Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Germany: Va-Q-Tec AG is hosting a research project entitled ‘THECore’ that will examine thermally efficient, cost-reduced nanostructured foams for vacuum insulation panels (VIP). The project is linked to the Society and Enterprise Panel of the Individual Fellowship of Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) of the European Union (EU). The main research topic of THECore is the development of new VIP products based on a new generation of core materials. Sumteq, the project’s second supporting company, will supply these.

Va-Q-Tec will carry out product tests and qualifications of the new materials. A starting meeting with both participant institutions was held on 22 June 2017, where researcher Flávia Almeida from Portugal introduced the main objectives of the project. She will lead the research for two years and will be supported by the MSCA.

MSCA are a set of major mobility research grants created by the EU and European Commission to support research in the European Research Area. It is currently financed through the Eighth Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (Horizon 2020) and belongs to the so-called first pillar ‘Excellent Science.’

Germany: BASF has launched an updated version of its Elastospray LWP spray foam insulation. The product has been changed to respond to European Union (EU) plans to reduce fluorinated gas emission by two-thirds by 2030. Hydrofluorocarbon blowing agents in the product have been replaced with more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Belgium: Knauf Insulation’s chief executive officer (CEO) Jean-Claude Carlin says he is committed to increasing production investment in Europe and North America. The group’s Visé plant in Belgium plans to restart its second line by the end of 2017 as well as adding new capacity to meet increasing demand for blowing wool. An upgrade to a line at St Egidien in Germany is underway following mineral wool production line upgrades at Nova Bana in Slovakia and Skofja Loka in Slovenia in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Another as yet unannounced European production line upgrade is planned for 2018. The group is also restarting the second line at its Inwood plant in West Virginia to support growing residential demand in the North East of the US.

“The first few months of the year proved to be highly promising for the industry and in good times it is vital that we focus on doing an even better job of providing the best possible service and quality for our customers. That is why we are planning on maximising our global footprint through investing in improvements and increasing our production capacity across the globe,” said Carlin. He has conducted a fact-finding mission visiting plants and customers since he took up the post in February 2017.

Germany: Va-Q-Tec is preparing to move its headquarters to Würzburg from Dürrbachau. The new premises are intended to allow the producer of vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) and other thermal products to bring together five departments that were previously at different locations. The move is planned to start in June 2017 with the production department scheduled to relocate to the new headquarters by the start of 2018.

Germany: BASF has adopted the voluntary Keymark certification scheme for its Styrodur insulation boards made from extruded polystyrene (XPS). The decision follows the decision by the German government to drop the Ü mark for harmonised building products in late 2016. BASF has decided to use Keymark scheme to show that the product has been approved for use in Germany. It is a voluntary product certification awarded by Din Certco, a TÜV Rhineland company in cooperation with the German Institute for Standardisation (DIN).

Germany: Panattoni Europe has held the groundbreaking ceremony for a new roofing insulation plant in Heinsberg for Firestone Building Products. Panattoni Europe is responsible for the planning and implementation of the projecy and Goldbeck International has been commissioned as the general contractor for construction of the unit. The plant is scheduled to start production in the summer of 2018.

Germany: Saint-Gobain has purchased the Augustdorf glass plant in North Rhine-Westphalian from Teuto-Glasveredelung. The unit produces thermal insulating glass products as well as sound-insulating glass and other glass products. The purchase is planned to be completed in March 2017, subject to approval by the government.

Germany: Jean-Claude Carlin has been appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Knauf Insulation with effect from 1 February 2017. Carlin is a member of the Knauf Group leadership team having led the Knauf Industries business as Group CEO since 2009. He succeeds Thies Knauf.

Carlin joined Knauf Industries in 2008 after almost 20 years working for Timken, a manufacturer of bearings and mechanical power transmission products. At Timken he held various operations and management positions in Europe, India and the US. Carlin is a French national and has degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Economics. He will be based in Knauf Insulation’s new global headquarters in Visé, Belgium.

Knauf Insulation has also established an Executive Committee that will define and implement the group’s strategy and manage of its operations worldwide. Carlin will be joined on the Executive Committee by David Ducarme, appointed as Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Deputy CEO, and Jens Nilsson, Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Germany: Steico, a manufacturer of thermal insulation made from wood, has reported that its sales rose by 10.6% year-on-year to Euro209m in 2016 from Euro189m in 2015. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 34.4% to Euro33.2m from Euro24.7m. The company said that ‘very pleasing growth’ was noted for its wood-fibre insulation materials in 2016 but it didn’t specific any volumes. It did mention ‘continued price pressure’ in the period as well as increased exports.

Germany: Evonik Industries has completed its acquisition of the specialty additives business, Performance Materials Division, of the US company Air Products for Euro3.5bn. All relevant competition authorities have approved the transaction and the integration of the acquired business is underway. The transaction financing was completed successfully in September 2016. It has been paid for by the company’s own funds to the amount of Euro1.6bn with the excess Euro1.9bn covered by bonds.

"The successful completion of the acquisition paves the way for swiftly merging the activities of Evonik and the acquired units of the Air Products Performance Materials business," said Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries AG. "It puts Evonik in an excellent position for further profitable growth in the attractive specialty additives market."