Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

France: Knauf France has launched ThermaSoft Natura, a domestic thermal insulation product made from plant-based materials. It will be made using cotton scraps from textile manufacturing, jute fibres from recycled food bags and flax fibres from agricultural crops, according to Le Moniteur. The product will be manufactured in the Lyon region and distributed from April 2022.

Germany: Knauf Insulation has launched its ‘As Safe As Home’ marketing campaign to promote health and safety issues in relation to new working environments created by the coronavirus pandemic. Chief executive officer (CEO) Jean-Claude Carlin said, “Safety has always been our first priority but when the crisis hit our business, it inspired the best in us. We learnt to create places that are safer than ever. Safety had to be everywhere for everyone. At home. At work. 24/7. Having achieved so much, this approach can now never be compromised.”

Spain/Portugal: Knauf Insulation Iberia met its company growth objective of 5% year-on-year growth in 2019, a year in which it supplied two major developments: the Government of Catalonia’s administrative complex and the VP Plaza Hotel in Madrid. The latter won the US Green Building Council (GBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate, the first hotel to achieve this certification.

Interempresas News has reported that the focus of Knauf Insulation Iberia’s strategy in 2020 will be on maintaining its leadership in the sustainable building sector and in the search for products and solutions aimed at zero energy consumption building conversions and construction. Knauf Insulation Iberia CEO Oscar del Rio said, “Bearing in mind the economic uncertainty derived from the coronavirus crisis, our objective will be to maintain our penetration objectives.”

The company’s growth in 2018 was 10%.

Germany: Knauf has announced that production and deliveries of its entire product range will continue throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Knauf ‘will keep cutomers up to date on changes as the situation evolves.’

The company has cancelled all international travel for employees and is limiting domestic travel ‘to only those trips deemed mission critical.’

France: Knauf Insulation France has appointed Yann Ditsch as its managing director. He holds experience in the French construction market having worked as Country Sales Director for Knauf in France since 2011. Prior to this he worked for Saint-Gobain, Rockwool France and US Gypsum. Ditsch, aged 50 years, holds a masters degree in marketing and communication from the ESCP Europe (École supérieure de commerce de Paris).

New Zealand: Germany’s Knauf and US-based USG have applied to the Commerce Commission asked for clearance for the two companies to merge. USG is active in New Zealand through its 50% interest in USG Boral Building Products, which supplies gypsum wallboard, suspended ceiling components and other building materials. Knauf is active in the import and supply of products used for modular suspended ceilings and insulation in New Zealand. The proposed merger is also to be assessed by competition authorities in several jurisdictions including Australia, USA and Singapore.

UK: Knauf Insulation has appointed Luke Davies as product manager to lead the development of its rock mineral wool range. He joins from architectural aluminium manufacturer Kawneer and brings product marketing experience in sectors including construction, retail and technology.

Spain: Óscar del Río has been appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Knauf Insulation Iberia. He suceeds Daniele Cerutti, according to Alimarket. Del Río has worked for Knauf for 18 years in a variety of different roles. He started at Knauf Industries, one of the subsidiaries of the group dedicated to the manufacture of expanded polystyrene insulation, as a regional commercial manager. Later he becacme head of sales for Knauf Insulation in 2007 and commercial director for the Mediterranean region in 2014. He was appointed as the director general of Knauf Insulation Iberia in November 2017.

UK: Knauf Insulation has appointed Vanessa Rae as Marketing Director to lead all Northern European marketing activities. She brings over 20 years experience in business-to-business marketing roles in Belgium, Germany and the UK. Previously she worked as the head of marketing and communications for the digital organisation at Rolls-Royce. Prior to this, Rae managed international marketing teams at Kingspan Insulated Panels and NSG Group (Pilkington Glass).

UK: Knauf Insulation plans to spend Euro5m to upgrade its mineral wool plant in Queensferry in Flintshire, Wales. The investment will deliver thermal and mechanical improvements, along with an increased portfolio of insulation solutions. It will also support the group’s Ecose Technology binder product.

“We are especially pleased to announce this investment at Queensferry, given the uncertainty many other businesses and investors currently face. That uncertainty applies to wider concerns around the impact of Brexit on economic activity, but also to key sectors we service such as the construction industry, UK energy and energy efficiency businesses,” said John Sinfield, Managing Director at Knauf Insulation Northern Europe. “This decision demonstrates that a drive on energy efficiency will deliver greater energy security, increased UK economic competiveness and help address environmental commitments. We would hope that the new government, and especially the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, considers these outcomes when exploring what its new strategy is to be.”

Knauf Insulation acquired sole ownership of its UK business in 2002. It has since invested Euro179m at its UK plants.