Heavybilt Manufacturing Inc of Coalgate (www.heavybiltmfg.com), Oklahoma, has launched a range of products known as Seismic Stabilizers to protect above-ground oil-storage tanks and vessels during earthquakes.

The company, which has a workforce of 35, has historically built tanks, bins and silos for a variety of industries.

Owner Steve Cody said: “The Seismic Stabilizer is designed to withstand the effects of a major earthquake — magnitude 6 on the Richter scale. Consisting of a steel skid, steel framing and steel plates, it provides a reinforced platform for an above-ground tank to sit on. The theory is that if the tank tries to topple over, the skid uses the weight in the tank to resist it.”