Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Finland: Saint-Gobain Isover has commenced production at its upgraded Forssa glass wool insulation plant in Kanta-Häme. Financial Wire News has reported that production is powered by a 50:50 energy mix of biogas and hydroelectricity. The producer says that this will reduce the Forssa plant's CO₂ emissions by 1500t/yr.

Saint-Gobain Isover is Finland’s largest consumer of recycled glass, of which the Forssa plant uses 80% in its raw materials mix.

UK: Indinature has secured approval for the use of its IndiBreathe hemp insulation in two UK Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) home insulation schemes. IndiBreathe will be the first natural fibre insulation used in such a scheme in the UK when it debuts in the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) and Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) initiatives. Construction Index News has reported that utilities provider Scottish Power sponsored Indinature’s application for the approval.

Sales Director Brian Monaghan said "Contractors can now specify a natural, sustainable and healthy high-performance insulation product when installing loft insulation under the government schemes."

UK: Wull Technologies has secured funding to scale production of its LAMDA sheep’s wool-based insulation panels. The company will produce the panels at its Manchester plant, using wool from sheep in Wales. Farming UK News has reported that the insulation is both recyclable and biodegradable. It matches the thermal and acoustic performance of mineral wool, but with increased moisture management ability.

The University of Manchester's Innovation Factory and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority supplies the latest funding, bringing the total received by the company to €597,000.

Technical Director Liam Britnell said "We set out to use materials science to open up new markets for this abundant and underutilised material. Rigid panel insulation is widely used and preferred across the construction sector because it is easy to handle, install and cut to shape."

UK: France-based Saint-Gobain says that it will build a stone wool insulation plant in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, at the site of the former Holwell foundry. The plant will use electrical heat and be powered by renewable sources. When operational in 2027, it will have a capacity of 50,000t/yr and employ 250 people.

UK: Knauf Insulation plans to build a €202m, 100,000t/yr stone wool insulation plant in Shotton, Flintshire. The new Shotton plant will produce reduced-CO₂ insulation using a submerged arc furnace (SAF). It will be Knauf Insulation’s second in North Wales, along with its existing Queensferry stone wool insulation plant, also in Flintshire. The company’s other UK plants are in Cwmbrân, Gwent, and St Helens, Merseyside.

Managing director of Knauf Insulation Northern Europe Neil Hargreaves said "This project aligns with the Welsh and UK governments’ commitments to sustainability and the industrial vision for North Wales and Deeside. Using UK-first SAF technology, the new factory will support the need for safer, more energy efficient and sustainable buildings."

The new Shotton plant accords with the UK government’s €190m plans for a Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone, centred on ‘advanced manufacturing’ and intended to attract €1.19bn of private investments.