U.S. Tank and Cryogenics Opens its Doors

City, County and State officials came together on Monday to take a tour of the newly-built U.S. Tank and Cryogenics facility located in the Lewisburg Business Park on Mooresville Highway.
Chairman and CEO of U.S. Tank and Cryogenics, Jim Brown, officially opened the doors to the facility during a ceremony on Monday with a plaque dedication and a tour. U.S. Tank and Cryogenics becomes the first facility to be in operation at the Lewisburg Business Park and applications for employment will be accepted beginning January 22, 2008.
Jim Brown, a native of Columbia, began his business in his garage by designing and constructing a vacuuming machine- a key component in tank refurbishing.
“The best insulation is a vacuum,” Brown explained during the tour.
From that one piece of machinery, Brown grew his tank refurbishing business into a huge success with a 40,000 sq ft. facility in Bradenton, Florida. Bringing his sons up into the business, Brown decided to relocate his company to Tennessee and chose Lewisburg as the place for he and his family to call home.
“I really want to thank my sons, Jonathan and Jimmy,” Brown said. “I kind of uprooted my family a little bit.”
U.S. Tank and Cryogenics refurbishes tanks used to store liquid forms of gases. The company can refurbish tanks from 40 liters in size to those the size of a railroad car. Currently, U.S. Tank and Cryogenics refurbishes between 700-800 tanks each month but the business is growing and soon the company expects to be refurbishing up to 1,800 units each month. Brown is even considering constructing another building next to the current facility in the Lewisburg Business Park to accommodate expected growth in his industry.
One of the reasons for the growth of U.S. Tank and Cryogenics may be explained by Brown’s background on a Navy submarine. He expects cleanliness in his facility and near-perfection from his employees and the work they do.
“We have a less than one-percent return rate,” said Brown.
With that kind of record, U.S. Tank and Cryogenics services tanks for over 100 companies nationwide and the company is currently in talks with several more including one of the largest distributors of CO2 in the world.
The opening of the facility in the Lewisburg Business Park is the first step in completing the vision the City of Lewisburg and the Industrial Development Board has for the park. With its close proximity to Exit 32 on I-65, the Business Park provides a prime location for industries and businesses to locate in Lewisburg.
“This has been a dream come true for our board and the park,” said Industrial Development Board Chairman Eddie Wiles. “Just think, this was once a cow field.”
Wiles spoke during the plaque dedication for U.S. Tank and explained to the guests all the planning and preparation it took between the City of Lewisburg, ECD Director Terry Wallace, the IDB and U.S. Tank and Cryogenics to make the opening on Monday possible.
“We had our ups and our downs along the way but I don’t think we can have a better first tenant than Jim Brown,” Wiles said.
Lewisburg Mayor Bob Phillips performed the unveiling of the plaque located at the entrance of the facility and congratulated the City of Lewisburg City Council, City Manager Eddie Fuller, ECD Director Terry Wallace, IDB Chairman Eddie Wiles and the members of the IDB and Jim Brown and U.S. Tank and Cryogenics for their efforts on the project.
“We can’t say enough about how happy we are to see this day,” said Mayor Phillips. “This has pushed our vision of development out toward the interstate and represents a great step forward for the future of the Lewisburg Business Park. We are so grateful to Jim Brown and his family for not only moving his business here but also his family. He has put his heart and his money into this community.”
City of Lewisburg ECD Director Terry Wallace welcomed members of the Tennessee Economic Development Department Jerry Merriman, Tommy Burns and Jamie Stitt as well as Sims Lance of the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association and County Mayor Joe Liggett.
“They make sure I have the tools I need to do my job,” Wallace said.
Wallace also thanked everyone at the Lewisburg City Hall for their assistance during the process of working with U.S. Tank and Cryogenics from initial talks to the construction of the building.
“They help to make my job so much easier working with me as they do,” Wallace said.
Finally, it was time for the Chairman and CEO of U.S. Tank and Cryogenics to welcome the guests to the ceremony.
“First of all, I have to thank Eddie Fuller,” Brown said. “He was behind this one hundred percent. I also thank Terry (Wallace) and the Mayor. And I really want to thank the ladies at City Hall. They have helped me out a lot. Lastly, I would like to thank the City of Lewisburg.”
U.S. Tank and Cryogenics is in the process of getting its operations up and running and is expected to be on schedule for the end of this month.

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US Tank Opening Group Pic
City, County and State Officials came to celebrate the official opening of U.S. Tank and Cryogenics in the Lewisburg Business Park on Monday. – Photos by Greg Lowe

US Tank Opening Mayor Unveils Plaque
Lewisburg Mayor Bob Phillips unveils the plaque at the entrance of U.S. Tank and Cryogenics to commemorate the occasion.

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