Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

US: Owens Cornings has reported that net sales for its insulation business rose by 6% year-on-year to US$1.85bn in 2015 from US$1.75bn in 2014. Its earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) rose by 48% to US$160m from US$108m.

Overall, the roofing, insulation and composites manufacturer saw its net sales rise slightly to US$5.35bn in 2015 from US$5.26bn in 2014. Net earnings rose by 46% to US$334m from US$228m.

“Strong operational and commercial execution drove significant earnings growth in all three of our businesses, resulting in the best year of earnings growth in the history of our company,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mike Thaman.

For its insulation business, the company expects revenue growth and margin expansion to be weaker in 2016 than 2015. It noted that its prospects are dependent upon the progression of pricing and volume in the US residential new construction market.

UK: Superglass has appointed Jan Holmstrom to its board. Holmstrom, aged 63 and a Swedish national, will represent Superglass's majority shareholder Peter Gyllenhammar as non-executive director, according to the Herald. Gyllenhammar owns 38.3% of the shares in Superglass.

Russia: Mineral wool consumption fell by 12.8% year-on-year to 34Mm³ in 2015. Previously, consumption of heat insulation materials grew by 7% per year on average between 2010 and 2014, according to CM PRO. Continued decline in insulation consumption volumes are expected in 2016.

Canada: An Owens Corning fiberglass insulation plant in Edmonton has been ordered to monitor its emissions following a fire in early January 2016. The fire on 4 January 2016 damaged the plant's secondary air scrubber on its insulation batting production line.

Without the second scrubber the plant is contravening its Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act approval. A remedial solution to replace the curing oven's secondary air scrubber could take more than six months to implement.

As part of an enforcement order Owens Corning must monitor and notify Alberta Environment and Parks of any significant deviation from normal performance of the primary air emission scrubber on the curing oven. If the plant exceeds any air emission limits then production must immediately stop. Additional monitoring on the curing oven stack, including manual stack surveys, and an approved ambient air-monitoring plan are also required.

US: The Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) announced that SOPREMA has joined the group as a manufacturing member.

"The addition of SOPREMA to both the polyiso industry and the PIMA family reflects the continuing growth of polyiso as North America's insulation product of choice," said Jared Blum, President PIMA. "SOPREMA's construction industry leadership role is well acknowledged and the PIMA Board of Directors looks forward to the active involvement of the company."

SOPREMA joins PIMA's six manufacturing members: Atlas Roofing, Firestone Building Products, GAF, Hunter Panels, Johns Manville and Rmax.

SOPREMA is an international manufacturer that specialises in the development and production of innovative products for waterproofing, insulation, soundproofing and vegetated solutions for the roofing, building envelope and civil engineering sectors.

"SOPREMA is proud to join PIMA and contribute to the energy performance of buildings and the reduction of greenhouse gases as a manufacturer of high-performance insulation boards," said Richard Voyer, Executive Vice-President and CEO of SOPREMA North America.