Knauf Insulation has
completed a £7m upgrade of its manufacturing plant in Cwmbran, South Wales,
which will increase its capacity by 6%.
The improvements
include a complete rebuild of the furnace at the heart of the plant.
The work has been
completed as part of a £200m investment programme to significantly increase the
company’s manufacturing capacity and capability, which includes the
construction of new plants in France and Malaysia.
“We’ve seen increased
demand over the last 18 months as architects, contractors, developers and
regulators have recognised the benefits of high-performance, non-combustible
mineral wool insulation” said John Sinfield, Managing Director, Knauf
Insulation.
“All indications
suggest this trend will continue, which is one of the reasons we’ve invested in
this comprehensive upgrade of our Cwmbran facility.”
The programme of work
at the plant was scheduled to take six weeks, but was completed three days
early. It included a complete rebuild of the furnace, and plant-wide
refurbishments and modifications taking advantage of the latest technology
developments to maintain high product standards.
The programme also
includes energy efficiency improvements with new compressors, drives and motors
installed which will reduce the plant’s CO2
emissions by just under 7,000 tonnes per year.
During the works, the
plant’s 207 employees volunteered their time with local charities under Knauf
Insulation’s ‘Community Matters’ programme. In total, 576 hours were given over
to supporting four local causes, including two hospices, a resource centre for
people with learning disabilities, and an animal rescue facility.
Knauf Insulation’s
Cwmbran plant manufactures Glass Mineral Wool for use in a wide variety of
applications. Products made at the site include the Supafil range of blowing
wools for cavity insulation, and the Earthwool range of high-performance rolls
and slabs for use in traditional and off-site construction.
Knauf Insulation’s new
Glass Mineral Wool plant in France is expected to come online in 2019, with the
new Rock Mineral Wool plant in Malaysia following in 2020.
