Insulated panels for COVID-19 vaccine storage facilities made with BASF material

Photo Credit: BASF

It might not be immediately obvious, but storage facilities are playing a big role in the fight against COVID-19, ensuring that vaccines are maintained in constant and reliable conditions, at temperatures as low as minus 70 degree Celsius, to maintain their potency. Which means that standard refrigerators definitely won’t cut it.

Which is why United Panel-System M Sdn. Bhd (UR), a leading Malaysian insulated panel, commercial and industrial refrigeration systems producer, now manufactures COVID-19 vaccine logistics facilities made with BASF’s Elastopir PH 1132/509/0, a polyurethane rigid foam insulation solution.

“Thanks to BASF’s Elastopir solutions, which provides extra-high temperature stability for the interiors, coupled with United Panel’s sound technological expertise for commercial refrigeration systems, we are able to produce high-quality COVID-19 vaccine storage facilities for our customers across Asia,” said Dato Sri Dr.Bee Loh from UR.

Sustainability is also an important benefit of BASF’s Elastopir solutions. Elastopir PH 1132/509/0 is a n-pentane-blown foam, with a low global warming and ozone depletion potential. Additionally, the solution aids lower energy consumption, increasing the facilities’ energy efficiency, an important consideration in many parts of Asia where electricity supply is hard to come by.

According to BASF officials, Elastopir has superior fire performance, which enhances the protection of these facilities against fires. It was also recently used to produce mobile medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities by Rinac India Ltd. to support India’s urgent need for more hospital beds during the pandemic.