German woodfibre insulation board manufacturer Homatherm says the product will become more cost-effective for UK customers when it starts producton at a new plant in France next year.
Homatherm acquired the former Isoroy site in Chamouilley, south of Reims, in 2010 as a production and logistics centre for the French market, which is a major buyer of flexible woodfibre batt insulation.
But Homatherm UK representative Peter Loveday said the plant, which starts production in 2012, would also serve bordering markets including the UK.
“The problem we have in the UK market with woodfibre is the cost of transportation [from Germany], which makes the product more expensive than on the continent,” said Mr Loveday.
The French factory, he added, would make product supply and cost more favourable for the UK market.
He said Homatherm had attracted two new UK stockists this year – Welsh eco building products merchant Ty Mawr and Elliotts – to add to EH Smith and Construction Resources.
Mr Loveday said Homatherm’s policy was not to keep its own stocks in the UK but supply through merchants.
Homatherm said its French plant would produce flexible woodfibre insulation and could not say if or when rigid boards for wall and roof sheathing, as well as retrofit, would be added.
Rival woodfibre insulation product manufacturer Steico also has a plant in France, in the south near Bordeaux, while Actis has a factory in the Pyrenees.
