By BOBBY WARREN

Staff Writer

WOOSTER A local company at the forefront of high-performance fabrics used in military applications is poised to receive $1 million from the federal government to study the root causes of flexible storage tank failures.

The Seaman Corp. produces urethane-coated fabrics for other companies that fabricate the material into flexible fuel storage tanks for the military. The tanks range in size from holding 2,000 gallons of water or fuel up to a 210,000-gallon holding capacity, said Richard Seaman, president of the company.

U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Navarre, helped secure the funding for the project in the House of Representatives. The Senate is expected to approve the funding, which was included in the 2008 Department of Defense appropriations bill.

The Department of Defense has purchased flexible storage tanks from several suppliers and some have experienced failures, Seaman said.

"Because these products are used in combat areas, once one of the tanks were to fail, they replace tank very quickly. It's not a high priority to track where the failed product came from and what the root causes of the failures were," he added.

Consequently, no one can say whether the poor performance was a result of the fabric or the seams in the fuel tank bladders, Seaman said.

"We believe that our fabrics and our customers' fabricated tanks have performed well," Seaman said. "Our objective with this funding is to do the research required to identify and understand the root cause of failed tanks."

After engineers understand the root problem, they will then focus on the development work to provide the best quality fabric and fabrication techniques and processes that will assure cost-effective, high-performing flexible fuel storage and water tanks for the military, Seaman said.

"Congressman Regula was very helpful in recognizing this need and assisting in obtaining the funding for the research and development work we felt was necessary to accomplish these objectives," Seaman said. He had met with Regula to explain what the military was experiencing with the storage tanks.

"The Seaman Corp. is a long-standing family owned business in the 16th District," Regula said. "They have provided quality jobs and products for decades. Because of this funding they will have the opportunity to work with the Department of Defense to ensure the long-term durability and safety of the military fuel tanks."

Seaman said he expects the project, once funded, will take between 12-18 months. The company might add a couple of technical or engineering positions to help with it.

"I'm looking forward to moving forward with it, and we are grateful to the congressman to be able to provide this research funding, which is important to our troops in the field," Seaman said.

The fabrics have been used for storage tanks deployed in Iraq, and the military has used them for decades, Seaman said. In the 1980s, his company introduced urethane-based fabrics that replaced the older, heavier and more expensive rubber fabrics that were used to make the tanks.

Business and Wayne County government reporter Bobby Warren can be reached at (330) 287-1638 or e-mail bwarren@the-daily-record.com.