Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Austria: The insulation association Building Envelope and Insulation Industry (GDI) has reported a 1.9Mm³ decline in annual insulation sales since 2021. The hardest-hit segment was reportedly alternative insulation, with declines in cellulose, sheep wool and hemp. The OÖ Nachrichten newspaper has reported that the association attributed the decline to an on-going ‘property sector downturn,’ with homeowners stalling their refurbishment plans. The GDI praised the recent easing of lending guidelines and renewed submissions for reserved funding under the Sanierungsbonus insulation scheme.

GDI Chair Roland Hebbel said “A rebound in the construction industry is becoming increasingly urgent.”

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."

Romania: Knauf Insulation România announced the start of operations at its new Târnăveni glasswool insulation plant in Mureș County on 22 January 2025. Transilvania Business News has reported that the plant will produce up to 75,000t/yr of insulation for local and export markets. Knauf Insulation România invested €140m in construction of the plant, which first commenced in March 2023. The producer acquired another, existing plant at the site in May 2022, investing €4m in its modernisation.

Knauf Europe, Middle East and Asia Regional CEO Dominique Bossan noted the growth of demand for insulation in South East Europe.

World: AZOBuild has reported findings that the global aerogel insulation market will grow at an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21% up to 2030. This would more than quadruple its total value, to US$3.8bn.

US: Rockwool has approved a US$100m investment in the construction of a new line at its Marshall, Mississippi, insulation plant. When commissioned in 2027, the line will produce wallboard with WR-Tech enhanced water repellence and CR-Tech corrosion resistance. Dow Jones Institutional News has reported that the line is intended to meet increased demand for industrial insulation in the Gulf of Mexico region.

Rockwool CEO Jes Munk Hansen said "North America – and the US specifically – is an important strategic growth area for us. We have four insulation factories on the continent, with a fifth on the way in Washington state."

Germany: Sto has revised its 2024 results forecast downwards following ‘increased competition’ and ‘weak demand’ in the year-to-date. Local press has reported that the producer expects to record sales of €1.6bn, down by 7% year-on-year from €1.72bn in 2023. Sto had previously forecast a 3.5% decline, to €1.66bn. As a result, it now anticipates a 46 – 61% year-on-year drop in earnings, from €127m to €50 – 68m. Previously, Sto had forecast earnings of €62 – 82m, down by 35 – 51%.

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.

Germany: BASF is set to expand production of its Neopor graphite-enriched expanded polystyrene (EPS) at its Ludwigshafen plant in Rhineland-Palatinate by 50,000t/yr. From its commissioning in 2027, the expanded line will help BASF to meet increased demand for the material. Neopor serves as raw granulate for use in the production of insulation materials for building envelopes. The company says that it offers a 30% greater heat retention than traditional EPS.

Director Stephan Kothrade said "Neopor is classified as a 'Pioneer' in the highest category of the Sustainable Solution Steering (Triple-S) sustainability assessment which BASF uses to evaluate all its products, and is part of BASF's Sustainable Future Solutions."

Germany: The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology in Oberhausen is reportedly looking for partnerships through which to commercialise its new aerogel-based insulation. WAZ Plus News has reported that the insulation consists of porous beads made of 99% air.

Materials from the Fraunhofer Institute’s pilot plant have featured in construction projects including in the historic Hanseatic Quarter of Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, and the town hall of Hohen Neundorf in Brandenburg.

Europe: Market research company Freedonia Group has forecast a 3% composite annual growth rate in European insulation demand over the five-year period between 2023 and 2028. This will result in a market value of €9.44bn, corresponding to volumes of 3.2Mt, in 2028. Drivers of the anticipated growth include tighter fire safety regulations and the cost effectiveness of mineral wool insulation.