Knauf Insulation Completes £40m+ Upgrade at St Helens Facility

CITY OF LIVERPOOL, LIVERPOOL CITY REGION.

Knauf Insulation Completes £40m+ Upgrade At St Helens Glass Mineral Wool Manufacturing Facility

Knauf Insulation has completed a major upgrade of its glass mineral wool manufacturing plant in St Helens which features UK-first forming technology to enable new product capability.

The upgrade has increased roll, slab and blowing wool capacity by up to 25,000 tonnes, added new product capability and further reduced the embodied carbon of products made at the site, the largest glass mineral wool plant in the UK.

The upgraded plant was officially reopened yesterday by Knauf Group General Partner Alexander Knauf and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, alongside representatives from St Helens Borough Council and senior personnel from the Knauf Insulation Group.

Neil Hargreaves, Managing Director, Knauf Insulation Northern Europe, said: "Glass mineral wool insulation is central to meeting the UK’s housebuilding and energy efficiency needs."

Neil added: “This upgrade means we can deliver increased volumes and enhanced products for our customers to meet rising demand for warmer, safer and sustainable homes with lower energy bills.”

The plant now features UK-first forming technology that will enable Knauf Insulation to create the next generation of low thermal conductivity, non-combustible glass mineral wool products and add thicker options to its existing ranges.

The extensive programme of work involved over 1,100 contractors over a six-month period. It included installation of a larger plant furnace which is used to melt the main raw material of glass cullet, collected via local household recycling.

Touring the plant, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, said: “I’ve really enjoyed the visit and the tour of the new facilities. What it shows is a real demonstration of confidence, not only in the product or even in the process, but in the people of this area. St Helens is famous for glass. With a facility like this we’re going to be right at the forefront of investment and the economic growth that stems from it. It’s great for the City Region."

Knauf Group General Partner, Alexander Knauf, said: “Our people make things happen. What I saw here today makes me feel extremely proud. It’s incredible what the team has achieved over the last months. To make such a project happen has taken a true team effort from everyone. They have done an amazing job to help make tomorrow a home for all of us.”

Knauf Insulation is the UK’s largest insulation manufacturer. It makes non-combustible, low-carbon glass and rock mineral wool insulation for use in residential, commercial and public buildings.

Knauf Insulation exists to create better buildings, working in partnership with designers, contractors, merchants, policymakers and others to drive higher standards for energy efficiency, fire safety, acoustics and sustainability.

Knauf Insulation employs more than 6,000 employees and has 28 manufacturing sites in 15 countries, with a turnover of €2.5bn. In the UK, the company employs approximately 600 people at its manufacturing plants in Cwmbran, Queensferry and St Helens. It is part of the Knauf Group, a multi-national family-owned manufacturer of building materials and construction systems.

Read more on their website at www.knaufinsulation.co.uk