Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

UK: Norway-based BEWI has acquired an additional 51% stake in Jablite Group for around Euro12m making it the sole owner. It previously purchased a 49% stake in the expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation products producer and civil engineering provider in June 2020. At the time Jablite initiated a restructuring programme due the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdowns. As part of the programme it also closed two of its facilities.

The current management of Jablite, including managing director Richard Lee and finance director John Cooper, will continue in their roles going forward. Rik Dobbelaere, a previous chief executive officer (CEO) of Synbra Holding and BEWi Synbra Group, and director of the board of BEWI ASA, has been director of the board of Jablite since BEWI’s acquisition of the 49% stake in 2020.

“We are very pleased to now be able to include Jablite fully to our team. The company has shown an impressive development the last two years, and we look forward to further strengthen our market position in the UK together going forward,” said Christian Bekken, CEO of BEWI. He added that Jablite’s operations would complement the UK-based operations of Jackon well and that synergies were expected by combining the two companies once the acquisition Jackon transaction is completed. BEWI started to buy the Norway-based supplier of insulation and construction systems in late 2021.

BEWI is an international provider of packaging, components and insulation products.

Norway: Bewi’s shareholders have voted in favour of the company’s acquisition of the remaining 50% of Jackon Holding in order to become sole owner. Bewi will hold an extraordinary general meeting following the completion of due diligence checks to authorise the issuance of Bewi shares as consideration for the deal to Jackon Holdings’ controlling shareholder Haas.

Sweden: Denmark-based BewiSynbra has announced its acquisition of an extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation plant in Norrköping after its conditional takeover of the owner for Euro5.6m including BewiSynbra’s assumption of its debts. The company says it will expand XPS production and install an expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation line at the plant in late 2020, as a result of which it will close its nearby Norrtälje EPS insulation plant. It expects to conclude the deal in February 2020.

Sweden: Expandable polystyrene producer BEWiSynbra has appointed Jonas Siljeskär its CEO. Siljeskär has held the role of deputy CEO of BEWiSynbra since 17 June 2019. Prior to this he was BEWiSynbra RAW’s chief operating officer and managing director. He has worked for BEWi Group since completing his engineering degree at the University of Dalarna in 2010. “I am honoured to be given the opportunity to lead BEWiSynbra with 1300 competent employees,” said Siljeskär.

Sweden: BEWiSynbra Group has appointed Jonas Siljeskär as its new chief executive officer (CEO) with effect from the start of 2020. He succeeds Rik Dobbelaere, who has been the CEO of BEWiSynbra since mid-2018, following BEWi’s acquisition of Synbra in May 2018. Dobbelaere will remain as an advisor to the company and the intention is to propose to the general meeting to elect him as a new member of the board in BEWiSynbra.

Siljeskär has been deputy CEO of BEWiSynbra since mid-2019, with full responsibility of all operational aspects of the company, and prior to this he was the chief operating officer (COO) and managing director of BEWiSynbra RAW.

Sweden’s BEWiSynbra Group is a vertically-integrated producer of expandable polystyrene (EPS) products, including packaging, components and insulation.

France: Hirsch France, a partnership consisting of 66% Hirsch and 34% BewiSynbra, has purchased six Saint-Gobain expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation plants and 49.9% of shares in Isossol from Saint-Gobain subsidiary Placoplâtre.

Saint Gobain’s nine-month sales fell by 4.1% year to Euro31.1bn to 30 September 2019 from Euro32.5bn. The group is targeting annual divestment equivalent to Euro3.0bn to cut losses.