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 panels, manufacturers are increasingly facing the next stage of decision-making — selecting the system best suited to their production specifics and market expectations.

Today’s sandwich panel market is far more complex than it was just a few years ago. For some customers, achieving the lowest possible thermal conductivity and the highest insulation performance is the key priority. Others focus primarily on production stability, a wide processing window, and the safety of day-to-day manufacturing operations. A growing number of manufacturers are also paying close attention to process economics, production efficiency, and cost optimization. At the same time, the market is becoming increasingly open to sustainable solutions and the use of recycled raw materials.

This is exactly why Purinova’s portfolio includes different systems designed to address specific market needs and various 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 safety, consistent quality, and the long-term stability of panel performance. It is a solution primarily chosen by companies building their market advantage on the quality of the final product and the long-term trust of end customers.

Puroxen 1800 has been developed and proven on the market over many years. Thanks to the experience gained through cooperation with numerous panel manufacturers, the system has been designed to combine very low thermal conductivity with high cell stability, good dimensional stability, and reliable adhesion to metal facings.

One of the system’s greatest advantages is its wide processing window. In practice, this means greater day-to-day production stability and reduced risk of problems caused by factors such as changes in ambient temperature, differences in operator performance, or temporary process deviations. This is why Puroxen 1800 is very often selected by manufacturers seeking maximum process reliability and reduced risk of product claims.

The advanced nature of this system results primarily from Purinova’s formulation know-how. 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 also of great importance in premium systems. Puroxen 1800 was developed to work with virtually all of the most commonly used blowing agent technologies on the market — from conventional pentanes such as n-pentane, cyclo-/isopentane blends, or pure cyclopentane, to modern next-generation HFO (hydrofluoroolefin) blowing agents.

Compatibility with a wide range of blowing agents allows manufacturers to optimize the system for specific production line requirements and the desired final panel properties. The choice of blowing agent affects not only the production process itself, but also the final thermal conductivity and overall system stability.

Puroxen 1800 has been present on the market for more than 10 years and has been validated by numerous sandwich panel manufacturers. Thanks to its high process stability and quality, the system is characterized by a very low level of customer claims compared to 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 panel manufacturers seeking a stable and reliable PIR system while maintaining favorable production economics. The system was designed for customers who do not always require extremely low thermal conductivity values, but instead focus primarily on stable processing, good production efficiency, 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 different market needs. In practice, this means a completely different formulation approach and a system adapted to production lines where the key priority is combining process stability with cost optimization.

The system has been developed to provide very good fire and mechanical performance while maintaining a wide and stable processing window. As a result, manufacturers can sustain high production line efficiency and reduce the risk of technological issues during everyday operation.

An important aspect is also the system’s resistance to process variability and its ability to maintain consistent production quality under different operating conditions. For many manufacturers, process predictability and everyday production reliability are now becoming just as important as the final panel properties themselves.

Puroxen 1750 responds very well to the needs of a market 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 stable finished-product quality.

Puroxen PET 1200 — a Sustainable direction for the PIR market

Today, the construction industry faces one of its greatest challenges in recent years — decarbonization and reducing the carbon footprint of the entire building sector. The European Union continues to develop environmental and climate regulations that increasingly impact the insulation materials market and PIR system manufacturers.

Products are now being evaluated far beyond their technical performance alone. Increasingly important is not only how the finished sandwich panel performs, but also the entire product life cycle — from the origin of raw materials, through the manufacturing process, to the recyclability of materials at the end of a building’s service life. At the same time, ESG strategies, non-financial reporting, and the way construction material manufacturers operate and develop are becoming increasingly significant.

Puroxen PET 1200 is Purinova’s response to these changing market expectations — a PIR system developed with a more sustainable approach to insulated panel production in mind. The system is halogen-free, meaning that halogen-based flame retardant additives used in some traditional formulations have been eliminated. Halogen-free solutions are increasingly seen as the future direction of modern insulation materials due to their more favorable environmental profile and the potential for reduced smoke emissions during fire exposure.

The formulation contains 22% recycled PET-based raw materials within the polyol blend, which translates into approximately 7% recycled content in the finished sandwich panel. As a result, the solution supports the development of more sustainable technologies in the insulation materials industry while maintaining the performance parameters expected by sandwich panel manufacturers.

The growing importance of environmental requirements from investors, along with decarbonization policies within the construction sector, means that solutions such as Puroxen PET 1200 are no longer considered a niche addition to the PIR market. Increasingly, they are becoming a fully recognized direction for the development of modern insulation systems and a response to the evolving expectations of the European construction market.

Technological support as part of the System

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

Panel manufacturers know their production lines, capabilities, and limitations very well. 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 system often requires an individual technological approach.

Technological support includes not only the production start-up phase, but also further process optimization, sample analysis, and ongoing quality stability control. An important role is also played by the proper selection of formulations, catalyst packages, and processing parameters tailored to a specific production line.

The stability of PIR systems is also supported by extensive laboratory facilities and strict quality control of the raw materials used in production. This applies not only to polyols themselves, but also to catalysts, surfactants, flame retardants, and other components affecting the final system properties. Supplier control, raw material quality analysis, and continuous process monitoring help reduce the risk of production issues and minimize the level of customer claims.

In practice, this means that a modern PIR system today is not just the product itself, but also technological expertise, experience, and the ability to support customers in their daily production operations.

One market – multiple strategies