Global Gypsum Newsletter

Knauf Insulation inaugurates Târnăveni glass wool insulation plant

Romania: Knauf Insulation Romania has officially inaugurated its new €140m, 75,000t/yr Târnăveni glass mineral wool insulation plant in Mureș County. Economedia News has reported that the plant originally entered operation earlier in 2025, but halted operations for two months in mid-2025 due to disruptions to the local water supply. These were the result of flooding in a nearby salt mine.

The Târnăveni plant serves customers in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. A government grant covered €18m of the cost of the plant.

Angella Ganinger, the German ambassador to Romania, praised the plant as the fifth German investment in Romania inaugurated in the four months since the start of July 2025.

Relatech and AIT Europa Engineering to develop mineral wool from steel dust

Italy: Software supplier Relatech has partnered with AIT Europa Engineering to a develop a system to recycle steelworks dust into commercially useful mineral wool. Relatech’s role will be to develop plant digital twins for use in the system.

PUBT News has reported that the project, called Ares, has funding from the Start 4.0 technical excellence centre under Italy’s recover and resilience plan.

BEWI launches GreenLine Super recycled EPS insulation

Norway: BEWI has launched GreenLine Super expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation, made using 100% recycled grey EPS as a feedstock. The product offers 52% lower CO₂ emissions than comparable insulation made with virgin EPS, while maintaining the same technical properties and performance. BEWI Circular collects and recycles 40,000t/yr of used EPS for the production of GreenLine Super insulation.

Grey EPS is EPS produced using graphene to increase its R-value.

BASF launches Cavipor clay foam insulation

Europe: Germany-based BASF has launched Cavipor clay foam insulation in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK. The insulation consists of three water-based components which can be foamed in air at the point of installation. The resulting insulation is non-flammable, water-repellent and vapour-permeable, according to the producer. The product is approved for use in floors and roofs. 2000 houses are reportedly already insulated with Cavipor.

BASF Monomers President Ramkumar Dhruva said "By establishing clay foam in the insulation market, we are setting a new benchmark for energy-efficient renovation solutions.”

Fire at ATX Spray Foam Insulation’s Abilene plant

US: A fire broke out at ATX Spray Foam Insulation's Abilene, Texas, plant on 31 October 2025. KTAB/KRBC News has reported that the cause of the fire remains under investigation, with no injuries or deaths reported to date. Damages are estimated at US$120,000.

Holcim Polska acquires former TechnoNICOL Wykroty stone wool insulation plant

Poland: Holcim Polska reportedly acquired the Wykroty stone wool insulation plant from Boerner Insulation earlier in 2025, after the latter company allegedly circumvented Polish sanctions on Russia. RadioZET News has reported that the Polish government ordered the sale of the asset under compulsory administration proceedings in July 2024. 20 companies reportedly submitted offers to acquire it. Russia-based TechnoNICOL originally established the plant in 2021.

The Wykroty insulation plant employs 200 people. It is situated in Lower Silesia Voivodeship, 20km from the German border and 30km from the Czech border.

Holcim to acquire Xella

Germany: Switzerland-based Holcim has concluded a deal to acquire Xella for €1.85bn. Xella produces various building materials, including Multipor insulation. Holcim anticipates earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) synergies of €60m within three years of the acquisition.

Holcim CEO Miljan Gutovic said "This strategic acquisition is a milestone in our vision to be the leading partner for sustainable construction, accelerating Holcim's Building Solutions in line with our NextGen Growth 2030 strategy. Xella will add to our customer offering in the highly attractive €12bn+ walling market, with cross-selling and systems-selling opportunities."

Energy Company Obligation scheme leaves thousands worse off

UK: A government-backed scheme to retrofit external wall insulation on UK homes has been found to have been a massive failure according to the National Audit Office (NAO). The Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which obliged utility firms to install insulation in their customers’ homes, was found to have installed inadequate insulation in 98% of cases, in many cases leading to damp, mould and serious health hazards in affected homes. The scheme began in 2021 and continued to run after the change of UK government in July 2024.

Many homeowners and tenants are now waiting for repairs, with as many as 22,000 – 23,000 properties affected. Around 6% of affected properties with external insulation were found to have problems that present immediate health and safety risks, including poor ventilation that could lead to carbon-monoxide poisoning and electrical safety risks that could lead to fires.

The NAO pointed out that the prevalence of poor-quality renovations was due to work being subcontracted to firms and individuals with little or no experience in the installation of insulation, while anti-fuel poverty campaigners accused the government of letting ‘cowboys through the front door,’ with very little government oversight. The energy regulator Ofgem estimated that the scheme had also been defrauded to the tune of €65-190m by businesses claiming money for installations that had not been carried out.

TopBuild acquires Specialty Products and Insulation for US$1bn

US: Building products installation and distribution company TopBuild acquired insulation producer and distributor Specialty Products and Insulation (SPI) on 7 October 2025. TopBuild paid US$1bn, partly using the proceeds of a senior notes issuance in September 2025. The acquisition excludes SPI's metal building insulation business.

SPI recorded US$700m in sales and US$75m in earnings in the 12-month period up to 30 June 2025. It employs 1000 people across 90 sites.

SPI President and CEO Ray Sears said "TopBuild is the best strategic owner for our business, better positioning the combined organisation to provide customers with innovative and high-quality solutions."

TopBuild President and CEO of Robert Buck said "The transaction drives our growth in non-cyclical revenue streams, given that approximately 55% of SPI's revenue relates to recurring maintenance and repair."

Court hears claims against Celotex, Saint-Gobain and others over alleged conspiracy to supply unsafe insulation

UK: The London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council has alleged a conspiracy by Celotex (now a subsidiary of France-based Soprema), its former outright owner France-based Saint-Gobain, and others to fraudulently supply unsafe insulation for use in the council’s social housing projects. Celotex insulation was installed in the Grenfell tower block, where an ‘uncontrollable’ fire broke out, killing 72 people, in the early morning of 14 June 2017.

Counsel for the claimant said that companies failed to highlight the unsuitability of Celotex’s RS5000 polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation for use in high-rise buildings’ façades, after failing to carry out ‘necessary and proper testing’ and supplying the product ‘based on a test the details of which were dishonestly concealed.’ Counsel further criticised Celotex’s defence submission as ‘too long,’ alleging that it made submissions ‘without discrimination as to whether it needed to do so for the purposes of proceedings.’

Counsel for Celotex and Saint-Gobain said “The allegations made against Celotex are complex, serious and are required to be properly pleaded.”

The hearing is due to conclude on 9 October 2025.