Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Russia: The mineral wool market consumed ‘record’ volumes of imports in the first quarter of 2025, market research by ROIF Expert has revealed. Uzbek mineral wool has replaced that from Poland and Lithuania as dominant among imports. The Russia-based agency has reported that domestically-produced mineral wool rose in price amid on-going ‘adjustments’ in production volumes.

Ukraine: Horticulture company Green Wave Organic has developed a new peat-based substrate to replace mineral wool in vertical horticulture at its facilities in Zolochiv, Lviv Oblast. New Voices of Ukraine News has reported that Green Wave Organic recently received a €15,000 EU4Business grant from the EU.

Compliance officer Ivan Fryz emphasised the need to continue to innovate under challenging circumstances, with electricity prices double their April 2024 levels.

Romania: Alpin Szig és Szerkezet Építőipari subsidiary Mineral Insulation plans to build a €20m, 30,000t/yr-capacity mineral wool plant in Miercurea-Ciuc, Harghita County. Romania-Insider News has reported that construction will commence in mid-2025, with the plant scheduled to enter production in late 2026. The upcoming plant will occupy a former mining site, chosen for its proximity to sources of all required raw materials within 100km, as well as for its centrality in Romania. It is expected to create 70 new jobs.

Director Orban Zoltan said that the plant should enable Harghita County to become mineral wool self-sufficient.

Russia: TechnoNICOL says that it will build a US$61.3m stone wool plant in the Krasnosulinsky Industrial Park in Rostov Oblast, scheduled for commissioning by late 2026. Interfax-Russia News has reported that the plant will include a 20MW power plant and new warehouses, situated on a 25ha site next to the company’s existing plant in the industrial park. Preparatory work is complete for the commencement of construction in May 2025.

US: Johns Manville (JM) plans to build a new blowing wool production line at its Winder glass wool plant in Georgia. Construction is expected to start early in 2026 and the new line will be operational in mid-2027. When this project is complete, JM will employ more than 350 people in Winder.

“Climate Pro insulation continues to see strong growth and demand in the market,” said Bob Wamboldt, president and CEO of Johns Manville. The new production line is intended to give JM easier access to Central and East Coast markets in the country.

UK: Rockwool has submitted a Section 73 application to Birmingham City Council in support of its plans to build a factory at a site in Peddimore, Minworth. The plant would be only its second in the UK. The application requests permission to vary some of the details in the current planning permissions at Peddimore to suit Rockwool's specific proposal. If approved, Rockwool will then submit a more detailed reserved matters application later in 2025 or early 2026. Once detailed plans are developed there will be another round of community consultation. Rockwool hopes that construction can begin in 2026, with production starting in 2029.

Rockwool's proposed new factory will feature proprietary electric melting technology and boost supply capacity for UK and Ireland customers while also supporting its global sustainability plans. The Peddimore site at Minworth has been designated specifically for manufacturing and logistics uses and is part of a long-running regeneration and development project.

Rockwool’s UK and Ireland managing director Nick Wilson said "Since we announced our intentions to expand the business into the West Midlands, we have had an opportunity to share our plans with the community and are very grateful to those who have provided feedback. We are taking all feedback into consideration as we develop the plans and have included the community's observations so far in our Section 73 application to the council. We look forward to meeting with community members again in the coming months."

Russia: TechnoNICOL says that it will invest US$219m in new mineral wool plants and plant upgrades in Russia throughout 2025, as part of a drive to raise its capacity to 5Mm³/yr by 2030. Interfax has reported that projects include the upcoming Krasnosulinsky stone wool insulation plant in Rostov, scheduled to open in late 2026. In Moscow, the company is investing US$46.2m to rebuild it Serpukhov glass wool plant, scheduled for completion in April 2026. At its Ryazan plant, meanwhile, TechnoNICOL is installing a 1.25Mm³/yr mineral wool recycling line and captive power plant, with a combined investment of US$29m.

Indonesia: A new tariff on imports of mineral wool will enter effect in Indonesia later in February 2025. China Trade Remedy Information News has reported that that the government will set the duty at US$1.24/kg of product for its first year in force. It will subsequently decline to US$1.12/kg in 2026 and US$1/kg in 2027.

The Indonesian Committee on Safeguards first initiated a safeguard investigation into mineral wool dumping in July 2023 and announced its positive ruling on the matter on 16 September 2024.

Spain: Saint-Gobain has launched a €40m expansion and upgrade to reduce CO₂ emissions by 70% at its Azuqueca insulation plant in Castilla-La Mancha. The producer will replace the plant’s existing furnace with a new electric one. When operational in early 2026, the upgraded line will expand the Azuqueca plant’s capacity by 40%. The furnace will run on renewable electricity sourced under a power purchase agreement signed with utilities provider Endesa in 2022.

Russia: TechnoNICOL plans to invest US$11m in automating logistics across its mineral wool plants by 2026. Russian-owned AK&M News has reported that the investments will go towards the installation of automated loading equipment and plant digital twins. This is expected to more than double labour productivity to 180,000m³/yr per worker. Plants scheduled for automation upgrades in 2025 include the Serpukhov and Chudov glasswool insulation plants.

TechnoNICOL’s total investments in automation and digitisation totalled US$2.75m in 2024.