Saint-Gobain to build electric-powered insulation factory in UK

Artistic impression of Saint-Gobain UK’s future stone wool plant in Leicestershire, UK. Image: Saint-Gobain UK

The project, located on the former Holwell Foundry Works site, marks a ‘multi-million-pound investment’ in UK industrial capacity and will support up to 250 jobs once fully operational. The exact contract value for the build was not disclosed.

Saint-Gobain UK is a regional division of France-based Saint-Gobain, a multinational company that designs, manufactures, and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets.

The facility will produce up to 50,000 tonnes of stone wool insulation annually under the Saint-Gobain Isover brand, with scope to double output in a second phase.

Mineral wool insulation in storage at a production site. Image: Adobe Stock

The plant will utilise all-electric melting furnaces powered by renewable electricity – a first for the company’s UK operations. The new facility will also complement Saint-Gobain UK’s existing Isover glass wool production site in Runcorn.

While no general contractor has been publicly named for the build, the project will involve full site regeneration, habitat restoration, and construction of high-performance manufacturing infrastructure.

The development is expected to be financed internally by Saint-Gobain, with no public subsidy announced to date. The firm said the initiative aligns with the company’s broader goal to reach net-zero across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 2050 and reflects increasing industry demand for lower-embodied-carbon materials in both new-build and retrofit sectors.

Construction is set to begin following permitting and design finalisation, with insulation production targeted for 2027. Local hiring and site works are expected to begin in phases before full commissioning.

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