Eastman, Georgia - SIP Supply llc of Eastman has bought Insulated Component Structures Inc, which makes structural insulated panels (SIPs) and panel components. ICS also holds a patent for a panel corner system, which is "three times stronger than any other on the market," said a press statement from SIP Supply. No finanial details of the acquisition were released. "We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to purchase ICS," said Mr Simpson, SIP Supply's ceo, in the company statement. "They had developed and tested the ICS product line extensively, resulting in a premium SIP product, which fit our business model for quality product."ICS's former ceo Andrew Hansen remains available as a consultant for further technology integration, while continuing to manufacture at his plant in North Carolina, the statement added. SIP Supply, which makes polyurethane-based SIPs for construction of energy efficient residential and commercial projects, said its products have "enabled Americans to own homes and businesses that cost half as much to heat and cool and at the same time, live and work in structures that provide safety and protection from elements which were, in the past, formidable." "When you have a building that can save you 50 percent on your heating and cooling and withstand winds up to 200 mph, it's a no-brainer," said Roy Mullins, SIP builder and ceo of Energy Efficient Panel Homes llc, in the SIP Supply announcement. This acquisition of ICS positions SIP Supply to become "the most progressive structural insulated panel producers in the nation," through combining SIP Supply's unique polyurethane panels with ICS's patented corner system and technologies, the statement added. SIP Supply structural insulated panels with rigid polyurethane foam cores, have "premium thermal efficiency, structural integrity and design flexibility," the company claims. The firm adds that it specialises in fulfilling large-volume orders from its high-production plants in California and Georgia, while remaining "price competitive for single dwelling projects."ICS makes easy-to-assemble building components as alternatives to conventional building methods and also offers factory licenses in the US. It currently has independent licensed factories operating in Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, Louisiana and Maine.PIC: SIPS are used in roofing as well as for walls in the US house-building sector. "