Insulation industry news from Global Insulation
US: Johns Manville has been named ‘Supplier of the Year’ for 2017 by Insulate America, an insulation contractor association. The award recognises companies for the overall value they provide to the organisation through technical expertise, customer support and lead referrals. Johns Manville has previously won the prize in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
“At a time marked by heightened competitive pressure, Johns Manville has demonstrated an unparalleled level of dedication and commitment to Insulate America. We are proud to recognize them yet again with this award,” said Insulate America President and chief executive officer (CEO) David Beam.
Insulate America is a cooperative group of locally owned, independent insulation contractors that provide and install insulation and other building products for residential and commercial construction. It is the largest independent insulation contracting organisation in the US with over 200 locations across the nation. Representatives from each of the locations vote on the ‘Supplier of the Year’ award.
US: Johns Manville has released its sixth sustainability report covering 2016 – 2017. The insulation and building materials producer says that it reduced its greenhouse gas emission intensity by 2.5%. It added that it has attained its goal to implement environmental management systems in all of its of North American and European plants three years early and had developed product category Environmental Product Declarations for its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and mechanical insulation materials. It also decreased its lost time incident rate by more than 50% in the reporting period.
US: Owens Corning’s insulation sales for the first quarter of 2018 has risen significantly followings its acquisition of Finland’s Paroc. Its net sales for its insulation business rose by 49% year-on-year to US$596m in 2018 from US$399m in the same period in 2017. Earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) rose to US$32m from US$5m. It completed its acquisition of Paroc Group, and its range of European mineral wool insulation production plants, on 5 February 2018.
US: The National Insulation Association (NIA) has appointed Daniel Bofinger as its president for 2018 – 2019. The appointment was approved following a vote by the NIA members at its 63rd Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida, which took place in mid-April 2018. Bofinger is the Regional Vice President–East of FBM-SPI, which is based in Tustin, California. He has worked for FBM-SPI and its legacy companies for over 35 years.
The executive committee of the NIA for 2018 – 2019 includes Dan Bofinger, FBM-SPI as president, Dana Vlk, Distribution International as president-elect, John Lamberton, Irex Contracting Group as secretary and treasurer, Dave Cox, Owens Corning as assistant treasurer and Darrel Bailey, Performance Contracting as the immediate past president.
Regional board members include Jim Gribbins, Gribbins Insulation Company representing the Central States Insulation Association (CSIA), Joe Leo, Atlantic Contracting & Specialties representing the Eastern States Insulation Contractors Association (ESICA), Jeffrey DeGraaf, Industrial Construction & Engineering representing the Midwest Insulation Contractors Association (MICA), Matt Caldwell, Caldwell Insulation representing the Southeastern Insulation Contractors Association (SEICA), Mike Feehery, FBM-SPI, representing the Southwest Insulation Contractors Association (SWICA) and Rick Sutphin, Performance Contracting representing the Western Insulation Contractors Association (WICA).
So called ‘At Large’ members include Michael G Benoit, General Insulation Company, Laura Wells Dover, Dover Insulation, Jake Erickson, Rockwool Technical Insulation, Reid (Huck) Finn, APi, John K Freeman, Petrin, Rudy Nigl, L & C Insulation and John Stevens, Thermal Solutions. Jack Bittner, Johns Manville/Industrial Insulation Group will be an associate member.
Bofinger has also selected Ronald King, NIA consultant and honorary member, and Steve Luse, Luse Thermal Technologies, as his past president advisors. NIA’s executive vice president and chief executive officer Michele M Jones and General Counsel, Gary Auman of Auman, Mahan & Furry, will be advising and counselling the executive committee and the board of directors.
American Chemistry Council warns of risk of US-Chinese trade war on polyurethane exports
05 April 2018US: Cal Dooley, the president and chief executive officer of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), has warned that a proposed Chinese response to US-imposed tariffs on imports of Chinese steel and aluminium could have negative implications for US exports of products including polyethylene.
“China is one of the US chemical industry’s most important trading partners, importing 11%, or US$3.2bn, of all US plastic resins in 2017. We are particularly concerned that 40% of the products to which China has assigned new tariffs are chemicals, including polyethylene, PVC, polycarbonates, acrylates, and others,” said Dooley in a statement. He added that nearly US$185bn in new chemical factories, expansions and restarts of facilities around the US are predicated on current tariff schedules, and market shifts caused by tariff increases may convince investors to do business elsewhere. He ‘strongly’ urged the US and China to reach an agreement.
US: Owens Corning has appointed Marcio Sandri as President, Composites with effect from 25 May 2018. Sandri will report to chairman and chief executive officer Mike Thaman. He succeeds Arnaud Genis who has decided to retire.
Sandri currently serves as Vice President, Global Strategy and Operations for the company’s Composites business. Prior to this role, he was Vice President and Managing Director of Glass Reinforcements, encompassing core glass fibre production, technical fabrics and specialty glass within the Composites business. He also had enterprise-wide responsibility for operations and supply chain activity. Since joining Owens Corning in 2000, Sandri had several commercial roles with responsibility for the US, Latin America, Canada, and Asia Pacific. Before Owens Corning, he worked at Dow Chemical in Latin America and the US.
Sandri holds a degree in chemical engineering from the Federal University of Parana and studied business administration at the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Huntsman to acquire spray foam producer Demilec
16 March 2018US: Huntsman Corporation has acquired Demilec, a manufacturer and distributor of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation systems for residential and commercial applications, from an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners for US$350m. The transaction is expected to close by the end of second quarter of 2018.
“Demilec has pioneered MDI SPF insulation and coating technologies for over 30 years, building a strong market reputation with architects, builders and designers. Demilec and the entire SPF industry has delivered strong double digit growth, which we expect to be sustained as their technology provides outstanding insulation performance in a world which is increasingly concerned with improving energy efficiency," said Tony Hankins, president of Huntsman's Polyurethanes division. He added that the company would be used to ‘aggressively’ expand the business into international markets.
Demilec has revenues of approximately US$170m/yr and two manufacturing plants located in Arlington, Texas and Boisbriand, Quebec where it produces a products from methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) based SPF formulations. It markets these directly to applicators as well as through distributors. Demilec specialises in both closed cell and open cell formulations, with a focus on products with renewable and recyclable content.
Owens Corning’s sales up by 12.5% to US$6.38bn in 2017
22 February 2018US: Owens Corning’s net sales rose by 12.5% year-on-year to US$6.38bn in 2017 from US$5.68bn in 2016. Its earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) rose by 5.4% to US$737m from US$699m. The building materials producer’s sales from its insulation division rose by 14.5% to US$2.00bn from US$1.75bn and its EBIT rose by 40.5% to US$177m from US$126m.
“Owens Corning had another great year. We were pleased by the continued momentum in our three businesses and the addition of Paroc and Foamglas to our portfolio,” said chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Mike Thaman.
US: Johns Manville (JM) has appointed Eric Cremer is the company’s new Chief Human Resources Officer with immediate effect. Cremer has worked for the past two years as Director of Human Resources for JM’s Engineered Products business. In his new role, Cremer will be responsible for all aspects of JM’s global human resources and communications organisation.
Cremer worked at Merck & Co, Agilent Technologies and Kraft Foods before joining Johns Manville in 2004. Over the next eight years he held a variety of human resource (HR) positions, including North America Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations, Senior HR Manager and Regional HR Manager in McPherson, Kansas. Cremer left JM in 2012 to work as Vice President of Human Resources at Vistar in Centennial, Colo. He returned to JM in 2016 and became a member of the Engineered Products leadership team. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Labour and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Owens Corning completes acquisition of Paroc
06 February 2018US: Owens Corning has completed its acquisition of Finland’s Paroc Group for Euro900m. Completion followed the US company obtaining all the necessary regulatory clearances to buy the mineral wool producer.
“We’ve had a strategic goal to broaden our product portfolio and diversify our geographic scope to better address our customers’ needs and support their growth. The acquisition of Paroc does both. We now have a leading position in Europe and in the global mineral wool business,” said Julian Francis, president of Owens Corning’s Insulation Business.