Panel Systems, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of bespoke sandwich panels has seen a huge surge in demand for Thermhex, an innovative polypropylene honeycomb material which was launched into the UK market at the beginning of 2013.
The company, which is the UK distributor for the product, has secured a series of major contract wins for Thermhex for applications in the commercial vehicle and caravan industry where the material offers substantial weight savings over traditional materials such as plywood. The low density of Thermhex results in a weight saving of over 85% on a like for like thickness of plywood.
The innovative new material has recently received official approval from Germanischer Lloyd, the independent advisory body for the maritime industry, for use in shipbuilding. Thermhex is proving popular with shipbuilders who are keen to find ways to reduce the weight of their boats without sacrificing strength or durability.
Chris Ibbotson, Managing Director of Panel Systems, explains: “Businesses in the commercial vehicles and marine sector are looking to take weight out of their products. Thermhex combines strength and durability with low weight to provide major benefits. We have secured some major contracts already, with customers taking advantage of our bespoke design and fabrication capabilities.”
Panel Systems offers a bespoke structural bonding and fabrication service, with the expertise to work with a wide range of facing materials, such as metals, plastics, timber and decorative laminate. The company has CNC routers with a bed size of 3600mm x 1500mm allowing for the production of flexible designs and panel shapes.
A standard sheet size of 2500mm x 1250mm is available, or the material can be cut to bespoke sizes up to a maximum of 6000mm x 1400mm. It is also available in a range of different core densities to suit specific project requirements, with core thicknesses from 3.5mm to 30mm.
Thermhex is already well established as a material of choice across mainland Europe for applications ranging from automotive, truck bodies, the marine industry, OEM, industrial equipment and caravan markets.
Manufactured in Germany in an innovative, patented process which ensures rigidity in terms of its mechanical strength, as well as stability, ThermHex is also resistant to chemicals and moisture. ThermHex is 100% recyclable, as part of ensuring ethical and sustainable sourcing of materials.
Panel Systems has over 35 years’ experience in providing standard and bespoke sandwich panels to a wide range of industries. The company has extensive warehouse and distribution facilities and can deliver anywhere in the UK, or collection can be arranged from its premises close to the M1 Junction 31 Sheffield.
