Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Spain: Ireland-based Kingspan has acquires mineral wool-based sandwich panel producer Invespanel. Invespanel’s panels include extruded polystyrene (XPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS)-core refrigeration panels, and the company continually develops new sandwich panels for various applications. Invespanel recorded a turnover of Euro11m in 2021.

Kingspan’s Southern Europe insulated panels director Josep Jordan said “The integration of Invespanel into Kingspan is a great opportunity to complement our offerings with customised products for even the most demanding applications. The synergies with the Kingspan group, together with Invespanel's technological know-how and human capital, will be the key tool to drive the growth of our project in Southern Europe.”

France: Saint-Gobain subsidiary Isover has begun construction of a prototype glass wool recycling plant in Chemillé-en-Anjou. Contractor Eiffage Génie Civil is executing the project, which is scheduled for commissioning in 2023.

Isover France and Switzerland technical director Jérôme Saulnier saud "The realisation of this revolutionary industrial prototype with fusion by immersed burners will make it possible to recycle glass wool in industrial quantities, transforming it into cullet. This cullet will be used in the manufacturing process of our insulating products and will also reduce our energy consumption, our carbon emissions and improve the life cycle of our products."

India: Knauf Insulation has donated and installed a 600m² insulative Urbanscape Green Roof at Piala Ashar Alo girls’ primary school in Kolkata, West Bengal. The roof includes a 2cm-thick layer of exposed mineral wool in which plants are able to grow. By retaining up to 47% of rainwater, the roof can help to prevent streets from flooding in the rainy season. Knauf Insulation’s Slovenia-based Urbanscape team supported the installation. The producer says that the renovation will protect learners from summer highs of 40°C and winter lows of 9°C, as well as seasonal dust squalls and downpours.

Head of building science Domen Ivanšek said “The flat surface of the 10cm-thick concrete roof was constantly hot, overheating the rooms below, and it was covered with a latex waterproof layer that was coming to the end of its life. When the school’s head said she wanted to provide the children with a place to learn about gardening and botanical science, it was clear that an Urbanscape Green Roof was the best solution all round.”

Kazakhstan: KazFeltec and Italy-based Cormatex plan to build a Euro10m natural wool insulation plant in Aktobe Region. Kazakhstan General Newsline has reported that the plant will use local coarse sheep’s wool, a waste product of which 3500t/yr is generated currently in Aktobe. The plant is scheduled for commissioning in mid-late 2023.

France: Ireland-based Kingspan has closed its acquisition of Ondura Group. The group consists of light roofing producer Onduline, membranes producer CB and waterproofing systems producer Alwitra. It operates plants in four European countries, as well as Brazil, Malaysia, Turkey and the US. Law firm Clifford Chance, a long-term partner of Kingspan, advised the insulation group through the deal.

On 27 September 2022, Kingspan acquired waterproofing membranes producer Derbigum in neighbouring Belgium. Derbigum has recycled 30,000t of bitumen in its operations to date.