Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Germany: Chemicals company BASF says that it has completed the sale of its Styrodur extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation business to Karl Bachl Kunststoffverarbeitung.

BASF says that it will continue to produce expandable polystyrene under its Neopor and Styropor brands. It aims to increase the production capacity of its Ludwigshafen expandable polystyrene plant in Rhineland-Palatinate by 200% to 250,000t/yr in early 2027.

Germany: 7116 hectares of construction hemp are under cultivation in Germany in the growing season for 2025. This represents a 22% year-on-year rise in the total area since the 2024 harvest. Brandenburg has the greatest acreage of any state, with 1500 hectares (21%).

Brandenburg-based Felde Fibres is investing ‘tens of millions’ of Euros in current capital expenditure in its production of hemp for the building materials and textile sectors.

Local press has reported that hemp demand continues on a long-term growth trajectory, despite nearly doubling in prices since the beginning of the on-going energy crisis in 2022.

Finland: Saint-Gobain Isover has commenced production at its upgraded Forssa glass wool insulation plant in Kanta-Häme. Financial Wire News has reported that production is powered by a 50:50 energy mix of biogas and hydroelectricity. The producer says that this will reduce the Forssa plant's CO₂ emissions by 1500t/yr.

Saint-Gobain Isover is Finland’s largest consumer of recycled glass, of which the Forssa plant uses 80% in its raw materials mix.

UK: Wull Technologies has secured funding to scale production of its LAMDA sheep’s wool-based insulation panels. The company will produce the panels at its Manchester plant, using wool from sheep in Wales. Farming UK News has reported that the insulation is both recyclable and biodegradable. It matches the thermal and acoustic performance of mineral wool, but with increased moisture management ability.

The University of Manchester's Innovation Factory and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority supplies the latest funding, bringing the total received by the company to €597,000.

Technical Director Liam Britnell said "We set out to use materials science to open up new markets for this abundant and underutilised material. Rigid panel insulation is widely used and preferred across the construction sector because it is easy to handle, install and cut to shape."

France: Revibat has announced the launch of a new 1.5t/hr glasswool recycling line, featuring recycling equipment supplier Andritz’s NeXline AirLay system. The line, situated near Paris, will receive post-consumer glasswool from around the French capital. Revibat says that it plans to roll out the NeXline AirLay system in order to supply its recycled insulation production operations across France.

Sweden: Owens Corning subsidiary Paroc has applied to expand its Hällekis insulation plant to 115,000t/yr of stone wool production capacity as part of an on-going upgrade. Nordic Daily News has reported that the company is also electrifying the plant and implementing recycled raw materials use. When commissioned, the upgraded plant will process 100,000t/yr of recycled minerals.

North America: The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) recorded total polyurethane (PU) production of 4.1Mt in North America in 2023. US Political and Economic Organizations News has reported that applications contributing towards the growth included continuous insulation and spray foam for air barriers.

Director Jason Sloan noted market challenges due to ‘shifts in demand and availability for raw materials,’ but said that producers were adapting to the market dynamics.

Belarus: A delegation from the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) has entered into negotiations with Chinese synthetic fibres producers for the import of their materials. UZDA News has reported that the products will serve as raw materials for the Belarusian light building materials industry.

BUCE said "Chinese companies have become increasingly active, making regular transactions. This year, China supplied Belarus with spare parts, industrial tools, and technological equipment – mainly import-substituting products.”

Chinese imports were valued at US$84m in the opening seven months of 2024, more than double the figure for the corresponding period in 2023.

Sweden: Svenska Aerogel says that it has received an order for 360kg of its Quartzene silica aerogel from a Europe-based insulation producer. Quartzene is the brand name for various synthetic silica powder materials produced by Svenska Aerogel.

US: Rockwool North America plans to build a new US$175m stone wool insulation plant at Wallula Gap, Washington. The Denmark-based producer has acquired 101 hectares of land at the Port of Walla Walla, local press has reported. The upcoming plant will produce insulation using Washington’s abundant igneous rock.

Rockwool North America already operates two other US plants, at Byhalia in Mississippi and Ranson in West Virginia, alongside a further two in Canada. It employs 1100 people, and this will rise by 11% to over 1200 people following the entry into operation of the Wallula Gap plant.