Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

US: Knauf Insulation has won a contract to recycle waste glass bottles from the NTT IndyCar Series Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tennessee, on 5 – 7 August 2022.

Knauf Insulation’s vice president of sustainability and health, safety and environment Chris Mahin said "These types of unique recycling opportunities are valuable for Knauf as we continue to seek alternative sources for glass – the main ingredient in our high quality glass wool insulation.”

US: The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) have certified Knauf Insulation’s Fiberglass Acoustic Panel glass wool insulation panel as Asthma and Allergy Friendly. The certification attests the product’s ability to limit pollutant and allergen exposure in the indoor environment.

Knauf Insulation’s senior vice president of customer experience, innovation, and sales Nathan Walker said “This Asthma and Allergy Friendly certification is evidence of Knauf’s commitment to providing high quality products that can improve indoor air quality and help create healthier home environments.”

US: Knauf Insulation is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the beginning of operations at its Shasta Lake glass wool insulation plant in California. Local press has reported that the company increased its capacity by 70% over the past two decades. Today, the Shasta Lake plant employs 156 people. It has implemented sustainable practices in its production, including the use of ECOSE Technology plant-based binders in the place of petrochemical alternatives. It also recycles 600,000 glass bottles daily, constituting 50% of its glass consumption. This presented the plant with difficulties when Covid-19 lockdowns reduced local waste glass generation.

Belarus: Gomelstroymaterialy has entered talks with the administration of St Petersburg’s Krasnogvardeyski District over the possible start of exports of insulation and wall panels to the Russian population centre. Business World Magazine has reported that construction, especially of social facilities, is also an area in which the local government officials say they would like to advance cross-border cooperation.

Denmark: Rockwool recorded consolidated sales of Euro924m in the first quarter of 2022, up by 38% year-on-year from first-quarter 2021 levels. The group’s earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 12% year-on-year to Euro155m.

CEO Jens Birgersson “High demand and sales price increases drove double-digit revenue growth across almost all business units. While not materially affecting sales performance at this point, the terrible war in Ukraine and the challenging geopolitical situation are contributing to an already stressed global economy. Even with the price increases, the soaring energy, material, and logistics costs diluted margins in the first quarter. This will necessitate further price increases across the businesses.” Birgersson added “We expect to restore margins in the coming quarters.”

In its Outlook 2022, Rockwool predicted full-year net sales growth of 20 – 25% in local currencies and Euro425m-worth of group investments during the year, excluding acquisitions. It says that its business in Russia continues operating on a stand-alone basis, in order to avoid nationalisation and loss of its intellectual property.