Turkey: ODE has won the 2013 prize in the 'Large-Scale Enterprise' category in the Fourth Competitive Power Prize, which was organised by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD), the Federation of Industrial Associations (SEDEFED) and the Sabancı University.

ODE was founded in 1985 and is the largest 100% domestic insulation manufacturer in Turkey. ODE is the youngest producing company to win this award to date. Previous winners of the Competitive Power Prize include İÇDAŞ, Bilim İlaç and BRİSA. ODE was judged on growth, export, added value, human resources, financial resources, innovation design, technology, leadership and sustainable strategy.

Kemal Direk, ODE's deputy general manager of Financial Affairs, received the prize from the president of the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation, Süleyman Onatça, on behalf of ODE. "This esteemed prize, which we have received in our 29th anniversary year, has been a source of pride and joy for us," said Direk. "We would like to present our endless thanks to the venerable jury members, who awarded us with this prize. ODE has always looked out for the development and progress of its employees, its sector and its country. It has adopted innovations without hesitation. These esteemed awards have exalted us and given us strength and courage for our future objectives."

ODE has grown by 60% in the last two years and has targeted at least 25%/yr growth until 2018. The company currently operates at almost 100% capacity from its four manufacturing plants and is preparing to open a new plant in Eskişehir within three years. ODE has accelerated its activities abroad in recent years and currently exports to 68 markets on all five continents. It plans to increase exports to 75 markets by the end of 2014.

Russia: Knauf Insulation expects its mineral wool insulation factory in Tyumen Oblast, Russia to reach its design capacity of 45,000t/yr in late 2014. More than Euro64.3m was invested in the project. The plant sells its products in the Ural district, Siberia, the Far East and Kazakhstan.

China: Orient Paper Inc has commenced the final commercial production phase of its papermill 1 (PM1) renovation project, which produces insulation liner paper. PM1 has a designed production capacity of 50,000t/yr.

"We are very pleased to re-launch the renovated PM1 a few months earlier than our original schedule," said Zhenyong Liu, chairman and CEO of Orient Paper. "The purpose of our modernisation plan is not only to convert PM1 into a more energy-efficient production line, but also to produce higher profit margin products."

According to Liu, the insulation liner paper is used to sandwich certain insulation materials as a construction material for wall and floor insulation. It can also be combined with certain plastic woven cloth to manufacture new moisture-proof packaging materials for the transportation of books and magazines by the publishing industry in China. Both product applications are expected to benefit from stable market demand in the region.

UK: Advanced Insulation (AI) has acquired Manuplas, which specialises in the manufacture and supply of floatation and protection products for the global marine and offshore energy markets.

"The acquisition of Manuplas enhances AI's market diversification by providing further penetration into our existing offshore markets while simultaneously increasing our presence and breadth of product offerings in the marine sector," said AI's managing director Andrew Bennion. AI's turnover has increased from Euro3.68m in 2008 to Euro24.5m in 2013.

Manuplas has over 50 employees at its two manufacturing plants in Plymouth, Devon, the second of which was acquired in early 2013 to accommodate the increase in production of offshore products and to further improve general productivity. As a result of the acquisition, Manuplas has dissolved its commercial reseller and distribution agreements with Fendercare Marine.