Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

US: Hennecke Group, a manufacturer and supplier of polyurethane processing equipment and plants, has moved its North American headquarters to a new plant in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. The new headquarters features more office and conference space, a research and development laboratory, a parts warehouse and areas for machinery repair and mixhead rebuilding services.

"This building better represents the innovation and leading polyurethane technology that we provide," said Lutz Heidrich, General Manager of Hennecke. He added that the new plant used some of the materials that its customers produce in its construction. This includes using foil-faced polyiso panel insulation made by Hunter Panels, part of Carlisle Construction Materials.

Hennecke manufactures equipment and supplies plants that make a variety of polyurethane-based products for the construction industries and other sectors. It operates facilities in Italy, Brazil, Mexico, China, Singapore, South Korea, India and Russia.

US: Kathy Miks, spray foam Product Manager at Johns Manville, has been elected as the Vice Chair of the Spray Foam Coalition, an organisation of companies that produce and sell polyurethane spray foam insulation systems and the chemicals and equipment necessary for their use. As Vice Chair, Miks will work alongside the organisation’s Chair to lead efforts aimed at educating and promoting spray foam and its benefits. She will serve as Vice Chair through December 2019, and then transition to the position of Chair through 2021.

Miks is an accomplished industry professional, bringing more than 18 years of experience to the role. In her current position as Product Manager, Miks oversees the spray polyurethane foam and polyiso wall system portfolios for the Johns Manville Building Insulation division. In addition to her full-time role with Johns Manville and new responsibilities with the Spray Foam Coalition, Miks is on the steering committee for the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association. Miks holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

The Spray Foam Coalition was founded in 2010 by the American Chemistry Council’s Center for the Polyurethanes Industry to promote the use of spray polyurethane foam and its benefits in US applications, provide a forum for helping shape public policy and support the safe manufacture, transport and application of the product.

US: Owens Corning’s insulation sales rose by 36% to US$2.72bn in 2018 from US$2bn in 2017. Its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased by 64% to US$290m form US$177m. Overall, across all business lines, its sales and earnings grew in 2018 but slower than the insulation division.

“Owens Corning had another record year in terms of revenue and adjusted EBIT, with all three businesses delivering double-digit EBIT margins,” said chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Mike Thaman.

US: Huntsman’s polyurethane revenue rose by 16% year-on-year to US$5.09bn in 2018 from US$4.40bn in 2017. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 11% to US$946m from US$850m. Overall, across all business segments, the company’s sales and earnings rose.

The chemicals producer said that its polyurethane segment had lost revenue in the last quarter of 2018 due to lower methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) prices. MDI sales volumes increased due to the start-up of a new Chinese MDI unit in 2018 and the acquisition of Demilec, a North American polyurethane spray foam company, in April 2018.

“2018 was another successful year for Huntsman as we reported record earnings and consistent robust free cash flow. We continued to expand in our downstream and differentiated businesses both through internal investments and bolt-on acquisitions,” said Peter R Huntsman, chairman, present and chief executive officer (CEO).

US: Duna-USA has completed an expansion upgrade to its plant and headquarters in Baytown, Texas. The work, which began in late 2016, included the addition of a new manufacturing building, new office building, automated fabrication department and an additional production line. Work on the project finished in late December 2018.

“We’ve significantly increased production and fabrication capabilities, enhanced quality and expect to reduce lead times, while increasing production efficiency at the same time,” said Marta Brozzi, president of the DUNA Group

Duna-USA manufactures polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and chemicals for the insulation, aerospace, automotive, marine and construction industries. Italy’s Duna Group, comprised of Duna-Corradini, Duna-USA, and Duna-Emirates, has been manufacturing foams, chemicals and adhesives since 1957. It specialises in the research and development of polyurethane and epoxy systems, with manufacturing locations in the US, Europe and the UAE.

US: PhytoGen, part of Corteva Agriscience and DowDuPont, is partnering with Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program to turn used clothing into insulation. PhytoGen will be collecting used denim at various events throughout 2019.

“New seed technologies and the commitment of US cotton growers continue to make sustainable production gains, while the Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program addresses end-of-product-life sustainability,” said Stacey Gorman, Director of Communications for The Cotton Board.

To raise awareness for the program, PhytoGen and Corteva Agriscience started holding internal denim drives at their corporate offices and seed production locations in November 2018. With the support of the National FFA Foundation and local FFA chapters, this will now be expanded to collection drives across the Cotton Belt in early 2019 and collections will be organised at trade events.

Since its start in 2006, the Blue Jeans Go Green program has collected more than 2 million pieces of denim and over 350,000m² of insulation has been upcycled from worn denim. Over 40 Habitat for Humanity affiliates have received denim insulation and more than 1000t of textile waste have been diverted from landfills. Corporate partnerships with the Blue Jeans Go Gerent program predominately have been with retailers and brands that offer a sales incentive for recycling used denim. Past partners include: Wrangler, Gap, American Eagle, J Crew and Madewell.

US: The board of directors of Owens Corning has elected Brian Chambers as chief executive officer (CEO) from 18 April 2019. He will succeed Mike Thaman, who has decided to retire from the role. Thaman will remain with the company as executive chairman.

Chambers, who was promoted to president and chief operating officer (COO) in August 2018, will retain the title of president as he assumes the CEO role. Previously, he served as president of the company’s Roofing business since 2014. Overall, he has 15 years of management experience with Owens Corning in a variety of positions, including roles with the company’s Composites and Building Materials businesses. He also spent over three years as the president of Saint-Gobain’s Distribution business in North America following Owens Corning’s divestiture of the business in which he served as president.

US: Kingspan Insulation has appointed Doug Crawford as its new Managing Director in charge of operations for North America. Crawford's appointment became effective on 2 January 2019.

Crawford has held numerous roles in corporate development and line management for Oldcastle (CRH) over the last decade. He most recently served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Meadow Burke Products, a manufacturer and supplier of accessories for concrete construction. Prior to joining Oldcastle, Crawford was a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

US: Owens Corning has purchased an existing plant in Blythewood, South Carolina where it intends to manufacture coated, non-woven products for a variety of applications within the North American building materials industry. It has spent US$13.6m on the acquisition.

The insulation producer intends to convert an existing line to produce coated, non-woven products. The acquisition is the first step in the creation of a glass non-wovens excellence centre, where the company will continue to invest to expand its capacity with the best available technologies. With existing South Carolina locations in Aiken, Charleston, Duncan and Starr, this will be Owens Corning’s first Richland County presence. Hiring for the new positions is expected to begin in late 2019.

“The Blythewood operation represents a valuable addition to a thriving business. Adding this new capacity and capability for glass-based coating solutions in South Carolina will help us to better serve our residential and commercial building products customers across North America,” said Owens Corning’s Global Non-Wovens Business Vice President Nicolas Del Monaco.

US: Thermoseal has launched three new spray foam insulation products: Thermoseal 360, Thermoseal 800 and Thermoseal One. Thermoseal 360 is an ultra-high yield open cell spray foam insulation. Thermoseal 800 is a new ultra-high R-value open cell spray foam. Thermoseal One is an ultra-high yield, ultra high R-value, one pass, closed cell spray foam insulation. Thermoseal One has also passed the Hurricane Wind Uplift test, which means it is approved for use in Hurricane zones across the US.

Thermoseal manufactures polyurethane spray foam insulation, roofing, and other similar products for the residential, commercial and industrial construction industry.