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Factory closes, but Warmcel lives on |
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30 Aug 2014, 8:34 PM
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There was a great shock to the building industry earlier this summer when Excel Industries Ltd the Welsh manufacturers of Warmcel - one of the UK’s most sustainable insulation products, made from recycled newspaper - went into administration.
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The cellulose fibre from recycled newspaper is used as insulation in some of the UK’s highest performing buildings, from one off Grand Design homes, large social housing schemes to the UK’s first Passive House certified: residential home, office building and schools. Excel struggled over the last few years with increasing competition in their export markets and rising overheads of their factory in South Wales. After 38 years of manufacturing they were forced to call the administrator in - a sad end for the business and their employees.
However, Warmcel insulation will continue to be available in the UK. PYC Insulation have partnered with CIUR who are Europe’s leading cellulose insulation manufacturer to continue the supply of Warmcel to the same exacting standards. Both companies already service customers in the UK. PYC Insulation have been installing Warmcel for 20 years in the UK and as the largest UK supplier are now sharing their experience, skills and techniques with the network of existing and new installers throughout the country enabling the continuation of supply.
The existing line in south Wales will be removed and reinstated in a smaller factory with a more compact and efficient set up. Neil Turner will continue with his technical expertise and be available for architects, customers and installers to draw upon with U Value calculations, technical advice and support for a confident specification of this historically successful product.
Cellulose fibre insulation, has an interesting history with the first use back in the late 19th century. In the USA mainstream use started in the 1970’s as a result of the oil embargo and demand for energy conservation measures. Manufacturing started in the UK in the early 1980’s when the founders of Excel Industries brought over equipment and techniques from the USA.
In Europe cellulose fibre is the insulation of choice for 30% of new houses and as much as 60% in the USA and whilst the UK has much smaller numbers this is increasing dramatically as awareness grows. The market performance of cellulose insulation in these countries is perhaps due to the higher standards they have for their construction and insulation levels.
UK customers realise how valuable the insulating properties Warmcel have in supporting stable temperatures, a comfortable living environment and savings on rising heating expenses. Although the lambda value of any insulation is the main measurement that is used for calculating the performance of a wall or roof, this form of cellulose fibre has additional properties. Injection into wall and roof voids gives a high density packing which helps cut out thermal convection and conductivity and significantly reduces noise levels. The ‘specific heat capacity factor’ of an insulation is the measurement used for calculating the density and thermal absorption properties it has and is of major importance on how an insulation performs in a practical way. The specific heat capacity factor of the product is by far the highest found in the range of insulations available and gives the insulated structure a long decrement delay performance with no overheating in summer months and great stability of temperatures throughout the year.
The largest growth sector for cellulose fibre in the construction market is in Passive House certified jobs. The pioneer of the Passivhaus movement, Wolfgang Feist quoted that perhaps a better name for a ‘Passive House’ would have been the “Comfort House”. Post occupancy feedback from the inhabitants in the increasing numbers of houses and schools that have installed cellulose insulation, shows that this is exactly what it can achieve.
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