Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Saudi Arabia: Foam pipe insulation producer Perma-Pipe International Holdings has secured contracts worth US$10m for major infrastructure projects in Madinah, Makkah and Riyadh. Perma-Pipe International Holdings will deliver pipes fitted with its Xtru-Therm polyurethane (PU) spray foam insulation systems. Some of the deliveries will be served by the company’s upcoming Madinah plant, scheduled for commissioning in August 2024.

President and CEO David Mansfield said "Our new investment in Madinah further supports our growth plans and the Kingdom's 2030 vision. We are extremely proud to be playing our part to realise this vision. It has been very encouraging to see the development of strong leadership and a passion for high levels of customer service which has resulted in these accomplishments, enabling Perma-Pipe to go from strength-to-strength."

Saudi Arabia: France-based Saint-Gobain agreed to buy waterproofing products company Izomaks Industries on 13 November 2023. Izomaks Industries employs 140 people across its two plants. Solradin News has reported that Saint-Gobain has been active in the Saudi Arabian insulation business since 2007.

South Korea: KCC has signed a memorandum of understanding with the local government in Gimcheon concerning an upgrade to its glass wool plant. The company plans to invest around US$75m on building a second production line at the unit by the end of 2023. The project follows a similar upgrade at the Munmak glass wool plant in 2022.

Saudi Arabia: Maersk Arabia Logistics Services has signed a contract with Zamil Steel Construction Company for the construction of a building materials terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port in Jeddah. Local press has reported that the terminal will consist of multiple warehouses, a logistics yard and office facilities. It will stock glass and stone wool insulation and insulation panels, along with other products.

Saudi Arabia: Bawan has completed its acquisition of a 100% stake in Arnon Plastic Industries, a producer of polyethylene and polystyrene insulation and panelling products. It agreed the share acquisition in January 2019 but it was wiring for regulatory approval. Bawan operates in the concrete, wood, metal and electrical industries and the acquisition opens up a new market for the company.

Kuwait: Saint-Gobain and Kuwait’s Alghanim Industries have become joint venture partners in insulation producer Kimmco. Kimmco runs a mineral wool plant in Shuaiba-Kuwait, operating under license from Saint-Gobain Isover. It reported sales of around Euro70m in 2016 selling products in Kuwait and the Middle East.

Saint-Gobain and Alghanim Industries already operate joint venture in Turkey (Izocam) and Saudi Arabia (Siimco). Kimmco, like the other common joint-ventures, will be managed jointly by both partners and will be consolidated in Saint-Gobain's accounts.

Saudi Arabia: SABIC plans to launch a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) dedicated grade of foam HP0824NDF in 2017. The chemical manufacturer says that the new product’s advantages include high viscosity, giving good head pressure for uniform and thicker foam thickness, relatively higher resin density for better mechanical strength, and good compression stress as well as resilience. Production benefits include using various foam production processes such as physical foam extrusion, the chemical cross-linking process, as well as the bun process, resulting in lightweight foams. SABIC add that the new grade also offers benefits for thermal insulation.

SABIC launched LDPE HP2024JDF and HP2024NDF dedicated foam grades for Middle East, African, and Asian markets in 2016 for physical extrusion foam. All three grades were developed at the company’s Foam Innovation Centre.

Saudi Arabia: Honeywell and Bayer Pearl are targeting the Saudi Arabian market with a spray foam system that uses a proprietary Honeywell liquid blowing agent.

“We are delighted that Bayer Pearl has formulated their new spray foam system with Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent and are encouraged that Saudi Arabian leaders are considering implementing these new technologies to further enhance their economy and society,” said Amir Naqvi, regional marketing leader at Honeywell Fluorine Products.

The announcement follows a workshop in Riyadh entitled ‘Sustainable Solutions for polyurethane Foam’ that has looked at organic insulation. In the wake of the Saudi 2030 Vision development plan it is anticipated that 1.5m new homes will be required in the country and energy demands will also grow. Demand for thermal insulation is expected to rise in line with this.

Saudi Arabia: Building Component Solutions Co. (BCOMS) has earned the FM Approvals Class 4480 certificate of compliance from FM Approvals for the company’s metal-faced, combustible core, interior wall/ceiling and exterior wall assembly building panels, as well as the FM Approvals Class 4471 certification for BCOMS insulated roof panels.

FM Standard 4480 evaluates insulated wall or wall and roof/ceiling panels, interior finish materials or coatings, and exterior wall systems for their performance with regard to fire resistance. BCOMS also gained FM Standard 4471 approval for the performance of metal roof panels. FM Approvals is a provider of testing and certification to determine product compliance with industry standards for hazardous locations and product performance.

“We are extremely proud to receive the FM Approvals certification, which assures customers that our products have been objectively tested and conform to international standards,” said Nasri Majzoub, general manager of BCOMS.

BCOMS is a supplier of sandwich panels based in Saudi Arabia, producing more than 1.5Mm^₂/yr of sprayed polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam and mineral wool sandwich panels. Its export markets include the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) has commenced commercial operation of a cable insulation polymers plant owned by Gulf Advanced Cables Insulation Company, a Sipchem affiliate, at its complex in Jubail Industrial City.

The plant produces several types of cable insulation polymers that are used to fabricate electrical cable insulation materials. Gulf Advanced Cables Insulation Company will market the products. Such specialised products are considered part of the company's strategy to execute comprehensive transformation projects in addition to its existing products. The raw materials, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), will be provided by International Polymers Company (IPC), a Sipchem affiliate. The plant will meet local and global demand.