The cities in central Iowa are growing, and with that comes an increased need for rock salt storage to assure the safety of roads during winter. Bret Hodne is the Public Works Director for the City of West Des Moines, and recently he noticed many of his regional agencies were unable to house the recommended tonnage of rock salt required annually. As road safety is of high importance to Hodne, he saw a need to find a large storage facility to hold the adequate salt supplies for easy access by all agencies. He reached out to the Metro Waste Authority who had space for the needed structures in Grimes, Iowa.
After considering the high cost and permanence of steel structures, Hodne began to inquire about fabric-covered buildings. Hodne spoke with other agencies, but the visibility of Accu-Steel at trade shows made his choice obvious. “It became clear to us very quickly that this was the highest quality product for our storage needs,” Hodne says. After much research Hodne installed two Pro-Advantage 84 ft. by 260 ft. and 84 ft. by 300 ft. Accu-Steel buildings.
“One of the primary reasons we chose Accu-Steel was due to their reputation and specifications for the buildings, and their hot-dip galvanization process,” Hodne explains. As de-icer products were the intended products for storage, corrosion was an important consideration. “Also with this being a regional location we could move the facility to another location if we were to be displaced,” he says. Hodne also explained the wind-load ratings were another factor in his decision to build an Accu-Steel structure.
High-Quality Fabric Building Storage from Accu-Steel
As the need for rock salt storage continues to grow, the ability to add on space to the structures was particularly appealing to Hodne. He also realized the ability to simply replace one panel, if necessary, was convenient and cost-effective. “This seems to be a very popular type of facility that many agencies are now constructing for this type of salt storage,” Hodne says.
Aesthetics was also an important component, as this building is located in a municipal environment. “We incorporated some color features in the tarp to make it look better,” Hodne says. His choice of desert tan was placed as end panels on each of the two buildings. Largely, Hodne has been satisfied with the options and customer service provided by Accu-Steel. “It was the efficiency and fortitude of Accu-Steel that made the process come together in the end. I’m impressed by their professionalism, and I feel comfortable picking up the phone,” he says.