multi-step processes that restore assets to like-new condition and extend their DOT/ASME compliance life. The company also manufactures polypropylene lids and universal domes on-site and distributes new steel propane tanks through affiliated manufacturers Quality Steel Corporation and Buckeye Fabricating, serving commercial propane operators across the US and internationally.

Product overview

LP Cylinder Service is a propane cylinder and tank refurbishment company offering DOT cylinder repair and recertification services, ASME tank refurbishment (120-2000 gallons), and proprietary polypropylene accessories (lids and universal domes). The company also distributes new steel tanks through affiliated manufacturers. All services emphasize 100% USA-made parts and DOT/ASME compliance standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DOT Cylinder Repair & Recertification Service that returns out-of-date portable propane cylinders to optimum performance and recertification per DOT standards, using an eight-step process including inspection, pin hole repair, computerized hydro-testing, automated steel shot-blasting, proprietary coating, new Rego valve installation, methanol addition, vacuum purging, protective netting, and polypropylene lid. Includes round-trip transportation and extends cylinder life for additional five-year cycles. Targets commercial propane companies with DOT cylinder fleets.
• ASME Tank Refurbishment Refurbishment service for permanently installed propane vessels ranging from 120 to 2000 gallons. Ten-step process includes de-valving, vacuum residual extraction, internal visual inspection, shot-blasting, external inspection, polyester powder coating, new valve installation, air testing, and vacuum-purged shipment on air-ride flatbed trailers, returning tanks to like-new condition. For commercial propane operators with permanent ASME tank fleets.
• Polypropylene Lids On-site manufactured polypropylene cylinder lids featuring anti-static design for spark safety, U/V resistant material, wind-resistant snap-on stay-on design, universal hinge, and performance rated to -20F. Available to commercial propane operators as replacement or upgrade accessories.
• Polypropylene Universal Dome On-site manufactured universal polypropylene dome that fits 120 to 1000 gallon ASME tanks in a single size, U/V resistant, performance rated to -20F, available in 7 colors. Designed to fit multiple tank sizes and provide a distinct visual presence for propane fleets.
• New Steel Tanks Distribution of new propane storage tanks and pressure vessels sourced from affiliated manufacturers Quality Steel Corporation (aboveground, underground, dispenser tanks, ammonia tanks) and Buckeye Fabricating (ASME pressure vessels, storage tanks, jacketed tanks, test chambers). LP Cylinder acts as the sales partner channel for residential, commercial, small industrial, and agricultural propane users.

Quantifiable outcome

• Refurbished tanks often outlast the recertification cycle due to proprietary coating

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Tate Metalworks, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2023Tate Metalworks, founded in 1972 and operating from Spartanburg, South Carolina, is an industry-leading specialty shop fabricator and field erector of welded steel storage tanks and pressure vessels. LT Corporation (parent of LP Cylinder) acquired substantially all assets of Tate Metalworks in May 2023. Tate serves heavy industrial clients primarily in the Southeastern United States with reach across the U.S.
• Kryton Engineered Metals, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 January 2023Kryton, founded in 1981 and operating from Cedar Falls, Iowa, is an industry leader in engineered metal services focused on cut it, form it, and fab it operations. LT Corporation (parent of LP Cylinder) completed stock acquisition of Kryton in January 2023. Kryton is one of America's most prominent producers of metal spinning products and providers of fabrication solutions serving multiple industries.
• Quality Steel CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of LT Corporation family of companies. Quality Steel is a U.S. manufacturer of aboveground and underground propane, ammonia, and dispenser tanks and pressure vessels with facilities strategically located in Mississippi, Ohio and Utah. Serves residential, commercial, small industrial, and agricultural use. LP Cylinder serves as sales partner for new steel tanks from Quality Steel.
• Buckeye Fabricating CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of LT Corporation family of companies. Buckeye Fabricating is an engineering master in manufacture of ASME pressure vessels, storage tanks, jacketed tanks and test chambers serving water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, green energy, chemical, process heating, aerospace, and mining industries. LP Cylinder serves as sales partner for new tanks through this relationship.
• LT CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLT Corporation, established in 1982 and headquartered in Cleveland, Mississippi, is the parent company of LP Cylinder Service and other operating companies including Quality Steel Corporation, Buckeye Fabricating Company, and Kryton Engineered Metals. LP Cylinder joined the LT Corporation family of companies in 2019. LT Corp. is an ESOP company.
• National Propane Gas Association (NPGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLP Cylinder is an active member of NPGA, the national trade association for the propane industry. Company participates in NPGA events including the Southeastern Convention and International Propane Expo and Women's in Propane Council.
• Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLP Cylinder is an active member of the Propane Education & Research Council, which focuses on propane safety, training, and research in the propane industry.
• State and Regional Propane Gas AssociationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLP Cylinder maintains active memberships in regional propane associations including Propane Gas Association of New England (PGANE), Pennsylvania Propane Gas Association (PAPGA), New York Propane Gas Association (NYPGA), New Jersey Propane Gas Association (NJPGA), Vermont Fuel Dealers Association, Middle Atlantic Section PGA, and Southeast Propane Alliance. Company representatives attend various state and regional meetings throughout the year.
• Young GassersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLP Cylinder is an active member of Young Gassers, an organization for young professionals in the propane industry focused on networking, education, and industry advancement.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Clean Harbors: Large environmental and industrial services company serving similar industrial customers with maintenance and specialty services. Comparable as an industrial services provider serving similar customer types, though much larger and more diversified across multiple industrial segments.
• Chart Industries: Manufacturer of cryogenic and industrial gas equipment serving the propane/LPG industry with related storage and handling equipment. Comparable as a manufacturer of equipment and storage solutions for the propane/LPG industry, though focused on cryogenic equipment rather than tank refurbishment services.
• Heritage-Crystal Clean: Industrial services company providing specialized maintenance, cleaning, and waste services to industrial customers across multiple end markets. Comparable as an industrial services business with recurring customer relationships, though operating in different end markets and service categories.
• Enviri Group: Industrial services and engineered products company (formerly Harsco) serving industrial customers with on-site services and equipment. Comparable as an industrial services provider serving similar industrial customer base, though much larger and more diversified across global industrial markets.

Direct peers

• Worthington Industries: Major manufacturer of propane cylinders, pressure vessels, and steel processing with substantial market presence in the propane industry. Direct peer as both serve commercial propane companies with cylinder and tank products, though Worthington is significantly larger and more diversified across multiple industrial segments.
• Sharpsville Container Corporation: Pressure vessel and custom metal fabrication manufacturer serving industrial customers with ASME-coded products and storage tanks. Direct peer as a niche manufacturer of similar products for industrial applications with comparable customer types and technical capabilities.
• Manchester Tank: Propane tank manufacturer now owned by Worthington Industries, serving commercial propane dealers with new tanks. Direct peer in the propane tank product category with similar customer base, though focused on manufacturing new tanks rather than refurbishment services.

Others

• Tate Metalworks: Sister company under LT Corporation; specialty fabricator of welded steel storage tanks and pressure vessels serving heavy industrial clients primarily in the Southeastern US. Related as ecosystem participant within the same corporate family, with overlapping product lines in industrial tank fabrication.
• Buckeye Fabricating Company: Sister company under LT Corporation; manufactures ASME pressure vessels, storage tanks, and specialty fabrications serving water treatment, oil and gas, chemical, and industrial customers. Related as ecosystem participant within the same corporate family, with similar manufacturing capabilities and customer overlap in industrial tank fabrication.
• Quality Steel Corporation: Sister company under LT Corporation; manufactures new aboveground and underground propane tanks, ammonia tanks, and pressure vessels with facilities in Mississippi, Ohio, and Utah. Related as ecosystem participant within the same corporate family, with overlapping product lines and customer base within the propane industry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lp-cylinder-service-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 LP Cylinder Service