Germany: Morgan Advanced Materials has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire insulation manufacturer Porextherm Dämmstoffe GmbH, adding to its broad portfolio of thermal insulation products and solutions. The agreement was entered into by Morgan Deutschland Holding GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Morgan Advanced Materials. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval from the German competition authority.

Porextherm had sales of Euro24m in 2013. It manufactures a wide range of WDS® high-temperature insulation and vacuum insulation panel (VIP) products. It specialises in developing insulation products with the lowest possible thermal conductivity that have superior durability and will enhance the Morgan Group's existing high performance insulating systems portfolio.

"The addition of Porextherm to the Morgan Group enhances our existing portfolio of high-performance insulating systems and also gives us the chance to share knowledge and processes which will lead to future product development," said Mark Robertshaw, CEO of Morgan Advanced Materials. "In line with our strategic priorities, the acquisition brings with it the opportunity to explore new markets and expand our range to benefit both new and existing customers."

"We welcome the opportunity to become part of the Morgan Group and the benefits that being part of an international materials technology leader will bring," said Peter Stubner, managing director of Porextherm Dämmstoffe. "There will be a smooth transition for our customers and we look forward to a mutually successful future as part of the Morgan Group."

US: Rockwool has started production at its Marshall County, Mississippi mineral wool plant. The US$164m plant, the Danish insulation producer's first in the US, is expected to be fully operational by mid-2015. The plant will employ 150 people and produce more than 100,000t/yr for the North American market.

"The new plant will enable us to increase our sales for insulation products in the USA. We have been experiencing double-figure growth rates in the North American market over recent years and there is still considerable potential for growth in the market, which is mainly dominated by glass fibre and plastic foam products," said Trent Ogilvie, President of Roxul, Rockwool's subsidiary in North America. Over the last year the company has experienced such an increase in demand that the it has been forced to import from Europe.

Japan: Sekisui Chemical's High Performance Plastics Company has acquired the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism approval for a new type of flame retardant for polyurethane. Clearance was granted in September 2013 and now Sekisui Chemical has formally made the announcement as it launches the product.

Under internal testing the new product has passed the 5V-A standard, the most stringent of UL94(3) flame-retardant standards and it meets US flammability standards. When subjected to heat the fire retardant in the new material reacts with oxygen to create layers of charcoal, preventing fires from spreading. Similar to conventional urethane in weight and light stability, it can be shaped into any form.

The new product has a maximum density of 65kh/m³, a minimum compressive strength of 30N/cm², a maximum heat conductivity of 0.031W/m•k and a maximum water absorption of 1.1g/100cm². The company aims for annual domestic sales of US$98m by 2020.

Australia: Fletcher Building's subsidiary Tasman Insulation, which makes Pink Batts insulation, is appealing against a High Court decision that a rival using the word 'batts' was not in breach of trademarks.

The High Court in Auckland in May 2014 handed down a multi-pronged decision on a long-running dispute between Tasman Insulation and Knauf Insulation, which makes the rival Earthwool products. Justice Brendan Brown ruled that Tasman's claim largely succeeded. However, claims that Tasman's trademarks were infringed by Knauf using the word 'batt' and 'batts' in packaging were not upheld.

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that Tasman has lodged an appeal against the ruling and a hearing date has yet to be set. The dispute canvassed a range of claims, including false advertising and intellectual property breaches. The case has run since 2011.