Phinma unit launches P700 million insulated panel plant in Pampanga

PORAC, Pampanga, Philippines - Union Insulated Panel Corp. (UIPC), a subsidiary of Phinma Corp., has launched a P700-million manufacturing facility in Porac, Pampanga, to expand local production of insulated panels and reduce reliance on imports.nt of essential facilities and infrastructure, UIPC can help businesses grow, preserve valuable resources and respond to the changing needs of Filipino industries and communities,” he said.

UIPC manufactures insulated panels for roofing, walls and cladding, particularly in cold-storage warehouses and food-processing facilities.

UIPC president and CEO Danielle del Rosario estimated that imports account for 40 to 50 percent of the insulated-panel market. While imported products have been cost-competitive, rising fuel costs and shipping delays create opportunities for local manufacturers.

“So how can people benefit? We can supply. We don’t have to import,” she told The STAR in an interview.

She said that local production could shorten lead times to one to two weeks, while imported orders may require buyers to commit funds around 60 days in advance.

“It’s cost-efficient because the line is high-volume and high-speed. We believe that we can really offer competitive prices,” she added.

The panels’ rigid polyisocyanurate foam core helps limit heat transfer, potentially reducing cooling requirements in temperature-controlled facilities.

UIPC estimates that its panels can cut energy consumption by as much as 30 percent and construction time by up to 50 percent, partly because the prefabricated components are designed for faster installation.

UIPC is studying a solar-and-battery system for the Porac facility to help stabilize its power supply and potentially allow off-grid operations.

She also cited cold-storage infrastructure as one way to mitigate the effects of Super El Niño on food supply.

“If produce doesn’t have a safe place to be stored, then it will go to waste or it will dry up,” she said. “Building food facilities, cold storage facilities, is definitely one of the ways that we can help (mitigate) the Super El Niño effect.”