Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

UK: Knauf Insulation has concluded a deal to acquire the Pilkington Architectural site next to its glass wool plant in St Helens. The purchase of the seven hectare area is part of a combined Euro46m production capacity expansion project at both the St Helens and Cwmbran plants that was previously announced in April 2022. At the St Helens plant the company plans to use the additional space storage space and better logistics arraignments.

Germany: Knauf Insulation has launched new overwraps on its global insulation product portfolio. The new packaging reduces ink consumption by 70% through its design, featuring a white or off-white base hue and no more than one additional colour. The wraps are designed to maximise ease and efficiency and reduce cost of recycling. This is in line with Knauf Insulation's commitment to recycle over 25% of packaging by 2025. Within the same timeframe, it also aims to reduce its packaging's virgin plastic consumption by 25% and collect over 35% of delivery pallets for repair and reuse or recycling.

Romania: Knauf Insulation will invest Euro135m in expanding its Târnăveni glass wool insulation plant and building a new adjacent plant at the site. Knauf Insulation says that the major expansion will advance the Romanian government's 'energy savings offensive' by supporting a renovation drive for the country’s housing stock. The government aims to increase the national area of modern renovated properties by a factor of six, with a Euro30bn allocation from its Recovery and Resilience Fund.

Germany-based Knauf's managing partner Alexander Knauf said “The commitment demonstrates our trust and confidence in the country and our employees. We look forward to becoming part of the local community. Together, we are setting new standards for building and living in Romania.”

Operations at the original Târnăveni glass wool insulation plant recently recommenced following a Euro4m upgrade by Knauf Insulation, which completed its acquisition of the plant in May 2022. Previous owner Gecsat produced insulation at the site from 2008.

UK: Knauf Insulation’s St Helens, Merseyside, glass wool insulation plant team raised Euro2300 on a 6.5km sponsored walk in memory of a colleague who died in January 2022. Hot end process operator Gareth ‘Gaz’ Moore died of an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 40.

St Helens plant community team member Sean Ashall said “We were delighted to have raised enough money to buy two defibrillators.” The team will install one of the machines at the St Helens Sea Cadets Barracks and another at the Pilkington Recs Rugby Club ground.

Romania: Knauf Insulation has begun mineral wool production at its recently acquired Tarnaveni plant in central Romania after investing Euro4m in upgrades. The investment covered the initial stages of modernisation at the Gecsat plant production line in Mures County, according to a Knauf press release.

A second stage of refurbishment began in September 2022. Once the entire investment plan is implemented, the Knauf Insulation factory in Tarnaveni will have an annual production capacity of about 60,000t/yr of mineral wool, with the aim of serving both domestic needs, as well as markets in Central and Eastern Europe.

Founded in 1918 in Tarnaveni as Ardeleana Glass Factory, former owner Gecsat started producing glass mineral wool at the site in 2007. Knauf announced that it was acquiring the glass mineral wool plant in January 2022 and became its owner in March 2022.

India: Knauf Insulation has donated and installed a 600m² insulative Urbanscape Green Roof at Piala Ashar Alo girls’ primary school in Kolkata, West Bengal. The roof includes a 2cm-thick layer of exposed mineral wool in which plants are able to grow. By retaining up to 47% of rainwater, the roof can help to prevent streets from flooding in the rainy season. Knauf Insulation’s Slovenia-based Urbanscape team supported the installation. The producer says that the renovation will protect learners from summer highs of 40°C and winter lows of 9°C, as well as seasonal dust squalls and downpours.

Head of building science Domen Ivanšek said “The flat surface of the 10cm-thick concrete roof was constantly hot, overheating the rooms below, and it was covered with a latex waterproof layer that was coming to the end of its life. When the school’s head said she wanted to provide the children with a place to learn about gardening and botanical science, it was clear that an Urbanscape Green Roof was the best solution all round.”

US: Knauf Insulation has appointed Valentin Salazar as the manager of its forthcoming glass wool insulation plant at McGregor in Texas. Other hires include Alex Garcia as Health, Safety & Environmental Manager and JT Tristan as Human Resources Manager. Crossland Construction was previously announced as the general contractors for the project in July 2022. The company expects to open its new unit in early 2024.

US: Knauf Insulation has won a contract to recycle waste glass bottles from the NTT IndyCar Series Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tennessee, on 5 – 7 August 2022.

Knauf Insulation’s vice president of sustainability and health, safety and environment Chris Mahin said "These types of unique recycling opportunities are valuable for Knauf as we continue to seek alternative sources for glass – the main ingredient in our high quality glass wool insulation.”

US: The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) have certified Knauf Insulation’s Fiberglass Acoustic Panel glass wool insulation panel as Asthma and Allergy Friendly. The certification attests the product’s ability to limit pollutant and allergen exposure in the indoor environment.

Knauf Insulation’s senior vice president of customer experience, innovation, and sales Nathan Walker said “This Asthma and Allergy Friendly certification is evidence of Knauf’s commitment to providing high quality products that can improve indoor air quality and help create healthier home environments.”

US: Knauf Insulation is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the beginning of operations at its Shasta Lake glass wool insulation plant in California. Local press has reported that the company increased its capacity by 70% over the past two decades. Today, the Shasta Lake plant employs 156 people. It has implemented sustainable practices in its production, including the use of ECOSE Technology plant-based binders in the place of petrochemical alternatives. It also recycles 600,000 glass bottles daily, constituting 50% of its glass consumption. This presented the plant with difficulties when Covid-19 lockdowns reduced local waste glass generation.