Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Slovenia: Knauf Insulation Slovenija has commissioned its new 1MW solar power plant. The installation is situated atop the roof of the company’s Škofja Loka glass wool insulation plant in Upper Carniola.

Digital and brand manager and green solutions advocacy lead Jure Šumi said that the latest milestone demonstrates the company’s commitment to reduing carbon emissions, creating better built environments, driving the circular economy and developing its people, all for a better world.

Slovenia: A fire broke out at Fragmat’s insulation plant at Podskrajnik near Cerknica on 13 June 2019. Around 450 fire fighters were involved in controlling the blaze, according to the Slovenian Press Agency. The unit manufactures polystyrene insulation.

Slovenia: A fire has caused damage to Knauf Insulation’s Škofja Loka mineral wool plant. The fire started in a warehouse before spreading on 2 February 2019 before it was extinguished, according to the Slovenian Press Agency. No injuries were reported during the incident. The cause of the blaze is being investigated.

Slovenia: Knauf Insulation has celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Škofja Loka mineral wool plant. The plant originally opened in 1958 under the Termika brand. The company also opened the Knauf Insulation Experience Center (KIEXC), a sustainable building showcase. KIEXC will be used to provide an educational base for the latest construction techniques, energy advisory consultations and training.

“Thanks to Škofja Loka’s pioneering research and development we are the cutting edge of innovative solutions such as sandwich panels, fire-resistant rock mineral wool systems and domestic appliance insulation,” said Jean-Claude Carlin, president of the board of Knauf Insulation.

Slovenia: Recticel’s insulation division has entered into a production joint venture with Turna by acquiring 50% of the shares of its affiliate Turvac. Turvac is located in Šoštanj and it specialises in the production of vacuum insulation panels (VIP). Recticel Insulation will commercialize VIPs for niche applications in the construction market and Turna will focus on sales to the household appliances markets. This new technology allows Recticel Insulation to enhance its products portfolio and to strengthen its position in high performance insulation solutions for the European building market.

Serbia: Slovenia's chemical group Jub, which celebrates its 140th anniversary in 2015, is expanding its production abroad with the launch of a new styrofoam thermal insulation plant in Šimanovci near Belgrade on 10 September 2015.

The new plant cost Euro5.6m, while the total investments made by Jub in Serbia, where it has been present since 2004, have been estimated at Euro27m. The group includes 12 companies that operate on more than 12 markets worldwide. It expanded its product range to insulation materials in 2012.

Slovenia: Germany's Knauf Insulation, which is switching from coke to natural gas as part of an upgrade at one of its three stone wool production lines, will be the main user of what is to be Messer's first oxygen production plant in Slovenia and one of around 30 in Europe.

"This will be the most technologically-developed line in Europe and will mean a great competitive edge for the company," said Knauf Insulation boss Tomaž Lanišek.

Using natural gas requires oxygen and Lanišek described the investments of Knauf and Messer Slovenija as complementary. He pointed out that CO₂ and sulphur and nitrogen oxides emissions would be halved. "Messer is becoming a partner company in our future plans at our location," said Lanišek.

Messer said that this was its biggest investment in the country to date and was expected to generate 15 to 20 new jobs. The company's CEO Danilo Lukač explained that the plant would produce oxygen, nitrogen and argon.

Slovenia: Kingspan has submitted the highest binding bid for 97% of its troubled Slovenian peer Trimo, but its creditor banks are reluctant to sell it, according to local media.

According to unofficial information of a local daily newspaper, Dnevnik, the sale adviser and Trimo's major shareholder, state-controlled lender Nova Ljubljanska banka (NLB), is in favour of the sale, but the other owners believe that the offered price of Euro25 – 30m is too low. Trimo's two other bidders, Metroll Australia and Innova Capital, have made less generous offers. All three bidders have already been invited to improve their bids.

"The sale process is ongoing and currently we are in the stage of negotiations with potential buyers," said NLB. It added that it has not received any other instructions by the owners on how to proceed. "If the owners would like to stop the sale and this is supported by the majority, of course they can revoke the decisions already taken."

Trimo was 90.81% acquired by a group of local banks under a debt-for-equity swap in April 2014. Most of the local banks believe that the sale should be postponed for a few years when the ongoing restructuring takes effect and Trimo could be sold for a higher price, according to Dnevnik. They also want a buyer with long-term plans. Moreover, the Central Bank has put the group in the list of companies worth restructuring.

NLB's efforts to sell the company are supported mainly by banks controlled by foreign parents. NLB would get between Euro5 – 6m for its 20% stake in Trimo, considering the offered price.