Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

US: Lapolla Industries has launched a new version of its Foam-Lok 500 spray polyurethane foam insulation product. The updated version has passed the AC 377 End Use Configuration Criteria and the producer says it meets the building code requirements for use with no additional ignition barrier required. The open cell insulation is being marketed for use in sealing the building envelope in both residential and commercial applications.

US: Huttig Building Products has announced a national distribution agreement with Knauf Insulation. The building materials distributor will carry a variety of Knauf Insulation products. The deal is the latest in a series of moves by Huttig to secure more brands and to broaden its range.

UK: Texas’ Huntsman Corporation has completed its acquisition of IFS Chemicals, a manufacturer of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) based systems. The purchase price has not been disclosed.

“With its highly experienced team and loyal customer base, IFS provides us with excellent access to the UK’s growing downstream MDI systems market. It will serve as a strategic platform to expand our business and consolidate our position as a market leader. The acquisition represents the latest step in our plan to strengthen our differentiated downstream capabilities and we now have more than 25 facilities worldwide, reflecting our confidence in the long-term growth prospects for MDI-based urethanes, ” said Tony Hankins, president of Huntsman’s Polyurethanes division.

Russia: TechnoNicol plans to invest US$2.3m towards upgrading its mineral wool insulation plant in Chelyabinsk. Just under US$0.9m was invested in the plant in 2016, according to the Kommersant newspaper. The unit supplies products in the Ural Federal District as well as to the Perm region, the Orenburg region, Bashkortostan and Udmurtia.

US: Johns Manville (JM) has appointed Marcia Howes as its Vice President of Global Supply Chain. She will be responsible for leading JM’s global supply chain organisation and for developing and implementing the company’s supply chain strategy.

Howes previously worked for BJC HealthCare in St Louis in a similar role. He brings over 20 years of supply chain experience. Before that she worked at Ecolab where she was vice president of global supply chain and head of global planning for both the medical device health care division and the water process systems businesses. Howes has also held a number of senior level positions in supply chain operations with Amgen, Honeywell and Rhodia (now Solvay).

Howes holds master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland, and both a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University. She is a Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing practitioner and an APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional member.