InPro Corporation® has forged a peace between designers who want elegant-looking walls and the facility crews who must maintain them. The company’s new Palladium™ Wall Panel System combines Edge Protectant Technology, or fully wrapped and bonded edges, with a balanced construction and Class-A Fire Rating to offer high-class looks without the high maintenance.
“We work with both designers and facility managers, so we know firsthand how their priorities can seemingly be at odds,” says Thomas Larwa, Senior Product Manager of InPro’s IPC™ division, which specializes in door and wall protection. “But really everybody wants the same thing: walls that look great and don’t require constant maintenance, even if they’re in high-traffic areas like hallways and lobbies. That’s precisely what our Palladium Wall Panel system offers.”
Most wall panels are constructed with surface material that is not bonded to the edges of their particleboard substrate. During installation, these edges are easily damaged when the surface material gets snagged or when the panels get dropped, and entire panels must be replaced. These non-bonded edges also expose the underlying particleboard to moisture damage from mold, mildew and bacteria growth.
InPro’s Palladium Wall Panels are specially manufactured with Edge Protectant Technology; their edges are fully wrapped and bonded for superior durability. Palladium Wall Panels also offer a unique “balanced construction” because the surface material is applied to the back of the particleboard as well. A balanced construction has proven to reduce warping and increase durability.
“We’re never ones to settle for anecdotal evidence, so we subjected our panels to a series of high-impact tests—both at a 45 degree angle to simulate dropping during maintenance, and head-on to simulate abuse once they’re installed,” said Larwa. “Where other panels cracked and deformed, ours withstood the abuse with minimal visible damage.”
Palladium Wall Panels have also achieved a Class A Fire Rating, making them eligible for use in all areas of the building, including egress areas such as stairwells and elevator lobbies.
“Too often, when it comes to creating inviting interiors and preventing constant and costly maintenance, we have to choose between one or the other,” says Larwa. “We developed Palladium Wall Panels to bring balance to this lopsided world. Now designers and building managers can both get what they want.”
IPC, a division of InPro Corporation, manufactures door & wall protection products that defend against never-ending maintenance and costly renovations—without comprising choice in materials. Based in Muskego, Wisconsin, InPro is the nation’s premier manufacturer of door and wall protection, washroom systems and commercial surfaces, expansion joint systems, privacy systems and architectural signage. Since 1979, the company has been making and servicing products with an obsessive commitment to protecting the appearance of buildings and the health and safety of the people who use them.
