New Rock Mineral Insulation Plant in North Wales

THE LOCATION of Knauf Insulation’s new state-of-the-art rock mineral insulation manufacturing plant is Shotton in North Wales.

Less than two miles from the existing Knauf Insulation plant in Queensferry, the new large-scale facility will be constructed on land to be acquired from Tata Steel in Deeside.

With an annual capacity in excess of 100,000 tonnes, the new plant will meet the growing demand for sustainable, non-combustible insulation solutions.

The circa €200 million will utilise UK-first, cutting-edge, submerged arc furnace electric melting technology to produce low embodied carbon insulation.

New Rock Mineral Insulation Plant 

The planned Shotton facility is expected to play an important role in the local economy, generating around 140 direct jobs across a variety of roles in skilled manufacturing positions, engineering, warehouse and administrative functions. Additionally, the plant will further stimulate regional supply chains and create additional indirect employment opportunities.

The investment in the new Shotton plant allows Knauf Insulation to further decarbonise and increase its UK and export supply of rock mineral wool products, complementing its existing Queensferry facility.

The Shotton site was selected for its excellent transport links, and being close to other Knauf Insulation plants enables logistics optimisation for the benefit of customers. The proximity to existing operations will also facilitate a faster ramp up, utilising existing process expertise.

Local authority Leaders from Flintshire and Wrexham – councils which are progressing a new Investment Zone in partnership with Ambition North Wales, welcomed the announcement by Knauf.

(L-R) Neil Cockerton, CEO Flintshire CC, Dominique Bossan, KI EMEA CEO, Jo Stevens, SoS Wales, Ken Skates, CS for Transport and NW, Neil Hargreaves, MD for KINE

In a joint response, Cllr. Mark Pritchard, Leader, Wrexham County Borough Council and Chair, Ambition North Wales and Cllr. Dave Hughes, Leader, Flintshire County Council, Board Member, Ambition North Wales, said: “The decision by Knauf to locate its new plant in Deeside is incredibly positive news, not only for those living and working within the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone, but extending across North Wales.

“The development will build on Knauf’s already strong presence, and support growth in what is becoming a globally significant advanced manufacturing cluster in the region. Benefits will be far reaching – from skills development and the creation of high-value jobs, to attracting further inward investment, all while focusing on sustainability and protecting our environment for the future.”

Neil Hargreaves, MD, Knauf Insulation Northern Europe

Neil Hargreaves, Managing Director of Knauf Insulation Northern Europe, commented: “One year on from our original announcement about our commitment to build the new facility, today is a significant milestone not just for Knauf Insulation, but for the local communities of Deeside, and the wider UK construction sector. Our new plant will offer innovative insulation solutions that safely reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints in the built environment, while also creating meaningful job opportunities and long-term economic benefits locally.”

Dominique Bossan, CEO of Knauf Insulation EMEA Region, added: “Following the recent €50 million+ investments across our two UK glass mineral wool plants, the Knauf Group are confident in the future growth of the UK and Northern European mineral wool markets and today’s announcement represents yet another exciting development for our people, our local communities, and our valued customers.”

Subject to planning, environmental and other considerations, construction of the Shotton plant is scheduled to begin in 2026, with production anticipated to start by the end of 2027.

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