UK: The Construction Products Association and the Builders Merchants Federation have raised the issue of low short-term availability of polyurethane (PUR) and polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation. The associations attributed the shortages to the effects of ‘historically’ high raw materials costs on production. These it said resulted from high international demand for raw materials and finished products and challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The associations expect PUR and PIR availability to improve in the third quarter of 2021. They said that long-term demand growth was set to continue, in part due to the government’s 2050 net zero carbon target.
