By Eamonn Ryan
A vision for zero emissions and better buildings.
Kingspan Insulated Panel South Africa (Kingspan) hosted a customer event in Johannesburg during May, where it updated the market on product development.
Tammy Grove, Kingspan regional sales manager, introduced the day by referencing its mission: “At the heart of Kingspan’s global operations lies a powerful mission: to drive the transition towards a zero-emissions future and to create better buildings for a better world. This ethos, deeply embedded within the company’s DNA since its founding in 1965 by Gene Murtagh Sr, fuels its continuous innovation and strategic growth.”
What began as a modest welding trades business has evolved into a multinational powerhouse, boasting an impressive €8.3-billion turnover in 2022 and a dedicated workforce of 27 000 employees spanning over 80 countries.
Michel van Helm, MD for Western Europe and Africa at Kingspan, presented an overview of the company’s trajectory and vision. The entrepreneurial spirit instilled by the founder remains a cornerstone of Kingspan’s success by emphasising the enduring importance of investing in people and equipment above offices. This focus on talent development is clearly reflected in the company’s culture and its drive for product innovation and market leadership.
From its initial headquarters in Kingscourt, Ireland, Kingspan has strategically developed its infrastructure, including the IKON building. This facility serves as the central hub for long-term research and development (R&D), focusing on groundbreaking innovations in panel technology, insulation materials and integrated solutions. Achieving LEED certification for its facilities underscores the company’s dedication to environmental responsibility, a principle deeply ingrained since its early adoption of ambitious sustainability targets over a decade ago.
Kingspan’s commitment to its ‘Planet Passionate’ programme is a testament to its dedication to a zero-emissions future. This initiative permeates every aspect of the company, from product development aimed at lower CO₂ emissions to embracing electric vehicles within its fleet. Van Helm illustrated this commitment by noting the ambitious goal of transitioning all new company cars in his region to electric models, a challenging yet indicative step towards a more sustainable operation.
The company’s remarkable growth trajectory is clear in its financial figures. From a €1.6-billion turnover in 2015, Kingspan surged to €8.3-billion in 2022, primarily through an aggressive strategy of mergers and acquisitions. This proactive acquisition strategy extends to Africa, where Kingspan is actively seeking opportunities to further expand its presence and contribute to the continent’s growing building materials market. Notably, the geographical distribution of its turnover has also shifted significantly, with France and other international markets, including the rapidly expanding Americas, now representing a larger share compared to the initial dominance of UK and Ireland. Van Helm predicts that this trend will continue, with the rest of the world, including Africa, becoming an increasingly significant contributor to Kingspan’s global success in the coming years.
With a current global presence encompassing more than 173 production facilities worldwide, Kingspan has established itself as a truly global organisation. At its core, explained Van Helm, Kingspan is dedicated to providing a comprehensive suite of high-performance building materials, effectively offering solutions for almost the entire building envelope, including its renowned roof and wall panels. “However, the company’s vision extends beyond the exterior, with increasing focus on interior solutions and its data company specialising in data centre racking.”
Van Helm described Kingspan’s ambition as providing “everything about the building”. This is reflected in its five operational divisions – with the insulated panels division remaining the largest, followed by insulation, light and air, data centres and flooring – demonstrating the breadth of Kingspan’s expertise in creating better buildings for a sustainable future.
Innovating for a sustainable built environment
Van Helm articulated this ambition as fuelling a continuous cycle of innovation and strategic acquisitions aimed at improving the building materials industry.
“At the core of Kingspan’s innovation strategy lies a relentless pursuit of improved building materials. This involves significant investment in R&D, exemplified by their exploration of robotics to automate panel stitching, enhancing efficiency and precision. Furthermore, Kingspan actively seeks acquisitions that align with their sustainability goals, prioritising companies that offer enhanced insulation properties and contribute to a lower environmental footprint. This strategic approach ensures that growth is intrinsically linked to the company’s overarching mission,” said Van Helm.
A key aspect of Kingspan’s product innovation is the integration of advanced technologies into its core offerings. Their power panel, for instance, can be integrated with solar solutions, presenting a significant opportunity, particularly in Europe, for energy-efficient building design. The company is also heavily invested in developing lower embodied carbon (LEC) products, incorporating recycled content in both steel and foam to minimise their overall carbon emissions.
Van Helm addressed a common misconception by clarifying the diverse range of insulation materials utilised by Kingspan. Employing a ‘best fit for purpose’ approach, the company leverages various materials, including polyisocyanurate (PIR), mineral wool selecting the optimal solution based on specific performance requirements. This comprehensive approach ensures that Kingspan can cater to a wide spectrum of building needs while prioritising thermal efficiency.
The imperative for Kingspan’s focus on low carbon and energy-efficient solutions is underscored by the fact that buildings account for a substantial 37% of all carbon emissions, primarily stemming from heating and cooling. Kingspan’s integrated approach, combining high-performance insulation with airtightness solutions, directly addresses this challenge by minimising the energy required for climate control, thereby significantly reducing carbon emissions. Within its panel division, Kingspan offers a comprehensive range of solutions, from standard insulated panels widely used in commercial and industrial buildings to increasingly popular façade systems in Europe. In the African market, cold store solutions are a significant focus, utilising Kingspan’s proprietary QuadCore technology under the Isocab brand. This self-blended foam offers high levels of fire performance and high thermal performance compared to standard PIR, while also providing logistical advantages through thinner panel profiles and reduced screw requirements. These panels find critical application in industrial buildings, warehouses, logistics facilities, data centres and the vital cold storage sector.
Grove summarised: “By continuously striving for improvement, embracing sustainable practices, and offering a comprehensive range of high-performance solutions, Kingspan is actively shaping a more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible built environment for the future.