UK: Saint-Gobain has signed an agreement to acquire Celotex Group Limited, one of the leading British producers of high performance insulating foam.

Celotex had a turnover of Euro86.7m during its last fiscal year to August 2011. The company currently has 170 employees and two production lines based in Hadleigh near Ipswich, UK. It recently extended its capacity with a new Euro3.7m distribution and innovation centre in order to support its growth in the construction market. Celotex will continue to operate under its brand name and with its existing management team.

Already present in the UK and Ireland on the insulation market with its Isover brand, Saint-Gobain will enhance its insulation offer for new market segments such as flat roofs and floors. It also strengthens its positions in the insulation for the new construction and renovation markets.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to approval of the UK Office of Fair Trading.

China: China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development have announced that the state will ensure that more than 30% of new construction projects produce green buildings by 2020 via subsidies and lightened administrative requirements. Such a drive is likely to increase demand for insulation in the country. China is expected to invest over US$158bn in energy efficient buildings by 2020.

China has set a 'green' target for the industry for the first time in 'Guidelines on Promoting China's Green Buildings'. Since January 2012, China has issued related documents promoting the Golden Sun project, for energy conservation in new buildings in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and northern China, including the use of renewable energy sources in the buildings.

Green buildings are incorporated in the 12th Five-Year Plan. According to the two ministries, the Chinese government will act via incentive policies, standards, technological progress, industrial supports and accreditation to stimulate all of the sectors that are crucial to green buildings.

China's built-up areas are currently expanding at a rate of two billion square metres per year. The government expects that the operation of buildings will become the biggest energy consumer in the country by 2020, accounting for over 30% of the total at that time. According to preliminary estimates, new buildings being built in the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2010-2015) could save 45Mt/yr of standard coal if the state adopts strict energy saving measures and pushes green construction forward.

Denmark: Rockwool has increased its 2012 net profit forecast to US$109-118m compared with its previous guidance of 'above US$100m.' The company reiterated its forecast of full-year sales growth of 5% in 2012 but warned that it expects continued tough conditions in the Eurozone.

The insulation giant said that it expects some recovery in its profit margins, helped by price increases and an anticipated easing in inflationary pressures.

In the first quarter of 2012, the company's net profit rose to US$17.4m from US$11.5m in the first quarter of 2011, while earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by 48% to US$26m. Rockwool's sales rose by 11% in the quarter to US$4.1bn, driven by increased demand in some of its key European markets.

UK: Superglass Holdings, which makes glass fibre insulation, has reported that it made a pre-tax profit for the half year that ended on 29 February 2012. It added that market conditions remain difficult and that there is uncertainty over how the UK government's Green Deal environmental policy will operate.

Revenue for the half year rose year-on-year to Euo21.1m from Euro18.4m in the same half year in 2011, an increase of 14%. Pre-tax profit rose to Euro9.92m from a loss of Euro2.7m. Tight control continues to be exercised over costs and working capital.