A Ledbury firm hopes for more big orders after completing a £130,000 deal with Tesco for four massive fuel tanks.
The 12 metre long tanks are tough enough to stop a bullet. A unique concrete infill between two shells means they do not have to be buried below ground as fire risks, unlike conventional ones.
Ledbury Welding had just 16 weeks to build the 45,000 litre "SuperVault tanks". On Wednesday the 24 ton cylinders headed for Ramsgate ahead of schedule.
The order by Tesco for its Ramsgate filling station followed two years of talks.
An aquifer, or underground well at the site ruled out conventional buried fuel tanks, due to the risk of pollution.
The above ground fuel tank technology was pioneered in the USA, by a firm called Trusco Tank. Ledbury Welding has the sole manufacturing and licensing rights in Europe.
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