Germany: Saint-Gobain has appointed Danijel Lučić as the head of sales for its Germany-based subsidiaries Saint-Gobain Isover G+H and Rigips. He succeeds Dirk Borgmann, who has decided to leave the company. Lučić will take up his new positions from July 2022.

Lučić has worked for nearly 30 years with Saint-Gobain Group with much of it in the insulation sector. This has included roles with Saint-Gobain HES and Superglass Dämmstoffe.

Ukraine: Ireland-based Kingspan plans to spend Euro200m towards building a ‘Building Technology Campus’ in Ukraine. The site will be used to manufacture insulation and district heating products. Development of the project is due to start immediately with eventually commissioning forecast for 2027. The insulation company has appointed a project team to identify a suitable site, likely to be in the west of the country, and is liaising with the Ukrainian Government. Over 600 jobs are expected to be created when the site opens.

Gene Murtagh, the chief executive officer of Kingspan Group, said “This investment sits at the crossroads of three crises: the climate crisis, the energy security crisis, and the crisis caused by the Russian war against Ukraine. The new Building Technology Campus we are planning will make positive contributions on all three fronts, supporting Ukraine as it rebuilds its economy, meeting demand across central and Eastern Europe for energy efficient buildings, and helping Europe to reduce reliance on oil and gas imports.”

Kingspan previously said it had exited the Russian market and divested its operations to local management in April 2022 following a decision made in March 2022.

Russia: URSA Eurasia has appointed Alexander Trubitsyn as its general director for the production of thermal insulation materials. Previously he held the position of the Director of Production and Logistics at the company. Trubitsyn succeeds Denis Shvydkoi in the post. Shvydkoi will manage international projects for URSA Group, based at the company's head office.

Russia: Denmark-based Rockwool says that it is running its four plants in Russia as a standalone operation. However, it is continuing conducting business to avoid the nationalisation of its assets and the loss of its intellectual property. The insulation producer previously said that it had cancelled all investments in the country since the start of the war in Ukraine.