Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Poland: Austria-based Austrotherm has launched production at its Grodków expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation plant following a capacity expansion. The total cost of the work was Euro5.5m.

Managing director Klaus Haberfellner said “We are particularly proud that, despite the adversities of the coronavirus epidemic, we have now been able to start full operation in Grodków. The demand for our high-quality EPS insulation panels has been growing steadily in Poland for years. This is due on the one hand to rising energy prices and on the other hand to the government smog control renovation subsidies programme launched in 2019.” He added "Thanks to the new plant, we are optimally positioned in terms of capacity to be able to supply our customers promptly."

US: Business Wire News has published details of a report by market research company ResearchandMarkets, which predicts market growth in the global insulation sector of 8.2% to US$8.9bn by 2024 from US$6.0bn at the start of 2020. ResearchandMarkets foresees the largest market growth in the Asia and Pacific region, where Belgium-based Etex, Austria-based RHI Magnesita and France-based Calderys are all in the process of expanding their production facilities in the region.

US: Huntsman has reorganised its spray polyurethanes foam (SPF) insulation business, combining subsidiaries Demilec and Icyene-Lapolla under a new leadership team. The company has named as divisional presidents Simon Baker, who will oversee operations in Canada and fast-growing global markets, and Doug Kramer, who will be responsible for the United States. Huntsman polyurethanes president Tony Hankins said, “To bring the two businesses together as one enables Huntsman to provide an unmatched offering of open- and closed-cell insulation products and accelerates the globalisation of our SPF platform.”