How to choose the right PIR System for real production needs in insulated panel manufacturing?

Puroxen 1800 vs 1750 vs PET 1200 — one market, different needs

Although PIR systems have become the industry standard in the production of insulated metal-faced sandwich panels, manufacturers are increasingly facing another important decision — selecting the system that best matches their production requirements and market expectations.

Today’s sandwich panel market is far more complex than it was just a few years ago. For some manufacturers, the key priority is the use of materials with the lowest possible thermal conductivity in order to achieve panels with the highest insulation performance. Others focus primarily on process stability, a wide processing window, and the safety of day-to-day production operations. An increasing number of producers are also paying close attention to production economics, line efficiency, and opportunities for cost optimization. At the same time, the market is becoming increasingly open to solutions that support sustainability goals and incorporate recycled raw materials.

This is precisely why Purinova has developed a range of systems designed to address specific market needs and different sandwich panel production models.

Three different approaches to PIR panel production

To address the diverse needs of sandwich panel manufacturers, Purinova continues to develop a portfolio of PIR systems designed for different production models and varying market expectations.

Puroxen 1800 was developed for manufacturers seeking the highest insulation performance, a very wide processing window, and maximum production process stability. Puroxen 1750, in turn, meets the needs of customers looking for the right balance between process stability, performance parameters, and production economics. Meanwhile, Puroxen PET 1200 responds to the growing market interest in solutions partially based on recycled raw materials and technologies supporting sustainability strategies.

Although all three systems belong to the group of modern PIR technologies for insulated panel production, each has been developed with different technological priorities and a distinct production approach in mind.

Puroxen 1800 — a Premium-Class System

Puroxen 1800 is the most advanced PIR system in Purinova’s portfolio, developed for manufacturers seeking the highest insulation performance and maximum production process stability. The system was created in response to the needs of the most demanding customers, for whom not only laboratory results matter, but also production reliability, consistent quality, and the long-term stability of panel properties. It is primarily chosen by companies that build their competitive advantage on the quality of the finished product and the long-term trust of end users.

Puroxen 1800 is the result of many years of market experience and close cooperation with sandwich panel manufacturers. Its refined formulation combines very low thermal conductivity with high cell stability, excellent dimensional stability, and strong adhesion to metal facings.

One of the system’s greatest advantages is its wide processing window. In practice, this translates into greater day-to-day production stability and reduced risk of issues caused by fluctuations in ambient temperature, differences in operator performance, or temporary process deviations. This is why Puroxen 1800 is often selected by manufacturers seeking maximum process reliability and a lower risk of product claims.

The advanced performance of the system is primarily driven by Purinova’s formulation expertise. The careful selection of surfactants, catalysts, and additives influences not only the final panel properties but also the stability of the entire production process.

Foaming technology is another key factor in premium PIR systems. Puroxen 1800 has been developed to work with virtually all foaming technologies commonly used in the market — from conventional pentane-based blowing agents, such as n-pentane, cyclopentane, and cyclopentane/isopentane blends, to modern next-generation HFO (hydrofluoroolefin) blowing agents.

This compatibility with a wide range of blowing agents allows manufacturers to optimize the system according to the specific requirements of their production line and the desired panel performance. The choice of blowing agent affects not only the production process itself, but also the final thermal conductivity and long-term stability of the system.

Puroxen 1800 has been on the market for more than 10 years and has been proven in industrial use by numerous sandwich panel manufacturers. Thanks to its high process stability and consistent quality, the system is characterized by a very low level of customer claims compared with many solutions available on the market.

Puroxen 1750 — the balance between performance and production economics

Puroxen 1750 was developed in response to the needs of sandwich panel manufacturers seeking a stable and reliable PIR system while maintaining favorable production economics. The system was designed for customers who do not necessarily require the lowest possible thermal conductivity values, but instead focus on stable processing, efficient production, and consistent panel performance.

Puroxen 1750 was not created as a simplified version of a premium system, but rather as a solution tailored to a different production model and a different set of market requirements. In practice, this means a distinct formulation approach designed for production lines where the key objective is to combine process stability with cost optimization.

The system has been developed to deliver very good fire and mechanical performance while maintaining a wide and stable processing window. This allows manufacturers to sustain high production line efficiency while reducing the risk of technological issues during day-to-day operations.

Puroxen 1750 is particularly well suited to markets where not only the quality of the system itself matters, but also the overall economics of the production process and the ability to remain competitive while maintaining consistent finished product quality.

Puroxen PET 1200 — a Sustainable direction for the PIR market

The construction industry is currently facing one of its greatest challenges in recent years: decarbonization and the reduction of the carbon footprint across the entire building sector. The European Union continues to introduce environmental and climate regulations that are increasingly influencing the insulation materials market and PIR system manufacturers.

Today, products are evaluated through a much broader lens than purely their technical performance. Increasing attention is being paid not only to the behavior of the finished sandwich panel, but also to the entire product life cycle — from the origin of raw materials and the manufacturing process to the recyclability of materials at the end of a building’s service life. At the same time, ESG strategies, sustainability reporting, and the way building material manufacturers operate and develop their businesses are becoming increasingly important.

In response to these evolving market requirements, Purinova developed Puroxen PET 1200 — a PIR system designed to support a more sustainable approach to insulated panel production. The system is halogen-free, meaning that halogen-based flame retardants used in some conventional formulations have been eliminated. Halogen-free solutions are increasingly recognized as a key direction in the development of modern insulation materials, not only because of their environmental benefits, but also due to their potential to improve workplace safety and reduce the use of substances that may become subject to increasingly restrictive regulations. For manufacturers, this provides an opportunity to develop more future-oriented solutions while maintaining the high performance expected from modern PIR systems.

The formulation contains 22% PET-derived recycled raw materials within the polyol blend, which translates into approximately 7% recycled content in the finished sandwich panel. By incorporating recycled feedstocks, the system supports the growing trend toward increasing the use of recycled materials in the insulation industry while maintaining the performance characteristics expected by sandwich panel manufacturers.

As environmental requirements from investors continue to grow and decarbonization policies reshape the construction sector, solutions such as Puroxen PET 1200 are no longer viewed as niche alternatives within the PIR market. Instead, they are increasingly becoming a mainstream direction for the development of advanced insulation systems and a response to the evolving expectations of the European construction industry.

Technological support as part of the System

In modern sandwich panel manufacturing, the PIR system itself is often only one part of the overall production process. Equally important today is the know-how behind the formulation, quality consistency, and day-to-day technical support.

Panel manufacturers have an in-depth understanding of their production lines, including their capabilities and limitations. Purinova’s role is to understand the chemistry of the entire process and support customers in achieving stable, safe, and repeatable production. Every production line operates under different conditions — varying in length, speed, equipment configuration, and process characteristics — which is why implementing a PIR system often requires an individual technological approach.

Technical support extends beyond the initial production start-up phase and includes ongoing process optimization, sample analysis, and continuous monitoring of quality consistency. An important aspect is also the proper selection of formulations, catalyst packages, and processing parameters tailored to the specific requirements of each production line.

Another key element of technical support is ensuring a high level of consistency between deliveries of the system. Even the most optimized production process can be affected if the properties of raw materials vary from one delivery to another. For sandwich panel manufacturers, system consistency has a direct impact on product quality, process repeatability, and overall production efficiency.

Maintaining this consistency is supported by extensive laboratory facilities and a multi-stage quality control process covering the raw materials and components used in PIR system production. Supplier qualification, verification of raw material parameters, and continuous monitoring of production processes help minimize the risk of unwanted deviations and ensure that customers receive a stable and consistent product.

In practice, this means that a modern PIR system is no longer just a formulation. It also represents consistent quality, technical expertise, and the ability to support customers in their day-to-day manufacturing operations.

One market – multiple strategies