Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

UK: Knauf Insulation has launched a new product in its Earthwool Soffit Linerboard range, intended for use in car parks, stadiums and commercial units. Rock mineral wool product manager Luke Davies said, “Specifications for non-combustible soffit insulation are likely to increase as building regulations evolve further and soffit applications become a focus for fire safety. We’ve improved Earthwool Soffit Linerboard to give customers the best possible solution to respond to this demand.”

The product uses tube washers instead of all-steel for ease of installation and each board has greater rigidity than previous products to reduce susceptibility to thermal bridging. Knauf Insulation says that its ECOSE Technology bio-based binder makes Earthwool Soffit Linerboard soft, durable, easy to handle and low in dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

US: Owens Corning has announced a new line of extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam insulation products called Foamular NGX. It is set to go on sale in the US and Canada in January 2021. It says that the proprietary blowing agent in the products deliver a 90% reduction in global warming potential (GWP) without sacrificing product performance. It is Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed, Factory Mutual (FM) approved and compliant with regulations set to take effect in Canada and some US states in January 2021. The environmental benefits of the products will be reflected in a new Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The new product line will retain the signature Owens Corning pink colour.

US: Kingspan has launched its QuadCore insulation panel products in North America at the AIA Conference on Architecture in New York. The insulated metal panel products use a hybrid insulation core with a closed microcell structure. Initially, Kingspan will offer QuadCore in its KS Shadowline, KS Micro-Rib and Optimo panels, and QuadCore will eventually be available in all Kingspan insulated metal panels.

France: Isover France has launched Isover Recycling, a closed-loop recycling service for construction and demolition glass wool waste. The new service has been developed in partnership with recycling specialists. It aims to reduce glass wool dumping in landfill and increase the proportion of recycled content in Isover’s glass wool insulation products. The Isover Recycling service is currently being deployed in two pilot areas: South-East France and Ile-de-France. It will then be rolled-out across the rest of the country. Other countries like Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden already offer construction site waste recycling services.

Denmark: Rockwool Group has launched a new brand identity including a new corporate symbol, a graphic representation of a volcano. It says that the symbol stands for the, ‘commitment to enrich modern living through processes and products that exist harmoniously.’ It will be used across all of the group’s brands. It is also intended to demonstrate to customers and stakeholders how the company uses volcanic stone to ‘enrich and transform modern living.’ The group has also adopted a new motto – ‘Release the natural power of stone to enrich modern living’ – to compound the theme.

“I am proud of the Rockwool Group’s long heritage in harnessing the power of one of the world’s most abundant natural resources in sustainable and innovative solutions that help solve the challenges of modern living. The updated brand identity marks an important evolution in the way we talk about our company, conveying a consistent vision and shared heritage across our diverse product portfolio’s full range,” said Mirella Vitale, Rockwool’s Senior Vice President for Group Marketing, Communications & Public Affairs.

Russia: Finland’s Paroc has launched its Extra Light stone wool insulation product. The release is part of a strategy to diversify its offering to the Russian insulation and construction market. The insulation producer operates an insulation plant at Tverskaya Oblast.

UK: Celotex has launched a new range of flat roofing insulation solutions. It comprises three products: Celotex Crown-Bond, Crown-Up and Crown-Fix. The products were developed with contractors, installers and distributors, following an 18-month testing period.

“The new product range from Celotex perfectly demonstrates the commitment that British Rigid Urethane Foam Manufacturer’s Association (BRUFMA) members have to improving product quality and driving up standards for insulation in the UK,” said Mel Price, Assistant Chief Executive of BRUFMA.

BRUFMA represents most of the major companies in the Polyisocyanurate (PIR) and polyurethane (PUR) industry in the UK, including manufacturers of finished products, suppliers of the various raw materials and associated services.