Kingspan Group

Joint ventures

• Kingspan Isoeste (Brazil, 2017): 51% controlling stake in Isoeste, structured and operated as a joint venture/partnership with the founders.
• Kingspan Jindal (India, with Jindal Mectec, established 2018): Joint venture manufacturing insulated sandwich panels and building envelope systems.
• Kingspan MV / MV Aceros (Paraguay, 2024): Joint venture / controlling interest for insulated metal panels and metal products for the local market.
• Villalba (Chile, 2024): 51% controlling stake in Villalba Aceros, structured and operated as a joint venture/partnership with the founding family.
• Grupo LTN (Argentina, 2026): Strategic joint venture / majority stake for insulated panels and related solutions in Argentina and South America.

Joris Ide (Belgium) acquisitions and additions since Kingspan ownership

Kingspan acquired Joris Ide Group (via Steel Partners NV) in early 2015 for approximately €315 million. The business has continued to operate largely as a distinct brand and division within Kingspan’s Insulated Panels activities, while making a series of further acquisitions.

Innovation

Kingspan Group's new global innovation centre, 'IKON', opened in 2019 in Kingscourt, Ireland, next to the head office. Designed by 'MILLIMETRE DESIGN' (Dublin), it comprises 18 Kingspan products serving as a 'state-of-the-art' place of research and living research project. The facility has been modelled with a Digital Twin and leverages input from sensors, IoT devices, Virtual Reality (VR), Autodesk Forge and BIM Data to further enhance operational efficiency.

Sustainability

Approximately 39% of all greenhouse gas (CO₂ and CO₂e) emissions globally come from construction and buildings in operation, so it is vital that more buildings decarbonise by incorporating insulation and using increasingly energy-efficient appliances.

In 2020, Kingspan Group achieved its fourth appearance on CDP’s prestigious ‘A-list’ for climate change. Joining the Renewable Energy 100 (RE100) initiative in 2010, the Group achieved Net Zero Energy across all manufacturing and office facilities globally by 2019. In 2019, the Group joined the Circular Economy 100 (CE100) initiative as a member.

Kingspan Group also launched its 10-year ‘Planet Passionate’ sustainability programme in 2019, consisting of twelve targets focused on the four key areas of; Energy, Carbon, Circularity and Water. As part of programme, the company announced its target to reduce carbon emissions by 90 per cent by 2030. One carbon target is to achieve net zero carbon manufacturing and a '50% reduction in product CO₂ intensity from primary supply partners'. One circularity target is to upcycle 1 billion PET bottles into insulation by 2025, up from 256 million in 2018.

In 2023, the company reported a 26 per cent reduction in carbon emissions since 2020.

People

People Passionate is Kingspan’s global programme focused on the development, engagement and wellbeing of its employees. Launched in 2023 and sponsored by the Group Chief Executive, the programme is designed to attract, retain and develop talent across the business.

The programme covers key areas of talent management and organisational development, including health, safety and wellbeing; recruitment and onboarding; performance and reward; training and development; leadership development; career planning and progression; employee engagement and communication; and people and organisational policies. It is structured in phases, with the first phase (2024–2026) concentrating on performance management, learning and career development, health and safety, and ethical labour practices. Subsequent phases are informed by employee feedback.

Kingspan Group have over 278 manufacturing sites, which are spread across 80 different countries

QuadCore

QuadCore is Kingspan’s proprietary hybrid insulation core technology used in its insulated panels. The company states that the microcell structure delivers a thermal conductivity (λ) of approximately 0.018–0.019 W/m·K, making it more than twice as thermally efficient as typical mineral-fibre insulation of the same thickness. Because a lower thickness of QuadCore can achieve the same U-value as a thicker mineral-fibre panel, the resulting insulated panels are thinner and lighter. Kingspan materials note that this can reduce structural loading, allow longer spans or lighter supporting steel in some applications, increase usable internal floor area, and lower overall material and transport requirements.

AlphaCore

AlphaCore is a range of microporous silica-based insulation boards produced by Kingspan’s Insulation division. The boards have a water-repellent (hydrophobic) core and a declared thermal conductivity of 0.020 W/m·K. They achieve a Euroclass A2-s1,d0 reaction-to-fire classification and are available in thicknesses typically ranging from 20 mm to 50 mm. Because of the lower thermal conductivity compared with many traditional mineral-fibre products of similar fire classification, AlphaCore can deliver required U-values in a thinner build-up, which can free up internal space or simplify detailing in applications such as rainscreen façades, soffits and off-site fabrication systems. The range includes AlphaCore Pad (suitable for rainscreen and soffit use) and AlphaCore Pure (aimed at OEM and modular applications).

OPTIM-R

OPTIM-R is a range of vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) produced by Kingspan’s Insulation division. Each panel consists of a rigid microporous core that is evacuated of air, then sealed inside a thin gas-tight envelope. The removal of air creates a vacuum that gives the panels a declared thermal conductivity of 0.007 W/m·K. Kingspan states that this delivers up to five times the insulating performance of commonly used insulation materials of the same thickness. Because of the high thermal resistance, OPTIM-R can achieve required U-values in significantly thinner build-ups than mineral-fibre or conventional foam insulation, making it suitable for applications where space is limited (for example retrofit floors, roofs, balconies or terraces). The panels are available in a range of thicknesses (typically 20–50 mm) and are supplied as part of flooring and roofing systems.

PowerPanel

In 2025 Kingspan launched PowerPanel, a factory-integrated insulated roof panel with photovoltaic (PV) modules fitted during manufacture. The system combines Kingspan’s QuadCore insulated roof panels with high-efficiency monocrystalline PV modules (from LONGi), delivering both thermal performance (U-values as low as 0.11 W/m²K) and on-site electricity generation in a single unit. It is one of the first integrated solar roof systems globally to achieve FM 4478 certification.

Because the solar modules are fitted in the factory using robotic assembly, PowerPanel reduces the number of separate material deliveries to the construction site, simplifies and speeds up installation (providing insulation and energy generation in one step), and can lower associated costs such as crane lifts and scaffolding compared with traditional separate roofing and solar installations.

Grenfell Tower fire

The Phase 1 Report of the Grenfell Inquiry stated that "the principal reason" for rapid fire spread on Grenfell was the unsafe ACM rainscreen with a plastic-core, which had been used as an external rainscreen on the Tower.

Although Zinc ACM rainscreen products were originally specified, the plastic-cored ACM panels were selected after the architect came under pressure "from the client regarding the costs with suggestions flagged of using aluminium. We (and the Planners) would much rather see zinc up there".

In November 2020, the official inquiry into the 2017 Grenfell Tower Fire heard evidence from Kingspan ex-technical project manager Ivor Meredith testified that Kingspan insulation product Kooltherm K15 was used as a small portion of the insulation component behind the rainscreen mounted on to Grenfell Tower. Around 5% of the insulation in the cladding on the tower was manufactured by Kingspan whilst the rest was manufactured by Celotex, a subsidiary of Saint Gobain. A previous version of the product had passed fire tests, but Meredith described a fire test using the version of the product used on Grenfell as a "raging inferno", with the insulation "burning on its own steam".

Also in November 2020, the inquiry learned that Kingspan employee Philip Heath had said, in 2008, that consultants who raised concerns about the combustibility of its product could "go f*ck themselves", and that they were "getting me confused with someone who gives a dam [sic]".

Kingspan subsequently issued a statement:

A small number of internal communications used language, and expressed sentiments on fire safety, that were totally unprofessional and utterly unacceptable. We have apologised and taken robust action to prevent any such behaviour from happening again. Further, as Kingspan has explained to the Inquiry:

• Following the change from “old technology” K15 to “new technology” K15 in 2006, it should have carried out a replacement of the 2005 BS 8414 test with "new technology" K15
• It should have made it clear that the two BS8414 tests carried out in March and July 2014 incorporated R&D variants of K15 rather than the standard K15 sold at that time
• Aspects of early versions on the LABC and BBA certificates were capable of being misunderstood and that such issues should have been drawn to the attention of the issuing bodies.  

We have introduced measures that ensure the regime around fire safety tests meets the highest standards and is industry ‘best practice’.

Near the end of November 2020, it emerged that Kingspan executives had sold at least £6.5M of shares in the company shortly before Kingspan's inquiry hearings were due to start.

On 8 December 2020, the inquiry saw evidence that in November 2016, Kingspan technical staff had acknowledged internally that Kingspan was selling its Kooltherm K15 foam insulation product as less flammable than it really was.

On 9 December 2020, the inquiry was told that after the Grenfell fire, Kingspan had invested in a campaign to demonstrate that some non-combustible insulation would have reacted similarly to combustible insulation when used in conjunction with ACM. The campaign involved using non-standard test rigs to demonstrate that non-combustible products might in fact be flammable, and hiring lobbyists to present the results before policymakers such as the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee and other MPs.

On 4 September 2024, the final report of Grenfell Tower Inquiry found Kingspan's "dishonest marketing" of its K15 product had "created the conditions" for Celotex, another insulation company, to target the market by "dishonest means". Kingspan had "long-running internal discussions about what it could get away with" that "betrayed no concern for accuracy", the report said.