Kingspan Group is moving production of its KingspanTEK structural insulated panels from Germany to Selby in Yorkshire due to rising UK demand.
The Selby factory is currently used for making Kingspan insulation products. This operation will continue, with the SIPs plant installed alongside.
The SIPs laminating press at the factory in Klosterfelde, Germany, which bonds the PU foam core of the panels to the OSB/3 skin, will be dismantled and trucked to the UK, with new electricals and other services installed at its new home.
“The UK is already KingspanTEK’s biggest SIPs market and the forecast is that demand is set to grow due to increasingly demanding standards for home energy performance, so it made sense to bring production here,” said Tony Hutchison, commercial and sales director at Kingspan’s timber house manufacturer Kingspan Potton.
He added that his company was increasingly using SIPs in its various house designs.
“One of the latest projects is Barratts Hanham Hall development near Bristol, which will all be Code for Sustainable Homes level 6 and zero carbon,” he said. “It’s a £3m contract for us.”
Initially, because of the board size it needs for the SIPs production equipment, Kingspan will have to use imported OSB at Selby.
“However, there’s a possibility of sourcing up to a maximum 40% from the UK with some adaptation to our manufacturing process, which is under review,” said Mr Hutchison.
The eventual capacity at the new production site will be between 120,000-150,000m².
