Designed by RKD Architects, Xtratherm’s new state-of-the-art 20,000 sq. m production and warehousing facility has opened in Belgium.
At an official ceremony in Feluy, Mr. Jean Claude Marcourt, Wallonia Minister of Economy, Foreign Trade, Research and Higher Education officially opened Irish insulation manufacturer Xtratherm’s new manufacturing and distribution facility.
The new location will be responsible for the manufacture of Xtratherm’s high performance rigid board insulation products. The initial phase of the investment comprises production and warehousing facilities of approximately 20,000 sq. m, with capacity for future expansion.
Jay Hynes, Director Xtratherm commented: “Xtratherm has ambitious growth plans and key mainland European markets such as Benelux, Germany and France are central to our future growth and expansion. The new site in Belgium, close to the city of Charleroi, is ideally located, with excellent access to our main markets. We are delighted to be at the forefront of new insulation technology and to be opening a new state-of-the-art facility to Belgium. The demand for high performance insulation boards continues to rise, driven by building regulations requiring better energy efficiency, and the realisation that a well-insulated property can reduce energy costs significantly.”
The €30 million investment is expected to create up to 100 local jobs in the next five years and should have a considerable economic impact in the local region.
Jean Claude Marcourt, Wallonia Minister of Economy, Foreign Trade, Research and Higher Education, added: “Wallonia welcomes Xtratherm’s first major investment in Continental Europe. This decision is no coincidence. Through the policy of competitive clusters that I have put in place, an ecosystem has been created in the areas of new product development and building materials, which are now particularly dynamic sectors in Wallonia. Today Wallonia is positioned as an innovative platform at the heart of Europe in the fields of logistics and, specifically, in the distribution of high value added products.”
Xtratherm’s suite of solutions span floor, wall and roof applications, addressing requirements from home renovation to large flagship commercial projects. Time and again throughout its 30 year history the company has proven its ability to innovate, transitioning seamlessly from EPS solutions in the 1990s, to become one of the first European suppliers of PIR in the early 2000s, and in the more recent adoption of phenolic foam.
Already a well-established player in the UK and Ireland, Xtratherm’s sales in mainland Europe are expected to grow significantly over the next couple of years, with sales in mainland Europe already a significant part of Xtratherm’s turnover. The company has a clear mission to become a major European player in the sector in the years ahead, and the new facility will serve as Xtratherm’s European base, from which Western and Eastern European markets, and the Nordics will be serviced.
The site is located in Feluy Industrial Park, managed by IDEA, the regional economic development agency. Construction of the new facility commenced in 2014.
From offices in Ireland and Belgium RKD designed and oversaw construction of the project, with works on site executed by Belgian construction company Cordeel.
