High-performance insulation material SLENTEX has been applied in industrial applications for the first time. The flexible, non-combustible construction solution was adopted in the interiors of close to 400 square meters of pipes, valves, and flanges in BASF’s manufacturing plant located in Ulsan, Korea. 

“At our Ulsan plant, we are constantly exploring ways to lower the maintenance cost of our machinery and auxiliary equipment. One of the areas that we looked into was how we could better insulate our steel and metal equipment from adverse environmental effects. Also, to reduce pipe maintenance costs caused by corrosion under insulation,” said Sun Jung Yoo, Site Manager of BASF’s Ulsan manufacturing plant. “Thanks to SLENTEX’s nano-porous aerogel structure and water vapor diffusion [µ ~ 5] feature with hydrophobic surface, there is a reduction of condensation on the pipes. It increases their durability and usability. Over time, we also lower operating and maintenance costs with reduced downtime in our plant.”

The innovative aerogel material solution provides several other advantages. Compared to some other aerogels, SLENTEX has a more consistent surface, thickness, and robust property.

“The versatility and high-performance properties of SLENTEX make it suitable for a wide range of insulation applications in the manufacturing and construction industries. In addition to industrial pipes, we are also exploring its usage for the cryogenic and shipping industries,” said Rohit Ghosh, Head of Business Management Construction Industry, Performance Materials Asia Pacific. “In Asia, we have successfully installed SLENTEX in a residential project that Hokushu adopted for external thermal insulation in its new Passive House in Japan.”