Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Romania: Saint-Gobain Isover is upgrading its Ploiesti mineral wool plant. A modernisation and extension project of its stone wool production line is scheduled to start operation in the second half of 2019. The upgrade will increase the plant’s production capacity to 30,000t/yr and extend its range of products for the Romanian market and neighbouring countries.

Saint-Gobain Isover has run operations on its Ploiesti site since 1997, with a glass wool line currently being modernised and due to start up in July 2018, and a stone wool line.

Hungary: Belgium’s Ravago and Turkeyʼs Beşler Tekstil plant to build a Euro20.5m insulation plant at Alsózsolca. The plant will have a production capacity of 36,000t/yr, according to the Budapest Business Journal. The government is aiding the project with a contribution of just under Euro4m. Once operational the plant is expected to export third-thirds of its output internationally. The unit will also create 90 jobs.

Ravago is a Belgium plastics manufacturer with operations in over 55 countries. Beşler Tekstil is a Turkish textiles producer.

Australia: Kingspan Insulation Australia’s Kooltherm K10 Soffit Board FM product has been accredited by FM Approvals. The closed cell phenolic insulation has been accredited with Class 4880 for ceiling applications.

To achieve the FM accreditation, Kingspan’s Kooltherm K10 product was installed in a ceiling for a full scale burn test (UBC 26-3) and set alight. During the test, temperatures, smoke levels and flame spread are all monitored. A burning wood crib was set alight in the corner of the room and left to burn for 15 minutes. During this time, in order to pass the test, the spread of the flame must not exceed the area of the installed K10 test panel.

FM Approvals offers third party testing and certification services including fire tests.

Sweden: Kingspan to build a new plant near Jönköping to produce products in its Kooltherm phenolic insulation range. Work on the project is scheduled to start immediately and the unit is expected to be operational by the second half of 2019. The plant will initially employ around 20 people and this will grow to up to 80 people once the site is fully operational. The new plant is intended to take advantage of demand for Kooltherm products in Sweden, Denmark and other countries in Scandinavia and the Baltics.

“Kooltherm is the cornerstone of our growth strategy in all these markets, and having this new facility will help to meet the increasing demand for our products,” said Henk Bessie, Managing Director of Kingspan Insulation Continental Europe.

India: Wacker Metroark Chemicals has officially opened a 6000t/day hydrosilylation plant for manufacturing functional silicone fluids at Amtala near Kolkata. The plant cost Euro6m. The expansion is Wacker’s response to growing regional demand for specialty silicones for use in the textile, personal care, rigid and flexible polyurethane foam and agrochemical sectors. Polyurethane foams produce at the unit will be used to make insulation materials and other products.

“Our new hydrosilylation plant enables us to address promising new markets where we haven’t been represented in India and Southeast Asia until now – for example the market for silicone functional fluids with its many sales opportunities,” said Soumitra Mukherjee, Managing Director of Wacker Metroark Chemicals.

Wacker Metroark Chemicals is a joint venture between Germany’s Wacker and Metroark. The company is responsible for all marketing and sales activities in the India relating to Wacker silicones. Wacker owns a 51% share in the joint venture, which was set up in 1998.