![](/templates/proglobalmedia-main/images/globe-blue-whitebg.gif)
Insulation industry news from Global Insulation
UK: Testing provider the Building Research Establishment (BRE) has informed Kingspan and Saint-Gobain subsidiary Celotex of its decision to break off its relationship with them due to perceived 'reputational risk.' Insulation supplied by Kingspan (Kooltherm K15 phenolic insulation) and Celotex (RS5000 polyisocyanurate insulation) was present in Grenfell Tower, London, when it burned down in June 2017. 72 people died in the fire. Both producers deny having contributed to the disaster. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry investigated the relationship between each company and the BRE during its inquest into the fire. A final report is currently in preparation following the conclusion of Phase 2 hearings in 2022.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry heard that Kingspan had marketed its Kooltherm K15 panels for general use in high rise construction, relying on tests carried out at a BRE facility with a system involving external fibre cement panels, of a sort not used in Grenfell Tower. Subsequent tests of the product, carried out by Kingspan, included one which resulted in a 'raging inferno.' Meanwhile, Celotex added fire-resistant board to a rig used in testing in 2014, reportedly to increase its products' chances of passing.
Inside Housing News has reported that BRE said “BRE no longer accepts any new work on behalf of Kingspan or Celotex following evidence heard during the course of this inquiry.”
Kingspan clarified that "There is no product performance basis for [BRE's] decision,” adding that its panels had shown zero non-conformities in their most recent audit in December 2022. It said “Independently of BRE, whose certification is regionally focused on the UK and Ireland, Kingspan is certified by the globally recognised insurer testing regime FM Approvals, which carries out annual factory surveillance audits to verify our products comply with its global approval standards."
Kingspan increases first-quarter sales in 2023
04 May 2023Ireland: Kingspan recorded sales of US$2.21bn during the first quarter of 2023, up by 4% year-on-year from first-quarter 2022 levels, Reuters has reported. The producer said that group insulation sales remained in line year-on-year. Insulated panel sales remained ‘sluggish,’ but constituted 25% of all orders. By region, sales were ‘strong’ in the Americas and ‘solid for the most part’ in Western Europe, while conditions ‘remained tough’ in Central and Eastern Europe. Kingspan forecast first-half earnings of US$441m in 2023.
The company proposed its future delisting from the UK-based London Stock Exchange, where it says current share trading is ‘negligible as percentage of total trading.’
Settlement reached in Grenfell Tower civil court case
14 April 2023UK: Around 900 people have reached a settlement at the High Court related to civil claims following the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017. A total settlement figure of Euro170m has been set by the court, according to ITV News. However, the civil claim will have no determination on the ongoing public inquiry into the fire and any potential future criminal charges.
Both cladding company Arconic and insulation producer Celotex have been part of the various civil legal cases. Celotex, a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, said that “without admission of liability” it had agreed to make a financial contribution towards the settlement. It added that, “Celotex and the Saint-Gobain Group reaffirm their deepest sympathies to everyone affected by the fire.” Kingspan has also confirmed its involvement in civil cases relating to the fire at Grenfell Tower in a statement reported upon by Building magazine.
UK/Ireland: The UK Housing Secretary Michael Gove has invited Ireland-based Kingspan to enter into discussions over a possible contribution by the company towards fire safety renovations on unsafe buildings across the UK. Following the deadly Grenfell Tower fire of June 2017, extensive UK housing stock was found to be unsafe due to the presence of flammable materials in exterior insulation systems. In an open letter, Gove said “Those companies who do not share our commitment to righting the wrongs of the past must expect to face commercial consequences.”
The Irish Times newspaper has reported that Kingspan previously said that it would contribute to 'an appropriate joint government and industry-wide funding mechanism' for the policy. Kingspan's Kooltherm K15 phenolic insulation accounted for 5% of Grenfell Tower's insulation. Kingspan clarified that it was not responsible for the supply of the insulation used in construction of the tower.
Ireland: Kingspan's CO2 emissions fell by 26% over the two years between 2020 and 2022. The group aims to achieve a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions between 2020 and 2030. The Irish Times newspaper has reported that the company adopted a Euro70/t internal pricing mechanism in January 2023. Over the past three years, it increased its renewable energy share to 33% from 20%, increased its rainwater harvesting capacity by 26% and reduced its volume of waste sent to landfill by 42%.
Kingspan head of sustainability Bianca Wong said "It’s a testament to the enduring efforts of our colleagues that we completed over 100 projects in 2022. We will continue to build on our progress to date and aim to further accelerate our strategies in the coming years."
Kingspan increases full-year sales in 2022
21 February 2023Ireland: Kingspan's consolidated sales rose by 28% year-on-year to Euro8.3bn in 2022 from Euro6.5bn in 2021. The group's profit after tax also rose, by 8% to Euro616m from Euro571m. Its turnover from insulation sales rose by 40% to Euro1.66bn, while its turnover from insulated panels sales rose by 23% to Euro5.18bn. Panel volumes were reportedly 'more challenged' during the second half of the year.
CEO Gene Murtagh said “The 2022 outturn was very satisfactory in the context of accumulating uncertainty over the course of a bumpy year, which saw a strong first half performance giving way to a more subdued environment in the second half." He added "Given the powerful combination of our global scale, the diversity of our end markets, our ability to grow organically and through acquisition, alongside our strong innovation pipeline and an ongoing societal drive for energy efficiency, we believe Kingspan is very well placed for continuing progress for the benefit of all stakeholders."
Kingspan launches QuadCore LEC insulation panels
27 January 2023Ireland/UK: Kingspan has launched a range of reduced-CO2 insulation panels called QuadCore LEC. The producer says that a 100mm-thick QuadCore AWP panel has 40% lower embodied CO2 than an EN15804-A2 standard insulation panel of the same thickness.
Kingspan’s head of innovation Mike Stenson said “As a business we are committed to developing high performing, energy efficient building envelope solutions that help minimise the carbon footprint of buildings over the whole life cycle.” He added “QuadCore is already one of the highest performing insulation technologies in terms of thermal efficiency (underpinned by a 25-year thermal warranty), which could enable higher energy and carbon savings through the operational life of the building. This is the first step on our journey to reducing the embodied carbon of our products, and we anticipate some major milestones by 2030 to drive that down even further.”
Kingspan’s sales rise by 33% to Euro6.25bn so far in 2022
11 November 2022Ireland: Kingspan’s sales rose by 33% year-on-year to Euro6.25bn in the first nine months of 2022. It said that insulated panel sales grew by 29% and insulation board sales grew by 48%. Panel sales were reported as holding up ‘reasonably well’ in the Americas, Germany and the UK but as being weaker elsewhere in Europe. Board sales increases were led by a rise in price.
UK: Insulation and cladding companies have blamed each other in a public inquiry investigating the Grenfell Tower Fire that took place in 2017 that led to 72 deaths. During closing statements to the inquiry the Press Association reports that the legal representation for Ireland-based Kingspan said, "In its phase one report the inquiry concluded that the cladding system on Grenfell Tower did not comply with the building regulations and that the PE ACM [polyethylene cladding] manufactured by Arconic was the principal reason for the rapid fire spread." The lawyer went on to summarise that Kingspan’s Kooltherm K15 phenolic insulation product was safe when used appropriately and not relevant to the nature and speed of the spread of the fire in this instance.
In a written statement though Arconic blamed the cause of the fire upon the failure by those involved in the refurbishment of the tower in assessing the fire performance of the building materials used and their configuration. It added, "A failure which was in significant part the result of the efforts made by the manufacturers of the insulation, Celotex and Kingspan, to hide or downplay the combustible and hence (under the prevailing regulatory regime) non-compliant nature of their product, an awareness of which would otherwise and in any event have led inexorably to the choice and configuration of the components being re-visited and amended."
The majority of the insulation purchased for use in a refurbishment of Grenfell Tower prior to the fire in June 2017 was Celotex’s RS5000 polyisocyanurate foam (PIR) insulation board. However, Kingspan confirmed in July 2017 that a small amount of its Kooltherm K15 product had also been used without its knowledge and that it had no involvement in the design or specification of the refurbishment.
Kingspan acquires Calostat from Evonik
06 October 2022Germany: Ireland-based Kingspan has concluded a deal to acquire mineral wool-based sandwich panels producer Calostat from speciality chemicals company Evonik. Calostat's boards have Cradle to Cradle Gold certification for sustainability and employ a unique moisture management concept.
Kingspan said that the acquisition complements its portfolio and enhances its ability to offer the right type of insulation for every application.