Insulation industry news from Global Insulation
Huntsman polyurethane sales rise in 2018
14 February 2019US: Huntsman’s polyurethane revenue rose by 16% year-on-year to US$5.09bn in 2018 from US$4.40bn in 2017. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 11% to US$946m from US$850m. Overall, across all business segments, the company’s sales and earnings rose.
The chemicals producer said that its polyurethane segment had lost revenue in the last quarter of 2018 due to lower methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) prices. MDI sales volumes increased due to the start-up of a new Chinese MDI unit in 2018 and the acquisition of Demilec, a North American polyurethane spray foam company, in April 2018.
“2018 was another successful year for Huntsman as we reported record earnings and consistent robust free cash flow. We continued to expand in our downstream and differentiated businesses both through internal investments and bolt-on acquisitions,” said Peter R Huntsman, chairman, present and chief executive officer (CEO).
Duna-USA expands Baytown foam plant
14 January 2019US: Duna-USA has completed an expansion upgrade to its plant and headquarters in Baytown, Texas. The work, which began in late 2016, included the addition of a new manufacturing building, new office building, automated fabrication department and an additional production line. Work on the project finished in late December 2018.
“We’ve significantly increased production and fabrication capabilities, enhanced quality and expect to reduce lead times, while increasing production efficiency at the same time,” said Marta Brozzi, president of the DUNA Group
Duna-USA manufactures polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and chemicals for the insulation, aerospace, automotive, marine and construction industries. Italy’s Duna Group, comprised of Duna-Corradini, Duna-USA, and Duna-Emirates, has been manufacturing foams, chemicals and adhesives since 1957. It specialises in the research and development of polyurethane and epoxy systems, with manufacturing locations in the US, Europe and the UAE.
US: PhytoGen, part of Corteva Agriscience and DowDuPont, is partnering with Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program to turn used clothing into insulation. PhytoGen will be collecting used denim at various events throughout 2019.
“New seed technologies and the commitment of US cotton growers continue to make sustainable production gains, while the Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program addresses end-of-product-life sustainability,” said Stacey Gorman, Director of Communications for The Cotton Board.
To raise awareness for the program, PhytoGen and Corteva Agriscience started holding internal denim drives at their corporate offices and seed production locations in November 2018. With the support of the National FFA Foundation and local FFA chapters, this will now be expanded to collection drives across the Cotton Belt in early 2019 and collections will be organised at trade events.
Since its start in 2006, the Blue Jeans Go Green program has collected more than 2 million pieces of denim and over 350,000m2 of insulation has been upcycled from worn denim. Over 40 Habitat for Humanity affiliates have received denim insulation and more than 1000t of textile waste have been diverted from landfills. Corporate partnerships with the Blue Jeans Go Gerent program predominately have been with retailers and brands that offer a sales incentive for recycling used denim. Past partners include: Wrangler, Gap, American Eagle, J Crew and Madewell.
US: The board of directors of Owens Corning has elected Brian Chambers as chief executive officer (CEO) from 18 April 2019. He will succeed Mike Thaman, who has decided to retire from the role. Thaman will remain with the company as executive chairman.
Chambers, who was promoted to president and chief operating officer (COO) in August 2018, will retain the title of president as he assumes the CEO role. Previously, he served as president of the company’s Roofing business since 2014. Overall, he has 15 years of management experience with Owens Corning in a variety of positions, including roles with the company’s Composites and Building Materials businesses. He also spent over three years as the president of Saint-Gobain’s Distribution business in North America following Owens Corning’s divestiture of the business in which he served as president.
Doug Crawford appointed as Managing Director of North America by Kingspan Insulation
03 January 2019US: Kingspan Insulation has appointed Doug Crawford as its new Managing Director in charge of operations for North America. Crawford's appointment became effective on 2 January 2019.
Crawford has held numerous roles in corporate development and line management for Oldcastle (CRH) over the last decade. He most recently served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Meadow Burke Products, a manufacturer and supplier of accessories for concrete construction. Prior to joining Oldcastle, Crawford was a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
Owens Corning buys plant in South Carolina
17 December 2018US: Owens Corning has purchased an existing plant in Blythewood, South Carolina where it intends to manufacture coated, non-woven products for a variety of applications within the North American building materials industry. It has spent US$13.6m on the acquisition.
The insulation producer intends to convert an existing line to produce coated, non-woven products. The acquisition is the first step in the creation of a glass non-wovens excellence centre, where the company will continue to invest to expand its capacity with the best available technologies. With existing South Carolina locations in Aiken, Charleston, Duncan and Starr, this will be Owens Corning’s first Richland County presence. Hiring for the new positions is expected to begin in late 2019.
“The Blythewood operation represents a valuable addition to a thriving business. Adding this new capacity and capability for glass-based coating solutions in South Carolina will help us to better serve our residential and commercial building products customers across North America,” said Owens Corning’s Global Non-Wovens Business Vice President Nicolas Del Monaco.
Thermoseal launches new spray foam insulation products
06 December 2018US: Thermoseal has launched three new spray foam insulation products: Thermoseal 360, Thermoseal 800 and Thermoseal One. Thermoseal 360 is an ultra-high yield open cell spray foam insulation. Thermoseal 800 is a new ultra-high R-value open cell spray foam. Thermoseal One is an ultra-high yield, ultra high R-value, one pass, closed cell spray foam insulation. Thermoseal One has also passed the Hurricane Wind Uplift test, which means it is approved for use in Hurricane zones across the US.
Thermoseal manufactures polyurethane spray foam insulation, roofing, and other similar products for the residential, commercial and industrial construction industry.
Foam Systems opens a new spray foam insulation plant in Connecticut
12 November 2018US: Foam Systems has opened a new spray foam insulation plant at Norwalk in Connecticut. The producer claims it is the only such producer in New England. The company produces products including Thermoseal Spray Foam Insulation, Igloo Foam Insulation and others. It plans to open other plants across the US and provide private label services to other spray foam brands and to anyone who would like a private label spray foam insulation system.
“With the ever-changing environment in the spray foam industry given all the mergers and acquisitions, the only way to survive in the future is to open manufacturing locations across the US. We are fully committed to this effort and have multiple manufacturing facilities across the US under consideration” said Richard Ettinger, General Manager of Foam Systems.
Installed Building Products buys Advanced Fiber Technology
01 November 2018US: Installed Building Products has purchased Advanced Fiber Technology (AFT) for an undisclosed value. Founded in 1988 and located in Bucyrus, Ohio, AFT manufactures cellulose, asphalt, and industrial fibres. The company sells its products to distributors and installers predominately in the Midwest and Northeastern US.
“AFT provides us with an opportunity to vertically integrate our cellulose insulation supply in certain markets which we believe will have an immediate and favourable impact on our business and financial results. Cellulose is an attractive alternative to fibreglass in a variety of insulation applications,” said Jeff Edwards, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Installed Building Products.
Owens Corning launches formaldehyde-free perimeter fire containment system product in North America
01 November 2018US: Owens Corning has launched a formaldehyde-free perimeter fire containment system product in North America. The offering uses Thermafiber Firespan and Safing mineral wool insulation products to deliver fire resistance performance to help commercial architects, specifiers and contractors. The system is available for specification now and will be on sale later in 2018.
“As a pioneer in fire safety, we know the perimeter in a commercial structure is one of the most complex areas where fire can spread and where building professionals face high-stakes design scenarios,” said Carmelo Carrubba, Owens Corning’s insulation strategic marketing vice president.
Owens Corning says that Thermafiber mineral wool insulation products have been installed in eight of the 20 tallest buildings in the world including the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai, UAE. The insulation producer is also promoting the sustainability credentials of its product through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits for specific commercial and residential applications and its certification for a minimum 70% recycled content by the ICC-ES.