Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

US: Denmark-based Rockwool has commissioned its new Ranson stone wool insulation plant in Jefferson County, West Virginia and started commercial production. The company has hired 110 people to work at the 43,000m³ facility. It says that the plant will employ a total of 150 once production has ramped up in mid/late 2021. It is equipped with fuel-flexible melting technology, enabling operations to switch to natural gas from coal. This can reduce the plant’s CO₂ emissions by 30%, according to the company.

Chief executive officer Jens Birgersson said “In the US, as in Europe and Asia, there is a growing demand for Rockwool’s non-combustible, recyclable stone wool insulation. The West Virginia facility will help meet that demand in North America. We are proud that our products play such an important role in reducing the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with buildings, and do so in a safe, sustainable manner.”

US: France-based Saint-Gobain has awarded a contract to MTI Instruments to supply its Digital Accumeasure non-contact measuring technology. The group will use the product to measure closed-cell foam density in its production process. It said that the partnership aims to increase the number of process improvement products which reach plant implementation.

Saint-Gobain Competency Research Laboratories smart manufacturing team leader Mickael Boinet said "We chose MTI Instruments' Digital Accumeasure product for many reasons. The non-contact technology was just one of the pluses.” He added "We investigated various impedance measurement companies in Europe, but ultimately determined that the amplifier made by MTI Instruments was superior."

US: The National Insulation Association (NIA) has named three insulation producers as winners of its 2021 Premier Industry Manufacturer award. Armacell, Johns Manville and Owens Corning won the nationwide award. The association’s Platinum Safety Excellence awards were presented to six insulation producers: Armacell, CertainTeed Corporation, Dyplast Products, Johns Manville, Owens Corning and Canada-based Rockwool Technical Insulation. The award is the highest category of safety excellence award at the association’s National Insulation Association Awards 2021. It awarded Proto Corporation a gold Safety Excellence award.

Executive vice president and chief executive officer Michele Jones said, “Each year, we honour our member companies that prioritise safety and make continuous improvements to their programmes, and this year we do so knowing that a strong and well communicated safety programme is more important than ever.”

The association handed over the awards virtually at its Spring Summit in mid-March 2021.

US: Installed Building Products’ consolidated net sales were US$1.65bn in 2020, up by 9% year-on-year from US$1.51bn in 2019. Its earnings before interest, depreciation, taxation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 26% to US$231m from US$184m. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the insulation supplier recorded a higher proportion of insulation sales to production builders, leading to a drop in insulation selling prices. In November 2020, the group acquired WeatherSeal Insulation and in October 2020 it acquired Insulation Contractors/Magellan Insulation.

Chair and chief executive officer Jeff Edwards said, “We believe most of our markets will remain strong in 2021 and we expect 2021 will be another good year of growth and profitability for Installed Building Products, despite the continued effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Reflecting our confidence in executing on our acquisition strategy and our commitment to create long-term value for shareholders, I am pleased with the board’s decision to initiate a quarterly cash dividend programme, and increase and extend our share repurchase programme. The financial and operating accomplishments we achieved in 2020 is encouraging and I remain excited by the continued opportunities to grow IBP and create even greater value for our shareholders.”

US: Owens Corning’s full-year consolidated net sales were US$7.06bn, down by 1% year-on-year from US$7.16bn in 2019. Its loss before interest and taxes was US$124m, compared to earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of US$753m in 2019. Earnings were negatively affected by a non-cash pre-tax impairment charges of US$987m related to its insulation division, recorded in the first quarter of 2020 and driven by the economic uncertainties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Insulation sales fell by 2% to US$2.61bn from US$2.67bn, while insulation EBIT rose by 10% to US$250m from US$230m. Sales from its composites division also fell but rose for roofing.

Chair and chief executive officer Brian Chambers said, “Our global team demonstrated great flexibility and resolve to deliver strong financial results in an unprecedented year. These results showed the strength of our businesses and the earnings power of our company. In 2021, we will continue to focus on the health and safety of our teams, serving the needs of our customers, and positioning the company for long-term success.”

Denmark: Rockwool recorded net sales of Euro2.60bn, down by 4% year-on-year in local currency terms. Profit for the year fell by 12% to Euro251m. Sales were supported in regions where construction was able to remain active throughout the coronavirus lockdowns. The company noted a strong recovery in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Chief executive officer Jens Birgersson said, “Looking back on a turbulent year, we are proud of how well our colleagues handled the many challenges. Our teams ensured employees were safe while quickly adjusting operations, sales and service to match the changing needs of our customers.”

The company plans to make Euro370m of investments, excluding acquisitions in 2021. Planned investments include a new plant in the US and a plant relocation in China, in addition to capacity expansions for its Rockfon and Grodan stone wool businesses.

The group said, “The underlying medium to long-term structural growth drivers for stone wool products are even stronger today than at the start of 2020. On top of fundamental trends like urbanisation and increasingly tighter building regulations, we expect that several other trends will continue driving growth in our business. For example, the growing focus on energy efficiency, fire safety and circularity continues to influence the decisions of consumers, the building industry and policymakers, with the pandemic accelerating these trends in multiple ways.”

US: Stepan has acquired Invista’s aromatic polyester polyol business and associated assets. The business produces polyols for use in polyurethane (PUR) and polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam insulation. It operates two production sites, at Wilmington, North Carolina, US and at Vlissingen in Zeeland in the Netherlands. Its annual sales are US$100m. Stepan plans to finance the acquisition with cash on hand and expects it to be accretive to its 2021 earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margins.

Chair and chief executive officer Quinn Stepan said, "We are excited to add Invista's polyester polyol capabilities to Stepan. This acquisition expands our manufacturing capability in both the US and Europe, enhances our business continuity capabilities for the market and supports the growth of our global rigid polyol business. We expect that Invista's available spare capacity, plus debottlenecking opportunities in both plants, will allow Stepan to support market growth in a capital efficient way. We believe the long-term prospects for rigid polyol use in insulation remain strong as energy conservation efforts and more stringent building codes should continue to drive market growth. Additionally, we believe the acquired technology will accelerate our product leadership initiatives, drive manufacturing efficiencies and output, and create increased value for the overall market. We look forward to providing the highest level of service to our new customers and are excited to add the new employees and the two new sites to our global polyester polyol manufacturing network."

US: The Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association (RIMA) has appointed seven new directors to its board for a two-year term from the start of 2021. Prodex business director Sergio Luconi will serve as president, with Bill Lippy, Fi-Foil serving as vice president and Ralph Dale, Dunmore as secretary and treasurer. Dan Russell, Monty Millspaugh, Bobby Bird and former president Doug Kinniger also join the board.

US: LafargeHolcim has signed an agreement to buy Firestone Building Products from Bridgestone Americas for US$3.4bn. The company said that the new subsidiary recorded estimated net sales of US$1.8bn and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$270m. The group will finance the deal through cash and debt. It said that the acquisition is a milestone in its transformation to become the ‘global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions.’

Chief Executive Officer Jan Jenisch said, “I am excited to be entering the highly attractive roofing business. With Firestone Building Products we are strengthening our biggest market, the US, while also building a global growth and innovation platform for the company. Today’s milestone is a strategic leap on our journey to become the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions to build a world that works for people and the planet. I have great respect for the high-calibre leadership and expertise of the Firestone Building Products’ team and look forward to welcoming them into the LafargeHolcim family.”

US: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim has said that it is in talks with Bridgestone about its possible acquisition of the latter’s energy-saving roofing systems specialist subsidiary Firestone Building Products. Bloomberg News has reported that talks are in their advanced stages and may conclude before 9 January 2020.