Economic growth triggers demand for more cost-efficient construction, which will help new-age materials expand further in both domestic and international markets. 

One of the Vietnamese firms well poised to take advantage of this is the Phuong Nam Soundproofing Insulating Co. which aims to expand use of its flagship product, Pisocy panels, in both domestic and overseas markets.

Senior company officials say the growing economy has created momentum for a surge in industrial parks, factories, cold storage facilities, high-tech workshops and so on, meaning increased construction activity with higher demand for new-age materials that reduce costs and construction time while maintaining quality. This, in turn, creates market opportunities for light weight, environmentally friendly materials such as heat insulation and fireproofing panels.

Giap Van Thanh, General Director of the Phuong Nam Soundproofing Co., said that their insulation panels provide practical solutions for large-scale projects such as factories and warehouses. "The construction process can be streamlined by insulation, helping cut installation costs and enabling factories to begin operations quickly."

Giap Van Thanh (middle), General Director of the Phuong Nam Soundproofing Co.
Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

"The fireproof and insulation qualities are other strengths that help increase safety for workers and investors in the construction process while saving electricity and creating a ventilated working environment. As an environmentally friendly material, it is also in line with the trend of sustainable development," Thanh said.

He said that by 2021, the demand for insulation panels in Vietnam would reach 10.5 million square meters.

In October last year, Phuong Nam started operating its second factory, specializing in manufacturing high-tech panels at the Tan Phu Trung industrial park, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City.

With a total investment of over $10 million, the 25,000 square-meter factory was completed in just three months thanks to the use of lightweight materials, fireproof panels and prefabricated steel frame structure. This fireproof panel manufacturer has also achieved the LEED Gold V4 certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Phuong Nam's fireproof panel factory at N5 Street, Cu Chi Industrial Zone, HCMC.
Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

Starting with an output of 37,000 m2 of panels each day, or 20 percent of its capacity, the factory has gone on to regular operation at 60-80 percent of capacity.Phuong Nam deploys two modern European technology production lines under the supervision of foreign experts, with a maximum capacity of more than 13 million m2 of insulation panels, clean room panels and cold storage panels per year.

"The factory and its flagship product, Pisocy panels which can replace traditional building materials, help us use new technology and build up a strong position in a market with great growth potential," said Thanh.

He said Phuong Nam will continue to invest in upgrading its production lines, automating the erection of tole, creating clamped edges and the insertion of spray foam.

In the process of creating a polyisocyanurate insulation core, Phuong Nam uses a high-tech five-component injection machine instead of manual pumping and foaming, helping the foam core fit smoothly with cells with density of 99 percent, addressing disadvantages of condensation, air bubbles in the foam core, he explained.

"The density of PIR foam of 45 - 48 kg per m3 covers all positions inside and increases the rigidity and adhesion between the two corrugated layers with a polyisocynurate foam core," he added.

Chosen by prestigious projects

The Sunshine aerospace components factory, invested by the Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC Group), the U.S, was completed at the Da Nang High-tech Park by the end of March. Its whole bulkhead system uses Pisocy panels made by Phuong Nam.

With a total investment of $170 million, the project brings a modern appearance to the Da Nang Hi-tech Park. "Looking from above, it is a shining structure with all the walls and the roofs of the factory made of white panels," Thanh said.

He said the panels are applied for a variety of constructions because of its toughness, stability, light weight and high insulation coefficient. Panels ensure deep cold storage up to minus 50 degrees Celsius, preventing both heat loss and freezing, resistant to up to 180 minutes at 300 degrees Celsius.

Phuong Nam's Pisocy panels were used to build a factory of the U.S.-based
Universal Alloy Corporation at the Da Nang Hi-tech Park.

"We expect the product not only to stand firmly in the domestic market but also cater to Southeast Asian countries and other high-end markets such as the U.S., Japan, Korea, Australia, European countries."For this year, the company would focus on working with foreign distributors, especially large industrial construction corporations in advanced countries, with the intention of expanding international markets, Thanh said.