Local Materials, Global Performance: Bond VIPs to Tiles, Stone and Façade Panels

Applications of VIP in Locally Made Materials

Premise: you already produce beautiful tiles, stone coverings or façade sheets. By bonding a flexible Vacuum-Insulation Panel (VIP) to those finishes, you turn them into high-performance, net-zero-ready products—without rebuilding your factory or thickening the wall.

Why this matters for the whole value chain

Manufacturers

Add a single bonding station and a QA step; keep kilns, saws and polishing lines exactly as they are.
Launch a premium thermal line with minimal capex; price on performance, not just appearance.

Developers

Offer luxury surfaces that actively cut HVAC load; market a verifiable running-cost advantage.
Protect net internal area: VIP adds millimetres, not centimetres.

Contractors

No crane penalty and no reveal rebuilds; same fixing families, same crews, faster programme.
Fewer clashes with MEP because depth does not change.

Distributors

A new category leader on the shelf: “thermo-tile / thermo-stone / thermo-panel” with a clear, quantifiable USP.

What actually gets bonded to what?

Porcelain and ceramic tiles (6–12 mm): VIP behind the tile for interior feature walls, lift lobbies, hotel corridors, kitchens and bathrooms where comfort and condensate control matter.
Natural stone (10–20 mm): VIP plus a protective backer to create lightweight, slimtherm stone panels for foyers and premium retail.
Fibre-cement / GRC / aluminium composite façades: VIP laminated to the inner face of the rainscreen cassette; the exterior face remains your standard finish.
Wood veneers and MDF skins (interiors): VIP with fire-rated backing for joinery pieces, exhibition walls and doors where you need a warm surface feel in winter.

In all cases, the visible face remains your local product; the VIP hides behind it.

How thin is “thin” in practice?

A typical stack for an internal wall finish:
8 mm porcelain tile + 4–6 mm VIP + 1–2 mm protective backer → ≈13–16 mm total—often no thicker than many decorative build-ups already used.
For a ventilated façade cassette:
6 mm fibre-cement face + 8–12 mm VIP + 1–2 mm metallic backer → ≈15–20 mm cassette depth, still light and crane-friendly.

What performance gain can you claim?

The VIP brings single-digit mW·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ conductivity to the assembly, so the composite thermal resistance jumps without a visible size penalty.
On west- and south-facing interiors, laminated VIP dampens afternoon heat ingress; on cold external walls it lifts internal surface temperature, cutting radiant chill and condensation risk.
In buildings with large conditioned areas, targeted use in corridors, cores and perimeter rooms reduces HVAC run-time—small percentages on vast areas produce material energy savings.

(We’ll give you project-specific U-value and heat-flux sketches for brochures, tenders and sales suites.)

Process: add a bonding station, not a new factory

1) Surface prep

Abrade or prime the back of the local finish.
Wipe with appropriate solvent; dust-free environment.

2) Adhesive choice

Two-part structural PU or epoxy with controlled exotherm to protect the VIP barrier film.
For façades, choose low-smoke, low-flame adhesives compatible with your fire strategy.

3) Lay-up

Place perimeter spacers to protect the VIP edge.
Apply adhesive in a full-coverage pattern (no voids).
Lay VIP, then protective backer; enter cold press (flat-bed) with light, even pressure.

4) Cure and trim

Maintain press for specified cure time.
Trim to size; add edge seals or U-profiles where needed.

5) Quality assurance

Mass check per panel to confirm adhesive consistency.
Tap-test / IR scan for voids; needle-probe or non-destructive gas permeability check on batches.
Record serial numbers for traceability; print data matrix on the reverse.

Cycle time for a small line: 2–6 minutes lay-up + cure off-line, allowing comfortable hundreds of m² per shift with two operators.

Design details that protect performance

No-penetration zones: fixings and clips must bypass the VIP; use cassette rails, kerfs, or backer-plate rivets outboard of the vacuum core.
Edge protection: metal or polymer edge trims prevent chipping and accidental puncture during handling.
Vapour and water management: for façades, keep the VIP on the dry side of the rainscreen; detail drips and breathers as usual.
Fire strategy: choose outer faces and backers to meet the required Euroclass for the application; the vacuum core has no oxygen, but the assembly classification is what counts.
Acoustics: the evacuated core reduces airborne sound through the panel; combine with perimeter seals to avoid flanking paths.

Installation: keep crews in their comfort zone

Interiors: set like a standard large-format tile using compatible adhesives; no special trowels, just respect edge trims and lifting methods.
Façades: use your existing cassette and rail systems; the panel weight and depth remain within familiar limits, so mastic lines, tolerances and bracket spacing are unchanged.
Aftercare: clean as per the visible finish; the VIP is sealed within and maintenance-free.

Commercials that make sense

Capex: flat-bed press, jigs, small-parts store, and QA tools—modest investment compared with a new kiln or autoclave.
Costing: the value lies in added performance; position as a premium thermal finish with long-life benefits, not a commodity tile.
Margin: incremental material cost is outweighed by price uplift and category leadership; distributors gain a clear reason to stock and promote.
Sustainability credentials: genuine operational energy reductions help clients hit ESG targets; your product becomes part of the net-zero pathway, not just an aesthetic choice.

Use-case sketches (so you can brief sales and specifiers)

Hotel corridors (Doha): porcelain-VIP panels on corridor exteriors reduce afternoon heat creep; night HVAC set-points can be nudged up without comfort complaints.
Residential towers (London): slimtherm stone in living rooms on cold façades lifts wall surface temperatures, cutting radiant chill near sofas without stealing floor area.
Retail façades (Milan): fibre-cement-VIP cassettes keep display zones temperate; HVAC fan speeds drop, improving acoustic comfort at the storefront.
Hospitals (Riyadh): hygienic wall cladding with laminated VIP stabilises temperatures in waiting areas and reduces condensation risk around chilled beams.

Risks and how we manage them

Puncture: prevented by backers, trims and handling jigs; modules are replaceable if damaged.
Adhesive incompatibility: we supply compatibility tables; cure temperatures are kept below barrier-film limits.
On-site drilling: not permitted through the VIP zone; we provide fixing maps and access panels.
Certification: we align assemblies with relevant European and international test methods for thermal, fire and durability; project files are available for tender packs.

How to start in four steps

Pick a hero SKU (e.g., 600 × 1200 porcelain, 10 mm stone, or your best-seller façade plate).
Run a 50 m² pilot on your standard line with our bonding kit; we’ll attend the first shift.
Instrument a wall bay: log inside-surface temperatures and corridor HVAC duty before/after.
Launch with proof: publish the thermal sketch, installer guide, and maintenance note; train distributors.

Ready to add a thermal engine to your beautiful surfaces?

Contact our Customer Service Team for bonding kits, adhesives, jigs, and a starter QA protocol—plus performance sketches for your catalogue.
Prefer a technical deep-dive? Email or phone Professor Saim Memon to review finishes, fire strategy, and target markets.
Explore specifications, purchasing steps, videos and FAQs at www.sanyoulondon.com.

One small station. One new product family. Local craft meets advanced insulation—delivering finishes that look premium and perform like tomorrow.