Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Slovakia: Johns Manville (JM) has announced plans to expand current fibre insulation production capacities in its Trnava facility in Slovakia. According to JM, an expanded furnace will be installed at the plant, which is due to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2012. It will enable added production flexibility within JM's product families and expand the production of selected products by as much as 40%.

In 2004 JM invested in a greenfield project to produce glass fibres at the site. The company says that its expansion plan clearly demonstrates its commitment to the European composites business.

Enno Henze, JM's vice president and general manager for Engineered Products Europe/Asia stated, "We feel confident that this major investment will continue to support our customers' plans for growth and underscores JM's commitment to growing the composites industry. Additionally, it highlights our drive to enhance customer relationships, product innovation and service excellence."

"With our commitment to innovative growth and the financial stability provided by being a part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of businesses, our fibres business is set to make its mark while supporting the growth agenda of our customers," added Henze.

Belarus: The Caparol group of companies has opened its Diskom plant in the free economic zone at Brest to make up to 20,000t of dry insulation every year. The construction took 18 months to build and cost Euro3.1m. The new plant is equipped with WTB Binder Labortechnik GmbH production facilities. The project has created 21 jobs.

Previously, insulation systems were imported into Belarus but Diskom will be making licensed insulation materials domestically using 80% domestic components. The plant will prioritise the domestic market during the first development phase and then export its products to the Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

India: A new Rockwool insulation plant has been opened up in Dahej, Gujarat. The company claims that the material it produces will have the ability to save 1Bnt/yr of CO₂ if applied.

Frank Jacobs, Managing Director-Rockwool Technical Insulation, said, "If the insulation materials produced in our new facility in India are not installed, a forest with almost the size of the state of Gujarat would need to be planted to compensate for the resulting CO₂ emissions. Effective insulation of technical installations-such as hot pipes, boilers and tanks-can save literally millions of tonnes of CO₂, helping to protect the environment, whilst at the same time saving operators millions of rupees."

US: Johns Manville (JM) officially broke ground on a new commercial roofing single ply membrane manufacturing facility in Milan, Ohio on 8 July 2011. The production facility will manufacture ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) roofing products beginning in the second quarter of 2012.

During the groundbreaking ceremony - which hosted local officials, members of the Milan community, media and JM leadership - JM Chairman, President and CEO, Todd Raba noted that "This is a great day for JM and it's really incredibly gratifying to see the level of community support. JM has a strong presence in the state of Ohio and we are excited to be part of the Milan community." This facility marks the company's third facility in Ohio, with representation in three lines of its North American businesses of Insulation Systems, Engineered Products and Roofing Systems.

Raba also noted that, "This is the right time to invest in enhancing our product portfolio and JM now has one of the broadest offerings of commercial roofing products in the industry."

"Everything starts with our customers," stated Bob Wamboldt, vice president and general manager of JM's Roofing Systems business. "With over USD125m invested in our commercial roofing business over the past five years, this is really the crowning jewel of a five-year effort. JM has dedicated substantial resources to underscore our commitment to the single ply business and ensure a strong future for our customers in this segment of the commercial roofing industry."

UK/Ireland: Roofing and insulation materials supplier SIG took the gloss off a strong first-half performance in 2011 by signalling a slowdown for the rest of the year. The company said that it still expects to make progress in 2011, but that growth will 'moderate' in the second half of the year due to a combination of tough comparative numbers and general economic factors.

The Sheffield-based group reported a slump in consumer spending in the UK and Ireland on areas such as home improvements. It said that reduced government spending was also putting pressure on public sector work.

Total revenues rose by 9% year-on-year to Euro1.57bn in the first half of 2011 with underlying profits 84% ahead at Euro38.3m. The company said that the UK and Ireland saw a 'noticeable softening in demand' towards the end of the second quarter of 2011.