Step into the future
How Dow is using big data monitoring to extend tank and basin service life
Technical editorial from Tank Storage Magazine – Summer 2025 issue
At its industrial site in Stade, northern Germany, Dow Chemical achieved a global first: the deployment of a fully integrated, multi-sensor structural health monitoring (SHM) system across its tank and containment infrastructure. Developed by Texplor Group and certified by the German TÜV inspection agency, this solution is reshaping how tank farms and basins are maintained – through real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and big data.
Instead of fixed inspection cycles, Dow now operates 24/7 monitoring via the TEX-Sky Monitoring Cloud. Following consultation with TÜV and Texplor, Dow received official approval to replace traditional inspections with continuous digital monitoring. The system collects synchronised data from sensors tracking movement, leakage, corrosion, and moisture – delivering real-time alerts and compliance-ready reports. The result: minimised risk, optimised maintenance, and extended asset life.
Four projects, one vision
What makes this deployment unique is its integration across four separate but connected infrastructure projects, all on the same site:
- A 4,000 m2 catch basin surrounding four large chemical tanks
- A 7,000 m2 concrete basin with a liquid liner system
- Two 3,500 m2 concrete basins, one newly built, the other retrofitted
- A 167 m2 saltwater tank, upgraded with leak detection
Each is monitored for critical parameters, transforming siloed inspection into a networked, holistic view of infrastructure health.
‘Texplor’s Multi-Sensor Monitoring is an innovative 24/7 system for equipment like secondary containments, tanks or waterproofing systems,’ says Manfred Nachbar-Zielinski, of Dow HWDTC.
‘It increases safety and enables the optimisation of inspection intervals.’
Cracks, settlement, and the cost of not knowning
The challenges were real: cracks forming in catch basin floors, tilt in tank structures, and the threat of undetected leaks. Located near the Elbe River, Dow’s site is exposed to groundwater and tidal fluctuations – factors that can subtly destabilise infrastructure over time.
Traditional five-year inspection cycles risk missing critical developments. Texplor collaborated directly with Dow’s inspection, safety, and maintenance teams to analyse risks and define monitoring zones, install sensor networks with minimal disruption, tailor the system for new and retrofitted structures, set up automated alert thresholds, and align reporting with TÜV and internal documentation standards. This close partnership ensured a fit-for-purpose solution and laid the groundwork for future sensor expansions.
Texplor’s system now gives Dow constant insight. Sensors for leakage (MSS), movement (TEXtant), corrosion, and moisture feed live data into the TEX-Sky Cloud. Dow engineers receive automated alerts and tailored monthly and annual reports, ensuring both rapid response and audit-proof documentation. In one case, the system detected a leak in a newly installed basin – even before it had been filled with liquid.
Maintenance efficiency
Dow’s most significant gain? Inspection flexibility. With TÜV-approved 24/7 monitoring, Dow no longer needs to halt operations every few years for manual checks. As Texplor CTO Bastian Merten puts it: ‘Instead of shutting down operations, customers simply review our data and move on.’
Over time, big data reveals more: settlement patterns, early corrosion signals, even minimal leakage – detected with millimetre resolution. This shift from reactive to predictive maintenance helps lower costs, extend equipment lifespan, and increase safety.
Designed for the future
Texplor’s system is modular and scalable. Additional custom sensors can be integrated into the central database at any time. Data can be integrated with SCADA and other digital platforms. Because Texplor develops and manufactures all system components in-house, customisation and client adaptation are built-in.
Texplor continuously refines its network architecture, software, and data tools to stay ahead of evolving industry demands. Planned and ongoing developments include:
- AI-supported pattern recognition: analyse and evaluation from big data sets or predictive maintenance
- Expansion of corrosion monitoring from trial to full deployment
- Adaptation of the MSS Leak Monitoring System for non-conductive liquids, such as oil and gasoline tanks
A smarter way to monitor
Texplor’s monitoring system at Dow was awarded the Gold Award for Emerging Technology at the 2025 Global Tank Storage Awards. It represents a shift away from rigid inspection cycles towards intelligent infrastructure management.For Dow, it’s no longer about ticking boxes; it’s about listening to what their assets are telling them. And acting early.
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Original article at Tank Storage Magazine
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