BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) has partnered with Shandong Wiskind Steel Building Stock (Boxing, Shandong / China; www.wiskindsteelstructure.com) to develop insulating PU sandwich panels for refrigerated spaces in the cold chain and farming sectors in China. The German group will contribute R&D of "Elastopir" polyurethane foams, while Wiskind will manufacture the panels.

Both companies plan to explore joint marketing opportunities for these products, which are used in freezer chests and truck trailers in the cold chain to keep food fresh as well as refrigerated warehouses or livestock buildings. Wiskind uses lines from Italian machinery manufacturer the Bradbury Group Pu.Ma. (Bagnoli di Sopra; www.bradburygroup-puma.com) to manufacture its sandwich panels.