Kingspan, a global leader in high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, has opened its new production line in Dubai which will manufacture UL 181-listed PalDuct phenolic pre-insulated duct panels.

The UL 181 represents a standard for safety and covers the materials in the fabrication of air duct systems. To get UL listed, the products are required to pass various tests by global safety certification company UL for: flame resistance; burning; mould growth and humidity test; impact; and leakage; to name a few, said a statement from the company.

The new manufacturing line at Kingspan Insulation’s manufacturing site situated at Dubai Investment Park 2 was inaugurated by Kingspan Group CEO Gene Murtagh along with Peter Wilson, managing director of Kingspan’s Insulation Division, and Sarmad Fakhri, managing director of Kingspan Insulation, in the presence of the company’s senior management and special guests.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Murtagh said: “This is one of the largest manufacturing facilities of UL 181-listed duct panels in the world. And our aim is to offer a local product with premium quality and faster delivery times, passing on savings from import costs to its customers in the UAE.”

Fakhri said with the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) industry now following ASTM E84 and UL 181 standards, there have been products entering the market with questionable credentials and traceability.

“Using Kingspan PalDuct phenolic pre-insulated ductwork, there is peace of mind for both clients and contractors that the product they receive is genuine and safe to install,” he added.

With premium performance and a rigid thermoset phenolic insulation core, Kingspan PalDuct phenolic duct panels are faced on both sides with a protective special reinforced aluminium faces, said Kingspan.

The core of panels has a fibre-free and closed-cell insulation core, which has been manufactured with a CFC/HCFC-free (chlorofluorocarbon/hydrochlorofluorocarbon -free) blowing agent that has zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP), it added.