Kazakhstan: KazFeltec has launched a 3500t/yr wool processing plant and 2200t/yr non-woven materials plant in Aktobe. Kazakhstan Newsline has reported the total investment cost of the facility as US$10.4m. Italy-based Cormatex supplied processing and production equipment. Products will include wool-based insulation and the plant will commence domestic and export sales in March 2026.
Credit: ©BASF 2026
US: Germany-based BASF has launched WallTite RSB, a reduced-CO2 closed-cell spray polyurethane foam insulation that incorporates recycled and other alternative raw materials. WallTite RSB has pending United States Department of Agriculture BioPreferred certification and is subject to a manufacturer-specific Environmental Product Declaration. The ‘RSB’ in the product’s name stands for recycled, sustainable and bio-based.
Netherlands: Denmark-based Rockwool has commissioned a fully electric heavy goods vehicle as part of its transport fleet in the Netherlands. In a post to LinkedIn, the producer said that the vehicle will deliver more freight in fewer journeys, with 98% reduced emissions of CO₂. Local logistics partner Kuypers Neer will collaborate in operating the lorry.
US: A team at the University of Colorado Boulder has developed a new silicone gel-based insulation called Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulator (MOCHI). In a paper published in Science, the team reported that MOCHI consists of 90% air in a microscopic porous lattice. A 5mm-thick sheet can effectively block the heat of a flame, while reflecting just 0.2% of its light. This makes the material suitable for use in windows.
Researcher Ivan Smalyukh said "To block heat exchange, you can put a lot of insulation in your walls, but windows need to be transparent. Finding insulators that are transparent is really challenging."
