Why GRP for Sun-Shade Enclosure Cabinet

Glass fiber reinforced polyester or GRP

INTERTEC uses a proprietary composite material of glass fiber reinforced plastic or glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) to construct protective enclosures, cabinets and shelters. The basic adaptability of this high-tech material enables the enclosures to fulfil one or more application-specific protective functions.

Strong, yet flexible and light

GRP has a similar strength to stainless steel but weighs about 75% less.
The performance of the base material is further enhanced by INTERTEC depending on the application. Increased wall thickness or double sandwich design and optimized fiber alignment allow the production of protective housings for measurement and analysis equipment with reinforcements at the edges/corners to withstand particularly heavy loads.

Resistance to heat and cold

Compared to metal, INTERTEC’s GRP composites offer 1000 times better heat resistance, making them capable of withstanding extreme temperatures. While the structural integrity of conventional materials suffers under very low or very high temperatures GRP can provide excellent stability even at -65°C and +80°C.The low thermal conductivity of GRP and the additional insulation of the walls also reduce the energy requirement for heating or cooling systems.

Corrosion resistance

Unlike metal housings, INTERTEC’s GRP composite material does not degrade in any significant way, guaranteeing a maintenance-free life of over 30 years. Modern coatings also give the polyester panels excellent protection against UV radiation and abrasion in dusty or sandy environments.
Even under extreme corrosive conditions, where the housing is exposed to sulfur, chlorine, sea salt, common petrochemicals or air pollutants, the material offers outstanding resistance.

Fire and explosion protection

Special designs of our GRP enclosures offer antistatic protection, blast overpressure protection and fire resistance. By embedding mineral wool between GRP panels, the enclosures can resist fire for up to 120 minutes. Our product withstood even a fire test with the requirements of ANSI UL 1709 – with a rapidly rising temperature curve typical of hydrocarbon fires.

Electromagnetic transparency

The composite material is also electromagnetically transparent to radio waves, which are used, for example, in the mobile phone standards LTG or 5G.
A housing made of GRP is therefore very well suited for antennas and systems in communication technology.