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BASF increases methylene diphenyl disocyanate production at Verbund plant
Written by Global Insulation staff
24 January 2017
Belgium: BASF has increased the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) production capacity to 0.65Mt/yr from 0.56Mt/yr at its Verbund plant in Antwerp. MDI is used to manufacture polyurethanes, which are used in insulation production and other materials.
Simon Storer appointed as chief executive of British Rigid Urethane Manufacturers Association
Written by Global Insulation staff
19 January 2017
UK: Simon Storer has been appointed as the chief executive of the British Rigid Urethane Manufacturers Association (BRUFMA) with effect from 9 January 2017. Previously, Storer was the Head of Communications at BACTA, the trade body representing the British amusement industry. Before this he worked as the External Affairs Director at the Construction Products Association (CPA) for seven years. He has also worked for the architect Levitt Bernstein, Shoreditch New Deal for Communities project and for the Channel Tunnel project during its construction phase.
Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund to expand foam insulation plant in 2017
Written by Global Insulation staff
19 January 2017
Kyrgyzstan: The Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund plans to expand a thermal foam insulation plant at Besh-Kungei in the Chui region in 2017. The project will cost US$1.67m, with 66% of the funding provided by the Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund and the remainder by local businesses. The upgrade is part of a umbrella of investments being made by the fund in 2017.
MDF Recovery completes proof of concept for medium-density fibreboard recycling
Written by Global Insulation staff
19 January 2017
UK: MDF Recycling has completed proof of concept trials to develop a process to recover wood fibre from waste medium-density fibreboard (MDF). The solution generates a new raw material source for the wood and natural fibre industries. The company says that the recovered fibre is of the same quality as standard wood fibre and that it can provides feedstock to the manufacturers of MDF board, insulation products and horticultural growing products.
“We have already begun discussions with a number of leading companies and organisations operating in the MDF production and waste industries and look forward to progressing these during the early part of 2017,” said co-founder and Managing Director Craig Bartlett. He added that the recycling process was a ‘genuine world first.’
MDF Recovery has set up an advisory panel to help it commercialise the company’s technology.
SIG reports disappointing 2016
Written by Global Insulation staff
13 January 2017
UK: SIG’s sales rose by 0.3% on a like-for-like basis, the building materials distributor has said in a trading statement. Sales rose by 11% year-on-year to Euro3.4bn in 2016 but they were mainly driven by foreign exchange rates and acquisitions. In the UK & Ireland like-for-like sales increased by 1.1%, with SIG Distribution up by 1.2% and SIG Exteriors down by 1.5%. In mainland Europe life-for-like sales declined by 0.5%, with France and Germany down by 2.0% and 1.3% respectively.
"2016 was a disappointing year for SIG. While the competitive environment, particularly in the UK, was challenging, our transformational change programme, although taking the group in the right strategic direction, distracted us somewhat from our customers,” said chief executive Mel Ewell. He added that the company is planning to focus on customers, place added emphasis on sales growth and reduce its leverage in 2017.
SIG will announce its full year results for 2016 on 14 March 2017.