Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

UK: France-based Saint-Gobain says that it will build a stone wool insulation plant in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, at the site of the former Holwell foundry. The plant will use electrical heat and be powered by renewable sources. When operational in 2027, it will have a capacity of 50,000t/yr and employ 250 people.

UK: Knauf Insulation plans to build a €202m, 100,000t/yr stone wool insulation plant in Shotton, Flintshire. The new Shotton plant will produce reduced-CO₂ insulation using a submerged arc furnace (SAF). It will be Knauf Insulation’s second in North Wales, along with its existing Queensferry stone wool insulation plant, also in Flintshire. The company’s other UK plants are in Cwmbrân, Gwent, and St Helens, Merseyside.

Managing director of Knauf Insulation Northern Europe Neil Hargreaves said "This project aligns with the Welsh and UK governments’ commitments to sustainability and the industrial vision for North Wales and Deeside. Using UK-first SAF technology, the new factory will support the need for safer, more energy efficient and sustainable buildings."

The new Shotton plant accords with the UK government’s €190m plans for a Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone, centred on ‘advanced manufacturing’ and intended to attract €1.19bn of private investments.

UK/Ireland: UK-based Energystore has launched Spacebead, an expanded polystyrene (EPS) bead injected insulation containing aerogel and adhesive, on the UK and Irish markets. The Spacebead offers thermal conductivity of 0.029W/mK and is especially suited to use in limited cavity space. The producers say that this will help customers in the English market to easily conform to the upcoming Future Homes Standard for energy efficiency of new buildings there.

UK: Rockwool subsidiary Wetherby Wall Systems has launched SOQEL A2, an external wall insulation system for use below damp-proof course. The system integrates Rockwool’s Coverrock X-2 pre-coated insulation with Heck K+A SL coating and Heck CER mesh. Specification Online News has reported that the system complies with the A2-s1,d0 UK fire standard for buildings over 11m tall.

Technical director Joe Ragdale said “We have worked alongside our Rockwool sister company Heck in Germany to launch this innovative system into the UK market. This solution provides architects and contractors working on remediation projects with a compliant, durable, and efficient way to enhance building safety.”

UK: Rockwool has submitted a Section 73 application to Birmingham City Council in support of its plans to build a factory at a site in Peddimore, Minworth. The plant would be only its second in the UK. The application requests permission to vary some of the details in the current planning permissions at Peddimore to suit Rockwool's specific proposal. If approved, Rockwool will then submit a more detailed reserved matters application later in 2025 or early 2026. Once detailed plans are developed there will be another round of community consultation. Rockwool hopes that construction can begin in 2026, with production starting in 2029.

Rockwool's proposed new factory will feature proprietary electric melting technology and boost supply capacity for UK and Ireland customers while also supporting its global sustainability plans. The Peddimore site at Minworth has been designated specifically for manufacturing and logistics uses and is part of a long-running regeneration and development project.

Rockwool’s UK and Ireland managing director Nick Wilson said "Since we announced our intentions to expand the business into the West Midlands, we have had an opportunity to share our plans with the community and are very grateful to those who have provided feedback. We are taking all feedback into consideration as we develop the plans and have included the community's observations so far in our Section 73 application to the council. We look forward to meeting with community members again in the coming months."

UK: The government has accepted the recommendations of a public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster, in which 72 people died in a fire that spread through exterior cladding systems in a residential block in London. The Guardian newspaper has reported that the inquiry recommended actions against seven different organisations that share in responsibility for the spread of the deadly fire. The inquiry's final report named these organisations as Kingspan Insulation, Saint-Gobain Construction Products, Harley Facades and testing company Exova Group, along with aluminium and bonded sheets producer Arconic Architectural Products, property development and management company Rydon Maintenance and architecture firm Studio E Architects. Additionally, the report recommended the introduction of a unified regulatory body for the construction industry and the consolidation of fire safety matters under the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said "The final report exposed in stark and devastating detail the shocking industry behaviour and wider failures that led to the fire, and the deep injustices endured by the bereaved, survivors and residents.”

UK Shadow Housing and Communities Secretary Kevin Hollinrake told Parliament that criminal charges against those responsible must follow ‘where evidence allows.’

UK: Superglass has secured Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) verification for its Superwall Cavity Batts range of insulation. Specification Online News has reported that the range is among the first in the insulation segment to receive this. The producer will seek verification for further products later in February 2025.

CCPI verification ensures the veracity and comprehensiveness of product information claims. It launched following the deathly Grenfell Tower disaster on 14 June 2017, where labelling was found to ‘deliberately misrepresent’ insulation’s fire safety performance.

UK: France-based Saint-Gobain has completed its acquisition of façade mortars and external wall insulation (EWI) systems producer Kilwaughter Minerals. Kilwaughter Minerals operates a plant and limestone quarry in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and three distribution centres in Great Britain and Ireland, with a total of 200 employees. Its brands include K Rend renders and K Systems EWI systems.

UK: Knauf Insulation has reopened its St Helens glass wool insulation plant in Merseyside following a 25,000t/yr capacity expansion. Local press has reported that the upgrade included the installation of a larger furnace for melting locally-sourced glass cullet. The new equipment allows for the addition of higher-thickness products to Knauf Insulation’s existing ranges.

Merseyside Mayor Steve Rotheram attended the reopening and noted the plant’s importance in continuing St Helens’ tradition of glass products manufacturing.

UK: Denmark-based Rockwool is reportedly in ‘advanced talks’ to acquire a 9.3 hectare site in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands from Birmingham City Council. The site comprises Zone B of the Peddimore industrial estate, which is approved for light industrial production. Estates Gazette Interactive News has reported that the purchase advances Rockwool's on-going strategic expansion of its presence in the UK.