Insulation industry news from Global Insulation
Mongolia: Mongol Basalt LLC and Italy's Gamma Meccanica have signed a US$18m agreement to produce mineral wool insulation materials and purchase a production line.
The agreement was signed during the visit of Mongolian Minister of Industry Dondogdorj Erdenbat to Italy. Mongol Basalt has also entered loan negotiations with the Intesa Sanpaolo banking group to receive funds to buy equipment. The loan will be guaranteed by the Italian Export Credit Agency (SACE).
Rockwool to build new plant in Marshall County
23 November 2015US: The Rockfon unit of Denmark's Rockwool International will build a US$42m plant in Marshall, Indiana to make acoustic ceiling tiles. The 130,000ft2 plant will employ at least 90 people. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2016, with the plant opening in the middle of 2017 on a 404,686m2 site at the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park shared with corporate sibling Roxul.
The new plant will make ceiling tiles with stone wool insulation made at the neighbouring Roxul plant, which also owned by Rockwool. That US$160m plant opened in 2014 and employs 150 workers. It will be the fifth Rockfon plant worldwide and the first in North America. John Medio, Rockfon's President of the Americas, said that the plant is, "Extending global capacity and meeting the growing demand for Rockfon's stone wool acoustic ceiling products in North America."
The Mississippi Development Authority will give the company US$2.4m for infrastructure and worker training, with the Appalachian Region Commission providing US$300,000. The Tennessee Valley Authority and Marshall County are providing undisclosed assistance. Rockfon has been granted a 10-year tax exemption from non-school property taxes.
Masterplast continues expansion of insulation plant in Serbia
18 November 2015Serbia: Masterplast, Hungarian trading company and manufacturer of thermal insulation materials, has launched the second phase of its Euro8.4m project in Subotica, Serbia.
The project, which received a Euro2m Serbian State grant, is expected to create 205 new jobs at the plant once the expansion is complete in 2016. The third phase is scheduled to be wound up in 2017. The company has received a bank loan of Euro4.3m for the expansion, while Euro2.1m will be used from the company's own resources.
Currently the plant produces 1Mm2 of fibreglass insulation. This is expected to grow to 2.5Mm2 in the summer of 2016 and to 4Mm2 in the autumn of 2016.
CNBM to build fiberglass plant in Iran
26 October 2015Iran: China National Building Material Company (CNBM) and the Industrial Development and Renovation Organisation of Iran, affiliated with the Industries Ministry, have signed a US$74m contract to build a 30,000t/yr fibreglass and composite manufacturing plant in Marand, East Azarbaijan Province. The capacity could be tripled if Tehran is satisfied with the performance of the Chinese company. As much as US$50m of the capital needed for equipment imports will be financed by Chinese banks while Tehran will provide the rest of the capital covering procurement of domestically-made equipment and construction costs. The project is scheduled to complete in 24 months.
Faist ChemTec expands Zlotoryja insulation plant
23 October 2015Poland: Faist ChemTec has launched a second production line at its plant in Zlotoryja, which produces acoustic insulation materials for the automotive industry and for the producers of electrical household appliances. Thanks to the investment, some 25 new jobs will be created. Financial details of the project have not been disclosed.
TechnoNicol plans to set up an insulation materials plant cluster
23 September 2015Russia: TechnoNicol intends to invest Euro65.3m to establish a cluster of automated insulation materials plants in Khabarovsk, Russia.
The project is expected to generate more than 270 new jobs. The units, which will utilise stone wool and extruded polystyrene foam to produce insulation materials, is expected to support domestic demand, reduce the cost of construction products by 25% and improve the energy-efficiency of buildings in the region by 46%. TechnoNicol also plans to increase its exports to the Asia Pacific region and the Americas.
Insulation plant catches fire in Kazakhstan
22 September 2015Kazakhstan: An insulation plant caught fire in Utegen Batir Village, Ili on 21 September 2015. Seven vehicles and 35 firefighters responded to combat the fire, which, according to preliminary data, encompassed a 1800m2 area.
US: GLT Products has announced its expansion into the Gulf Coast Region with the addition of new production plants in La Porte, Texas. The new building and facilities will be under the GLT Fabricators name.
The new plant will enable GLT Fabricators to meet the North American demand for ASTM standard industrial insulation solutions and products. Additionally, the company will offer a number of V-Groove pipe insulation choices, which is new to the GLT Products Company. GLT Fabricators will also offer other fabricated pipe insulation products, including:Pipe covering - 90º elbows, 45º elbows, tees and curved segments; Cellular glass; Extruded polystyrene; Mineral wool; Polyisocyanurate; Phenolic.
"We needed new production facilities closer to our customers and end users. The inherent advantages of being able to meet tight delivery deadlines will help reduce our fabrication cost and lead-times. We needed a plan for 2015 and beyond to address the growth forecast we are predicting," said Timothy F Scott, president of GLT Fabricators.
Petralana builds new mineral wool plant in Bytom
14 September 2015Poland: Petralana has completed the construction of a mineral wool plant in Bytom. The plant will employ almost 200 people and produce 41,000t/yr of mineral wool.
TechnoNICOL plans to supply products to Azerbaijan
10 September 2015Azerbaijan: Russia's TechnoNICOL wants to establish cooperation with Azerbaijan by 2016 to supply the country with insulation materials for industrial and civil projects.
General director of TechnoNICOL's mineral insulation department Irek Allayarov said that it plans to supply Azerbaijan from TechnoNICOL's new 1.3Mm3/yr plant in Krasny Sulin Industrial Park in Rostov, Russia. He added that close proximity to the borders with several countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) would make exports ideal. Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Armenia have all been targeted.
"The plant's products include general construction, technical insulation and materials for fire protection systems. In the future we will consider the production of agricultural products, such as insulation used for the construction of greenhouses," said Allayarov.