Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

US: CertainTeed and parent company Saint-Gobain North America have joined the US Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge initiative. The platform is intended to encourage companies and organisations to reduce their portfolio-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 25% or more over the next decade. Saint-Gobain’s new global Grow and Impact strategy includes a goal of reducing the company’s global carbon emissions by 33% by 2030.

US: Installed Building Products’ income grew by 19% year-on-year to US$1.97bn in 2021 from US$1.65bn in 2020. Its adjusted earnings before taxation, interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBTIDA) rose by 16% to US$269m from US$231m. Residential market sales growth grew faster than commercial market sales growth.

Denmark: Tentoma has launched its new XL Power insulation panel packing machine. The supplier says that machine can pack up to 19m-long panels. At shorter lengths, it can stretch film for more panels per packaging cycle, increasing the packaging speed for the products by up to 25%. Tentoma built and sold its first XL Power packiaging machine to replace an orbital wrapper.

France/Denmark: Ireland-based Kingspan has signed deals for two diversifying acquisitions. On 18 February 2022, it agreed to buy France-based roofing and building waterproofing company Ondura from France-based Naxicap Partners for Euro550m. Meanwhile, in Denmark, the group has also agreed to acquire wood-based acoustic board producer Troldtekt. Troldtekt produces its boards from ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and shredded Norway spruce wood.

Speaking of the latter deal, Kingspan Insulation managing director Alan Lawlor said "I am delighted to welcome Troldtekt to the Kingspan family. As the global leader in high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, we have the capacity to help them expand beyond their core markets, whilst bringing acoustic and decorative boards and natural insulation materials into our portfolio. Troldtekt has been able to continuously innovate and it sets the bar impressively high in the field of the circular economy.” He concluded "We will invest significantly in the company's production facilities to set them up for geographic growth."

Slovenia: Knauf Insulation Slovenija has commissioned its new 1MW solar power plant. The installation is situated atop the roof of the company’s Škofja Loka glass wool insulation plant in Upper Carniola.

Digital and brand manager and green solutions advocacy lead Jure Šumi said that the latest milestone demonstrates the company’s commitment to reduing carbon emissions, creating better built environments, driving the circular economy and developing its people, all for a better world.