Europe: Ireland-based Kingspan has signed an agreement with Germany-based wood products group Schramek to acquire a 51% stake in wood-based insulation producer Steico for an initial Euro251m. The Irish Times newspaper has reported that the group may pay more, if Steico reaches agreed-upon profitability thresholds. The agreement includes an option for Kingspan to also purchase a further 10% stake. Steico operates 27 insulation lines across four plants in Poland and France.
Kingspan CEO Gene Murtagh said “The acquisition of a majority stake in Steico represents an exciting next step in our strategy to provide the full spectrum of insulation products. Its suite of wood-based building envelope solutions broadens our ability to enable our customers to meet their sustainability and energy performance needs. Kingspan’s global routes to market, paired with our drive to innovate and widen the applications of Steico’s current technologies, are key to our plans to bring Steico bio-based solutions to the next level.”