Knauf Insulation plans £180m Flintshire insulation factory
Situated at Deeside Industrial Park, the proposed facility would be capable of producing more than 100,000 tonnes of rock mineral wool insulation each year.
Knauf Insulation, part of the Knauf Group, has commenced a consultation for the remediation work for the project, which would sit on 30 acres of the Tata Steel Complex in Shotton. Knauf Insulation plans to solicit public feedback on the factory proposal itself next month.
The current remediation-focussed consultation ends 3 February and can be accessed at knauf.com/en-GB/knauf-insulation/shotton-plant. A planning application will be submitted shortly thereafter.
The £180m project has already secured support from the £1bn North Wales Growth Deal, with the deal manager Ambition North Wales approving an outline business case for £14.4m earlier this week.
Ian Gornall, project director at Knauf Insulation, said: “We’re delighted to see the Growth Deal funding approved – it’s a major milestone for us and shows the commitment we share with Ambition North Wales to deliver sustainable manufacturing for the future.
“This investment underlines our confidence in North Wales as a hub for innovation and advanced manufacturing. The new facility will help us meet growing demand for non-combustible, low-carbon insulation, supporting the UK’s net zero and building safety goals.”
Knauf Insulation is targeting a June start for the remediation work, with construction to begin on the AEW Architects-designed factory itself in 2028.
Knauf Insulation employs around 600 people in its Cwmbran, Queensferry, and St Helens facilities. The Deeside factory would increase that number by 137, as well as creating 131 indirect jobs, according to the company.
Cllr Dave Hughes, lead member for the Ambition North Wales high value manufacturing programme and Leader of Flintshire County Council, said: “This is an exciting project that brings together innovation and sustainability. We’re proud to support a project that tackles some of the most pressing challenges in construction – from decarbonisation to fire safety – while securing long-term employment and investment for our communities.”
In addition to AEW, the project team includes planner, ecologist, and air quality expert WSP, project manager Core, landscape architect Tyler Grange, and engineers Tier Consult and Tier Environmental. Eddisons, Hannan Associates, Hoare Lea, and Hilson Moran round out the project team.
Spending that much on a new factory whilst making around a quarter of there workforce in St.Helens redundant…. the mind boggles
By Anonymous