Armaplus Magazine

ARMA+magazine

Information for Armacell’s Business Partners Issue 25 - Winter 2016 / 2017

14 | From the jobsite: Hilton Schiphol Hotel

21

| Fire protection special

Low smoke density for greater fire safety

34 | Corrosion under insulation (CUI)

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Contents

CONTENTS

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06 Innovations

30 Know-how

06 ArmaComfort AB

30 Armaflex BIM objects – Now in the NBS National BIM Library

08 Tubolit Split and Tubolit DuoSplit

31 The key to even more digital services from Armacell

09 Armafix VVS pipe support

32 Customers ask – Armacell answers

10 Tubolit DG Plus

33 Expert advice

11 Armaflex LS

34 Armaflex insulation materials minimize the risk of corrosion

12 From the jobsite

36 Armacell training courses

12 Armaflex submersed in ice

40 News

14 A new star on Schiphol Boulevard

40 Armacell opens new insulation plant in Russia

19 Armacell strives …

42 Acquisition of 100 % of the shares of PoliPex in Brazil

20 Did you know that …

44 New extension for the European Development Centre

43 Armacell and JIOS establish joint venture for Aerogel blankets 44 Dutch insulation association visits Armacell

21 Fire protection special

45 Inauguration of the Münster North site 45 Elastomeric insulation materials achieve Green Guide ‘A’ rating

22 Armaflex Ultima – Low smoke density for

46 ArmaPlus Club: Getting off to a great start on the sunny island

greater fire safety

of Mallorca

24 High-tech in the cleanroom: Armaflex Ultima in

49 Armacell backs ambitious renovation initiative

50 Bivouac made of Arma-Chek Silver in the Swiss Alps

Fresenius Kabi’s new penicillin production plant

29 Information campaign

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under insulation

53 Armacell competition: The winners

Icon Guide

Download on this topic on www.armacell.eu

Video on the topic on YouTube

Individual advice: info@armacell.com

Internet link to further information

Register here for the ArmaPlus Newsletter

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Editorial Insulation is Key The UN climate conference in Paris marked a turning point in global climate and energy policy. For the first time, all 195 member states of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change committed themselves to protecting the climate and unanimously agreed to limit global warming to below 2 °C. In order to build a low-carbon economy, by 2050 the European Union aims to progressively reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent compared to 1990. This ambitious target can only be achieved if the European directives on increasing energy efficiency are implemented more rigorously at a national level in future.

It is high time for a global “energy revolution”. Because energy consumption will continue to rise: according to the British energy company BP, by 2035 the amount of energy required on Earth will have increased by a third compared to today’s levels. At the same time, urbanization will grow further. Over half of the world’s population already lives in towns and cities – the UN forecasts that it will be more than two thirds in 2050. We have to set the course for shaping

Find out more about the importance of high-performance insulation materials for increasing energy efficiency in our internet campaign at www.armacell.com

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these developments to ensure that they are sustainable – environment friendly, socially fair and economically efficient.

To meet the growing energy demand and at the same time protect our planet for future generations, it is imperative that we improve the energy efficiency of technical equipment. The key technology for increasing energy efficiency is insulation. Because wherever energy is produced, transported or stored, part of the valuable resource is lost if equipment is poorly insulated. This applies equally to HVAC equipment and industrial plant. Technical insulation is one of the simple, fastest and most cost-efficient measures for improving energy consumption. No other investment in climate protection has comparable potential and pays off so quickly. While accounting for just 1 % of the total costs of the technical equipment on average, insulation materials ensure higher performance, a longer service life and higher efficiency of mechanical equipment both in buildings and in industry.

This is a powerful message which our industry must spread even more vigorously in future.

Patrick Mathieu CEO of the Armacell Group

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I n n ovat i o n s 6

T ARMACOMFOR NUAL APPLICATION MA

T. +49 (0) 251 7603-0 info@armacell.com

Information on the installation of the ArmaComfort products is provided in the application manual.

www.armacell.eu

INNOVATIONS

ArmaComfort AB

High performance noise control solutions for rainwater and wastewater pipes

The new acoustic insulation materials are also presented in a video which can be viewed on YouTube and at www.armacell.eu

With its ArmaComfort range Armacell provides highly effective, easy-to-install noise control products. The insulation manufacturer now presents ArmaComfort AB and ArmaComfort AB Alu especially for insulating rainwater and wastewater pipes.

Highly efficient noise control solutions One of the most frequent sources of nuisance in living and working environments is noise. Sounds from wastewater pipes and internal rainwater pipes are experienced as being particularly annoying. The noise of falling water is transferred via unprotected pipes to wall and ceiling elements and from there to adjoining rooms. With ArmaComfort AB and ArmaComfort AB Alu Armacell now provides highly efficient noise control solutions specially developed for this area of application. Tests by the French certification organization Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB) show that with ArmaComfort AB the airborne sound pressure level of a Geberit roof drainage system can be reduced by 16 dB (A) at 2 l/s water flow. On a simple PVC pipe, where the vibrations caused by flowing water are stronger because of the lighter weight, a noise reduction of 12 dB (A) was achieved. The human ear perceives a reduction of 10 dB (A) as halving the volume. In comparison to traditional acoustic insulation products, ArmaComfort AB achieves a much greater reduction in the sound level with a thinner wall thickness. The new materials have very good acoustic damping and acoustic isolation properties across the frequency range relevant for building acoustics – no matter whether they are installed on cast iron or plastic pipes.

Flexible and robust The new acoustic insulation materials are flexible, yet have a tougher surface than traditional Armaflex products. They are installed in a similar way to elastomeric insulation materials and do not require any special tools. To glue the ArmaComfort products the tried-and-tested Armaflex adhesives are used. In addition, the longitudinal seams are secured with the appropriate self-adhesive tapes. The thin wall thickness of the material is an advantage during the installation process, because especially in these application areas space is often at a premium.

Background facts Noise control is becoming more and more important Noise has become one of the greatest environmental problems of our times. Whether at work, in public buildings or in the home – hardly anything disturbs us as much as noise. Although the acoustic insulation on external structural elements may be good, annoying noises inside the building can greatly impair the quality of life. The

Low smoke density in a fire

consequences of deficits in the acoustic insulation are usually only

The products display very good fire behaviour: with B-s1,d0 ArmaComfort AB Alu achieves the best fire class for organic products in the European SBI test. Furthermore, the attractive silver-coloured aluminium covering fits in well with metal-clad installations in areas where the pipes are visible. As a closed-cell insulation construction on the basis of Armaflex, ArmaComfort AB reliably prevents condensation on the pipes.

noticed when the building is occupied and then they are often very expensive to remedy. It is therefore essential that noise protection measures are consistently planned and properly carried out, both when constructing new buildings and when modernizing existing ones. Effective sound protection increases both the living comfort and the value of the property.

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INNOVATIONS

INNOVATIONS

Tubolit Split and Tubolit DuoSplit

Armafix VVS pipe support

Innovative PET insulation clamp for heating and plumbing applications

Pre-insulated pipes with low smoke density for cold applications

A completely new insulated clamp for the Danish market: the Armafix VVS pipe support made of recycled PET offers an efficient insulation solution for mounting heating and plumbing pipes.

Armacell has overhauled its range of pre-insulated copper pipes for air-conditioning applications, adapting it to the current market needs.

Armafix VVS is supplied in a practical combi pack with the matching pipe clamps on the Danish market.

Heat losses due to uninsulated pipe brackets Whereas on cold pipes thermal bridges as a result of uninsulated pipe supports can lead to condensation and expensive secondary damage, the energy losses on hot pipes are usually not detected. The thermal bridging effects only become visible on thermal images. Depending on the pipe diameter, the heat loss from an uninsulated pipe clamp can be equivalent to the heat loss from up to 1 m of uninsulated pipe.

Low smoke density makes all the difference in a fire Tubolit Split and Tubolit DuoSplit make a significant contribution to the fire safety of buildings: the pre-insulated pipes achieve class CL-s1,d0 in the European fire test. This means that in a fire they release only minimal amounts of smoke. To achieve smoke class ‘s1’ insulation materials must comply with strict limit values.

Sustainable and space-saving: the new TowerPack Tubolit Split and Tubolit DuoSplit are now supplied in new, transportand storage-friendly packaging: the TowerPack takes up 40 % less space than traditional boxes. To ensure that the coils can be transported safely to wholesale outlets and jobsites, they are secured with straps and wrapped in a tough foil.

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New range with economical alternative

Stricter requirements in Denmark

As an economical alternative to the existing range with pipe wall thicknesses of 0.8 or 1.0 mm, Armacell has now introduced pre-insulated copper pipes with a wall thickness of 0.7 mm for inch sizes. Depending on the diameter, the pre-insulated pipes are now available in 25 and, for the first time, in 50 m long continuous rolls, further reducing scrap on the job site. The special advantage of the twin-pipes is the patented join-split fastening technology, which allows them to be split and joined without the need for any tools.

Nevertheless, in practice pipe clamps are often not insulated properly.

In Denmark, this omission was rectified by the 2014 amendment of the Danish standard DS 452. If metal pipe clamps which penetrate the insulation layer are used on technical installations, these thermal bridges must now be compensated for by higher insulation thicknesses on the whole system. If uninsulated pipe supports are used, insulation thicknesses have to be increased by up to 36 %, depending on the pipe outer diameter and the specific requirements.

Outstanding technical and mechanical properties Armafix VVS consists of recycled PET around which shells made of painted aluminium sheeting are glued. These shells also act as an external vapour barrier. The pipe support can be installed quickly, easily and neatly: the one-piece pipe support is simply opened, placed around the pipe and fastened with the metal clamp. During the subsequent insulation work, the insulation material is pushed up tightly against the pipe support.

Upcycling: High-tech product made out of PET bottles Armafix VVS is made out of the recyclate of PET bottles. The material has an excellent environmental performance: PET requires over 60 % less energy for its production than PUR and releases over 80 % less CO2.

PET made of recyclate even goes one better: the product consumes 40 % less energy and causes 30 % less CO2 emissions than conventional PET foams.

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INNOVATIONS

INNOVATIONS

Tubolit DG Plus

The low-smoke pipe insulation for heating and plumbing applications A new premium product in the Tubolit family: with Tubolit DG Plus Armacell now also provides a PE tube with very low smoke density in many European markets.

Armaflex LS

B-s2,d0 insulation sheets now also available Armacell completes its range of products with limited smoke development with insulation sheets in standard and self-adhesive versions.

Greater safety in a fire (Euroclass BL-s1,d0)

In a fire it is vital that those trapped find escape routes quickly. This is only possible with minimal smoke development. In the European fire test, Tubolit DG Plus achieves the fire class BL-s1,d0 – the best classification for organic products. The pipe insulation develops significantly less smoke in a fire than traditional PE products and thus makes a proven contribution to people’s safety in buildings.

Ensuring that the energy is delivered to where it is needed In Europe, the building sector accounts for 40 % of energy consumption, the majority is needed to heat the building and hot water. Correct, state-of-the-art insulation of the heating and hot-water pipes is not only one of the simplest, but also one of the most cost-effective measures for increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and achieving a sustainable reduction in CO2 emissions. The professional pipe insulation materials made by Armacell ensure that the energy is delivered to where it is needed. They minimize heat losses on the way from the heating system to the radiators.

Minimize flow noise at source In addition, Tubolit DG products reduce the transmission of noise from the pipework. A test in accordance with EN ISO 3822-1 carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics confirms that they diminish the sound pressure level by up to 30 dB(A) compared to an uninsulated pipe. The insulation tube ensures that the pipe is isolated from the building structure and prevents acoustic bridging.

The tough PE insulation provides protection against energy losses and the transmission of structure-borne noise not only for heating and plumbing pipes made of copper or steel, but also for plastic and multilayer composite pipes. Tubolit DG Plus tubes are available in the insulation thicknesses 9 and 13 mm for pipe diameters from 12 to 114 mm.

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In many European countries, the legislators have recognized that strong smoke development poses a much higher hazard potential in a fire than the flames themselves. This has led to considerably tighter requirements regarding the smoke development of building products in recent years. In many states, only technical insulation materials which achieve at least fire class B/BL-s1,d0 may be installed in buildings or areas of buildings which require special fire protection. Other countries, however, allow the use of B/BL-s2,d0 products for the time being.

Limited smoke development Alongside its premium product Armaflex Ultima, the first elastomeric insulation material in the world to achieve the best fire class for organic

products, Armacell provides the B/BL-s2,d0 product Armaflex LS in Switzerland and Italy. Whereas s1 products must display no or only minimal smoke development in the SBI test, the limit values for s2 products are significantly higher. Yet these materials still release far less smoke than s3 products.

Complete range After initially launching Armaflex LS insulation tubes in Switzerland and Italy, Armacell has now completed the range with sheets in standard and self-adhesive versions. Sheet and tube materials are supplied in insulation thicknesses of 9 to 32 mm. Armaflex LS self-adhesive tape is also available.

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From the Jobsite

FROM THE JOBSITE

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Armaflex submersed in ice

Customized insulation solution for British Antarctic Survey Research Station

The Halley Research Station is an international research platform for monitoring atmospheric changes and space weather in the Antarctic.

Built on a floating ice shelf in the Weddell Sea, Halley VI is the world’s first relocatable research facility. This award-winning and innovative research station provides scientists with state-of-the-art laboratories and living accommodation, enabling them to study pressing global problems from climate change and sea-level rises to space weather and the hole in the ozone layer – first discovered by the Halley station in 1985.

Research station on the move Halley VI is the first Antarctic research station to be designed specifically to cope with the movement of the ice shelf towards the sea, as well as with the annual 1.5 m of snowfall and significant snowdrift. The research station, located on the Brunt Ice Shelf, is currently sitting downstream of a crack that could eventually cut the station off from the rest of the ice shelf. This will be the first time that the station has been moved since it became operational in 2012.

The research station is made up of a series of eight pods that can be disconnected. The individual pods sit on skis to enable towing across the ice using specialist heavy vehicles. The station was designed and built to provide excellent laboratory and living accommodation that is capable of withstanding extreme winter weather, of being raised sufficiently to stay above metres of annual snowfall, and of being relocated upstream periodically to avoid calving events as the floating ice shelf moves towards the sea.

Armacell high performance insulation to prevent freezing

Snow, ice, gale-force winds and temperatures down to -55 °C – conditions at the Halley VI Antarctic Research Station can hardly get any tougher. Now a crack discovered along the ice shelf means the mobile research station is to be moved 23 km across the ice.

The complex relocation requires new pipework and relies on Armaflex insulation materials to prevent pipes from freezing.

As part of the Halley VI relocation project a new wastewater system for the living accommodation is being installed. In August 2016, Armacell were contacted by the relocation project engineers from British Antarctic Survey regarding a solution for insulating the wastewater system in severe weather conditions. The use of water in Halley VI is minimized by providing spray and aerated taps, dual low-flush toilets and low-flow showers. Grey water from washing is used to flush toilets and reduced water consumption means lower volumes of wastewater. Biodigestion creates clean wastewater and dry solids that can be taken out from Antarctica.

The piping scheme bores deep into the ice shelf where the temperature requirements remain close to -20 0C throughout the year.

AF/Armaflex Class O was recommended as the main thermal insulation material. Armaflex elastomeric foam products have the benefit of remaining flexible and operational down to -50 0C, expanding and contracting with temperature changes without becoming brittle. Armacell recommended the use of a multilayer construction with a primary layer of high temperature HT/Armaflex to accommodate the heat tracing temperatures. A top layer of Arma-Chek R provides a flexible mechanical resistance barrier to protect the pipe against impact damage and movement of the ice. Armacell recommended 25 mm HT/Armaflex sheet and 19 mm thick AF/Armaflex Class O tubes for pipe diameters of 76 and 114 mm. The flexible Armaflex insulation materials significantly reduce the energy input needed for the heat tracing by preventing heat losses to the surrounding ice.

Customized insulation coils for transport to the Antarctic The multilayer insulation system ensures a flexible pipe that can be coiled up for transport ready for installation on site. Non-standard AF/Armaflex Class O tubes sizes were manufactured at Armacell’s UK factory especially for the project and spooled onto large drums for transport to the Antarctic. The materials were supplied by SIG Technical Insulation in Norwich and distributed directly to the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge for shipment on 19 September.

Since the ice movement and weather are unpredictable in the Weddell Sea, the move is planned in stages and the science infrastructure that captures environmental data will remain in place while the station modules are relocated.

(Jay Davey) The project details of “Moving Halley” and images can be found on the following link: https://www.bas.ac.uk/project/moving-halley/

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VON DER BAUSTELLE

FROM THE JOBSITE

A new star on Schiphol Boulevard If the hotel industry awarded stars for the insulation concept, the new Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Hotel would certainly have deserved a fifth star. The impressive building complex relies on the tried-and-tested combination of AF/Armaflex and Armafix AF and the insulation work was carried out under the Armaflex System Warranty.

Green hotel The Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Hotel is aiming for an “Excellent” rating in the Dutch BREEAM-NL Standard and has just been awarded the “GreenLeader Gold” certificate by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website.

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FROM THE JOBSITE

VON DER BAUSTELLE

AF/Armaflex and Armafix AF in the Hilton Schiphol Hotel Sparkling diamond on the way to the airport

BIM pioneers in the Netherlands

The new Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Hotel is a striking new landmark in the Dutch capital. The exterior is dominated by the curved cubic structure and diamond-shaped facade elements. With its apparently random arrangement of glass, grey and white elements the building looks like a huge diamond from a distance. Above the plinth, the hotel tower was rotated by 45 degrees setting it apart from the neighbouring buildings on Schiphol Boulevard. This effect is further emphasized by the building’s rounded corners. Other highlights of the hotel, which has 433 bedrooms and 23 conference rooms, are the 42-metrehigh, glazed-roofed atrium and the column-free ballroom suitable for events with up to 640 guests. Schiphol Airport is just a few minutes’ walk away and is reached via a covered pedestrian passage.

The Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Hotel is one of the first major projects in the Netherlands to be designed as a virtual model in BIM (Building Information Modelling). As such it is a true pioneering achievement by the Delft architecture practice Mecanoo and engineering firms Deerns (Rijswijk) and ABT (Velp) in conjunction with the Schiphol Hotel Property Company (a subsidiary of Schiphol Real Estate).

Designing the hotel using BIM has the additional benefit that the model can now also be used to manage and maintain the building efficiently.

Sustainable hotel building When planning the hotel great importance was attached to the sustainability of the building. Energy consumption is 10 % lower than the

Energy Performance Coefficient (EPC) legally required in the Netherlands. Consultant engineers Deerns achieved this feat by combining a wide range of energy-saving measures: hot and cold storage in waterbearing layers at a depth of 130 metres, low-temperature heating, heat recovery from conditioned air, high yield MEP systems for heat and cold generation due to the use of heat pumps, as well as energyefficient lighting and optimized ventilation. The atrium plays a key role in the concept. It admits natural light into the interior of the building and at the same time is important for climate control. Before the outdoor air enters the atrium it is filtered and pre-treated for the hotel rooms. To prevent the interior becoming too hot, reflecting solar-control glass was used for the roof.

insulation thicknesses of 16 and 19 mm. The outdoor air intake ducts, whose line temperatures lie above the ambient temperature in winter and below it in summer, were also protected against condensation with AF/Armaflex. The insulators installed some 4,000 m2 of AF/Armaflex sheet material in an insulation thickness of 25 mm on the ducts. The classic insulation material with particularly low thermal conductivity and high resistance to water-vapour transmission ensures high energy efficiency and lower operating costs over the whole service life of the insulated equipment. Using the Armafix AF pipe hanger makes the system perfect.

Higher energy efficiency thanks to high-performance insulation materials The heating and cooling demands of the building are met by heat pumps; heat wheels, twin-coil or cross-flow exchangers were installed for air-handling with heat recovery. 95 % of the fans and pumps of the low-temperature heating systems are frequency controlled. All in all, Unica Installatietechniek installed 31 km of pipework in the building complex, around half of which is dedicated to cooling the building.

These pipes have feed temperatures of 10 °C and return temperatures of 18 °C. To protect the chilled-water pipes against condensation and energy losses, consultant engineers Deerns specified AF/Armaflex insulation material.

On the pipes and on other components in the plant rooms employees of the insulation contractor Riweltie BV installed tubes and sheets in

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Hans de Klein

Technical Commercial Director at Riweltie BV insulation contractors:

“We realized this project with the Armaflex System Warranty. Last year, our employees were trained and certified in the correct installation of Armaflex at OOI, the Dutch training foundation.

When we use AF/Armaflex in combination with the Armafix AF pipe support we now receive a project-related warranty of 10 years. A great idea from Armacell.”

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Armacell strives … to get better and better every day “World Class Armacell Mindset (WAM) is a programme which allows us to structure our striving for continuous improvement and assess our progress along this path objectively. WAM is based on World Class Manufacturing (WCM), but goes much further. By continuously and systematically optimizing structures and processes in all areas of the company, the highest possible quality standards are achieved. This requires a new mindset, a new way of thinking and working. WAM isn’t an isolated project, but a never-ending process which leads us from one stage to the next and ensures that, step by step, we become better and better, more and more efficient.

System solution with the Armafix pipe support In cold applications, pipe brackets represent a potential weak point in the insulation unless they are correctly insulated. If the pipe is not thermally isolated from the pipe bracket, thermal bridges occur and condensation can form. This leads to increased energy losses, the risk of corrosion and the danger of expensive secondary damage rise. The Armafix pipe support thermally isolates the pipe and bracket from each other. Together with the adjoining Armaflex material it forms an insulation system with long-term reliability for cold applications. The pipe support consists of AF/Armaflex in which segments made of pressure-resistant, environment-friendly PET are embedded. On the outside, shells made of painted aluminium sheeting are glued around the elastomeric insulation material. These distribute the load and also act as an additional vapour barrier. The Armafix pipe support provides the highest possible reliability and can be installed simply, quickly and neatly. When using standard clamps it is necessary to insulate the pipe up to the clamp, glue the ends of the insulation material to the pipe and then apply Armaflex to the supporting device. In contrast, Armafix is simply placed around the pipe and fastened with the self-adhesive closure. During the subsequent work, the insulator just glues the ends to the tube material. Using Armafix allows savings in terms of time, material and costs.

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More security with the Armaflex System Warranty In the Hilton Schiphol Hotel the insulation work was carried out under the Armaflex System Warranty. In this scheme trained and certified insulation contractors benefit from a warranty of up to ten years, instead of the statutory two years. The Armaflex System Warranty not only offers certified firms a direct competitive advantage, specifiers, wholesalers and clients also benefit from the seal of quality. Because reliability and quality are crucial in cold applications. In many markets insulation contractors attend Armacell training courses on a regular basis and have already been certified as trained Armaflex insulation companies.

With this seal of quality the Hilton Schiphol Hotel can be sure that cold installations have been insulated to the very highest standards in terms of quality and reliability.

(Remco Hiemstra)

The prime objective is safety in the workplace. ‘Zero accidents at our sites’ is not utopian, but can be achieved. The positive trend of the last years shows that we are on the right track.

The WAM manufacturing programme is based on the systematic identification of losses in our performance and of non-valueadded tasks across the full value chain of the company. Losses may occur in the areas of quality, availability, yield and consumption, for example. We redress them by improving our employees’ behaviour and increasing their skills in using the proper tools and their know-how. We use formal audits to maintain consistency in standards and sustain the implementation.

The WAM Sales & Marketing Excellence (SME) is mainly focused on the value added for our customers and developing our position in the market. We have set up a training programme which allows our sales staff to deepen their technical knowledge. The colleagues in Sales & Marketing worldwide share best practices and consider introducing the concepts they learn about in their own markets. To make sure that we’ll be in an even better position to live up to our customers’ changing expectations in future we carry out regular surveys of distributors, specifiers and professional installers of our products. In the SME program too we monitor our progress in regular audits.

Roberto Mengoli,

Armacell Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

If we are to get better and better every day, WAM must become an integral part of our corporate culture.”

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Did you know that ‌ in a fire there are only 3 minutes to escape? Smoke spreads rapidly and blocks escape and rescue routes.

every day on average 11 people in Europe die as a result of fires?

95 per cent of fatalities are due to smoke inhalation.

â‚Ź

in Europe property loss arising from fires amounts to 126 billion euros every year?

Armaflex Ultima develops 10 times less smoke than traditional elastomeric products?

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The new Armaflex Ultima

s1

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Case study: High-tech in the cleanroom

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Information campaign

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FIRE PROTECTION SPECIAL

FIRE PROTECTION SPECIAL

Armaflex Ultima

Low smoke density for greater fire safety

With Armaflex Ultima Armacell has set a new safety standard in technical insulation. Based on the patented Armaprene technology, Armaflex Ultima is the first flexible technical insulation material in the world with fire class B/BL-s1,d0, thus providing unsurpassed safety in a fire.

When a fire breaks out, low smoke density can be a matter of life and death for those trapped. It is not usually the flames that kill, but the smoke. 95 % of fire fatalities occur due to smoke inhalation. Legislators in many European countries have recognized that smoke poses a much

higher hazard potential than the fire itself and have tightened the requirements regarding the smoke development of construction products in their building regulations.

Complete range of low-smoke products (Euroclass B/BL-s1,d0)

In comparison to a standard product, Armaflex Ultima exhibits 10 times less smoke development. Now the company also presents an insulation sheet which achieves B-s1,d0 in the European fire test. For insulating pipes with large outer diameters (> 89 mm ≤ 300 mm) Armacell provides “open tubes” – non-covered, slit tubes which also achieve fire class BL-s1,d0. A new addition to the range are tubes and sheets in an insulation thickness of 32 mm. Apart from standard and self-adhesive tubes and sheets, Armacell provides an Ultima version of the tried-andtested Armafix pipe support. The system solution for hanging pipes in cold applications is now manufactured with a load-bearing segment made of recycled PET.

The future belongs to green building

✓ NEW Tubes 32mm ✓ NEW Sheets 32mm ✓ NEW B-s1,d0 Sheets ✓ NEW Armafix with PET core ✓ NEW Armaflex SF Cleaner

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Armaflex Ultima is not only the safest elastomeric product on the market with regard to preventive fire protection, it also offers the highest safety in ecological and health terms. Today Armacell is the only manufacturer of flexible technical insulation materials to publish environmental product declarations based on an independent life cycle assessment (LCA). Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are becoming more and more important in the construction industry: they form the basis for designing green buildings in accordance with certification schemes such as LEED, BREEAM, HQE or DGNB. Due to the development of completely new ablative protective additives, Armaflex Ultima achieves the highest fire classifications without brominated flame retardants. Armaflex Ultima is also free of PVC. The insulation material fulfils the strict requirements of the Swedish BASTA, an independent assessment system for the environmental impacts of construction products, and is listed by both Byggvarubedömningen (BVB), the Swedish institute for assessing the sustainability of construction materials, and the Swiss Minergie-Eco label.

Solvent-free accessories for a sustainable insulation system A special range of adhesives is available for installing Armaflex Ultima.

Armacell not only offers the classic Armaflex Ultima 700 adhesive for a wide temperature range and Armaflex Ultima RS850, a gel-like, high-performance adhesive for clean, non-drip application, but is also the first manufacturer of elastomeric insulation materials to provide a solvent-free product. Armaflex Ultima SF990 meets the higher requirements of green building schemes and has recently been recognized by

the Swiss Minergie-Eco assessment system as being “very well-suited” (1st priority in accordance with ECO-BKP). A completely new addition to the range of accessories is a solvent-free cleaner: the Armaflex SF cleaner can be used to clean soiled surfaces of technical installations as well as the surface of insulation materials, thus ensuring perfect adhesion. The cleaner is supplied in a practical spray bottle so that it can be applied sparingly and precisely.

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High-tech in the cleanroom

Armaflex Ultima in Fresenius Kabi’s new penicillin production plant in Portugal

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Premiere on the building site: even before it was officially launched, the new enhanced Armaflex Ultima had been installed in the new Labesfal - Fresenius Kabi plant. To prevent the pharmaceutical products manufactured here being contaminated, the construction materials have to meet the stringent requirements for cleanroom technology.

In the heart of Portugal, in Santiago de Besteiros, state-of-the-art production facilities for penicillin are currently being built. Labesfal S.A. is one of the top five generics producers in Portugal and since 2015 it has been part of the German Fresenius Kabi group. Fresenius Kabi is a global healthcare company that specializes in medicines and technologies for infusion, transfusion and clinical nutrition.

At the site in Santiago de Besteiros, the company produces capsules, tablets and liquid drugs in vials, ampoules and bottles, and sterile pharmaceutical powder. Located on the around 100,000 m2 site are

not only three buildings with four independent production units, but also warehouse and logistics areas, quality control laboratories and offices for the administration. Following the 2014 investment in a new logistics platform, the plant is now being extended to include a new production unit with two lines for penicillin sterile powders for injection and infusion. In order to produce penicillin and cefalosporins at the same time, a completely separate building complex has to be available on the site. In this way the risk of cross-contamination between the two product groups can be ruled out.

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FIRE PROTECTION SPECIAL

The fire behaviour of Armaflex Ultima is demonstrated very impressively in a video on YouTube and armacell.eu.

Cleanroom technology prevents contamination Good manufacturing practice (GMP) assures consistent quality Construction work started at the beginning of 2016. The new building will house facilities for producing batches and a high-speed manufacturing line for filling powder into glass vials aseptically. The cuttingedge technology will fulfil all relevant requirements of authorities throughout the world.

Quality control is of key importance in the pharmaceutical industry, because deviations in quality can have a direct impact on consumers’

health. High product quality is ensured by adhering to current GMP quality standards. These apply to the entire process from the analysis of starting materials, to IPCs (in-process controls) during manufacturing and the release of the finished products. A GMP-compliant quality management system ensures that the mandatory requirements of national and international health authorities are met. The Labesfal site has the facilities needed (e.g. climate chambers) to carry out stability studies in accordance with ICH* requirements. *)

Angel E. Ramìrez Rojas

Technical Sales Engineer Armacell Iberia S.L.U.

Technical insulation materials in cleanrooms One of the core objectives of the rules on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is to prevent any type of contamination in the production. It goes without saying that this also applies to the choice of construction materials for production facilities. To minimize the risk of particle pollution, fibre- and dust-free insulation materials like Armaflex are far superior to traditional materials such as mineralfibre products in cleanroom environments. The homogenous, threedimensionally linked structure of elastomeric insulation materials prevents the air being contaminated by insulation particles, fibres,

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International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH)

dust, microbes and other elements which could contribute to air pollution. Because they are closed-cell materials they are also protected against moisture ingress due to condensation.

Apart from the material structure, another crucial factor in cleanroom environments is the fire behaviour of the construction products. In a fire, strong smoke development leads to soot particles and other fire residues which settle on equipment and fittings throughout the building. These residues have to be cleaned up professionally before the actual fire damage can be repaired. Together with the subsequent qualification and validation of the equipment, even a small fire can disrupt production for several months. In times of just-in-time production and stock reduction this is fatal for a pharmaceutical company. So when selecting construction materials, not only the reaction to fire, but also the smoke development is decisive. Armaflex Ultima is the first elastomeric insulation material for cold pipes with minimal smoke development.

The building service equipment was designed by Spanish consultant engineers INDUS. This Barcelona-based company has a proven and highly successful track record in providing technical solutions for the pharmaceutical industry and other sectors with cleanroom requirements.

The cleanroom technology ensures consistently clean ambient conditions through filtered air. A key measure to minimize particle contamination is the generation of a laminar flow of particle-free air. The number of particles is controlled via the air flow, air humidity, air pressure and room temperature. To ensure that batches can be produced reliably, these parameters are continuously measured and recorded. The temperature, air humidity and pressure must be maintained at constant levels in order to provide comparable conditions and thus be able to control the number of particles reliably. The cleanroom, air-conditioning technology and adjoining areas form a complex, strictly monitored area. The design of the air-conditioning system and the use of filter-fan units or flow boxes, which ensure that the work surfaces are supplied with particle-free air, play a crucial role.

The various production areas and adjoining rooms are assigned to the appropriate cleanliness classes, which require that defined temperatures and air flows are maintained. On both production lines a laminar air flow with a volume flow of 0.45 m/s ensures particle-free air. Thanks to this streamline flow, air enters the cleanroom vertically with little turbulence and prevents the sensitive working areas from being contaminated. The temperature on the production lines must be maintained at 18 ± 2 °C, the relative humidity must not exceed 20 %.

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FIRE PROTECTION SPECIAL

Information campaign

Experience the difference!

The insulation firm Martins Oliveira has been relying on the high quality of Armaflex for many years. In this extremely demanding project the team installed the new, further enhanced Armaflex Ultima for the first time. The product is highly flexible, but a little firmer than traditional rubber insulation materials, making it very easy to cut. The resulting edges are cleaner and can be glued effortlessly to achieve a secure seam.

Huge cooling requirements With outdoor temperatures of up to 33 °C in summer and a relative humidity of as much as 80 % in winter, the Labesfal plant has significant air-conditioning and ventilation requirements. Two huge cooling units with a cooling capacity of 565 kW and 11 air-conditioners with various capacities supply the new plant with cool air. Responsibility for the cooling technology lay with Valtria Salas Limpas, Engenharia e Instalação, a company specialized in designing and installing cleanrooms and cleanroom areas from Madrid, Spain.

Smoke-free insulation material INDUS specified the new Armaflex Ultima made by Armacell for insulating the galvanized-steel air-conditioning ducts. The first low-smoke insulation material fulfils the requirements of the Portuguese building code on fire safety in buildings (Decreto-Lei n.º 220/2008 – Segurança Contra Incêndio em Edifícios). According to the building code, thermal insulation materials installed on air-distribution ducts must achieve at least fire class BL-s2,d0. In comparison to a standard elastomeric product, Armaflex Ultima exhibits 10 times less smoke. The foam, which is based on the patented Armaprene technology, is the first elastomeric insulation material in the world to achieve B/BL-s1,d0 – the best fire class for organic building materials.

All the ventilation ducts were insulated, except for the exhaust-air ducts, which carry the “used” air out of the building. To prevent condensation and energy losses, the cold supply-air ducts were insulated with 25 mm thick sheets. On the warm extract-air ducts sheets in a thickness of 19 mm were installed.

A team of six to eight employees from the insulation firm Martins Oliveira - Isolamentos Industriais from Fátima began with the insulation work at the beginning of August and it should be completed in November. Not only air-conditioning ducts and ventilation pipes with diameters ranging from 125 to 710 mm, but also the filter boxes were insulated with Armaflex Ultima. All in all the insulators installed 1,200 m2 of Armaflex Ultima sheets in an insulation thickness of 19 mm, 1,500 m2 in 25 mm and 100 m² in 9 mm thicknesses. Some of the material installed was self-adhesive; in the case of fitting covers the Armaflex Ultima sheets where fully glued using the Armaflex Ultima 700 adhesive. Managing Director Basílio Oliveira’s verdict: “Armaflex Ultima is even easier to install than other Armaflex insulation materials. The colleagues were very satisfied with the Armaflex Ultima 700 adhesive, too.” The insulation materials and the Armaflex Ultima 700 adhesive were delivered by Distriplac Portugal - Comércio de Isolamentos.

(Diogo Nunes)

Fire fatalities are smoke fatalities. When a fire breaks out, the greatest danger for the people in the building is the fire smoke. Within just a few minutes, visibility may become so poor that people lose their bearings and can no longer get to safety. The economic effects are also devastating: smoke gases cause more damage than the flames and the secondary damage as a result of soot and corrosive gases accounts for over 50 % of the total costs in a major fire.

For these reasons it is necessary to rethink the evaluation of construction materials. Not only high flame resistance, but also low smoke development and the exclusion of burning droplets determine the safety of technical insulation materials. In many European countries the requirements regarding the smoke development of the building products used have already been tightened, other countries however are lagging behind.

Armaflex Ultima makes a difference To point out the importance of low-smoke insulation materials for ensuring people’s safety in buildings and protecting material assets, Armacell has started an information campaign in many European countries. The insulation manufacturer uses instruments such as videos, infographics, brochures and an internet campaign to explain the fire behaviour of elastomeric technical insulation materials. The initiative is targeted at various groups, including specifiers, installers and also end customers.

Although it is never possible to completely rule out a fire occurring, the consequences of a blaze can be significantly reduced.

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO SUSTAINABLE

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Know-how

KNOW-HOW

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Armaflex BIM objects Now in the NBS National BIM Library The future of construction is digital. Even though many architects and specifiers are sceptical about this development, the digitization of the construction industry is making great strides. Because buildings can be planned completely digitally from design to commissioning, maintenance and demolition, ‘Building 4.0’ allows increased planning security, process optimization, efficiency and greater sustainability.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is based on the consistent use of digital building models. These models form an information database for all aspects of the building and provide a reliable resource for decisionmaking throughout the lifecycle – from the preliminary planning to demolition. The USA is a pioneer in the use of BIM: as early as 2012, 71 % of architects, engineers, building contractors and building owners used BIM.

BIM pioneer in the insulation industry Armacell supported this development early on, introducing a BIM module for the Autodesk Revit program in the USA back in 2011. Now the company is the first manufacturer of flexible insulation materials in the UK to provide BIM objects for planning technical insulation for HVAC equipment digitally. The new Armacell BIM objects provide a sound basis for decision-making around the specification of flexible technical insulation materials to reduce energy consumption. Even at the very early design stages, the BIM objects allow rapid and meaningful energy analysis.

ArmaPlus Key The key to even more digital services from Armacell

The objects can be downloaded from the NBS National BIM Library free of charge. They include the Armacell premium brand tube and sheet products and are suitable for the Revit building design software and the IFC format.

In many markets the ArmaPlus Key is now available, allowing direct access to all the information about Armacell products required in the design and specification phase.

Plug and play After registering and logging in on the landing page, users can call up a wealth of specially compiled resources. Specifiers and those inviting tenders will find all the relevant product information such as technical data, product range, specification clauses, test certificates, safety data sheets, declarations of performance (DoPs), environmental product declarations (EPDs) and fact sheets on the various green building schemes. In addition, they can take advantage of the Armacell Service tools, such as ArmWin or the Armacell Fire Protection Planner Online.

Automatically up to date A further benefit is that the information is updated automatically. So unlike with printed or digital specifier folders there is no need to download new or additional product data sheets or specification clauses.

Users always have the latest data at their fingertips and, if they wish, will be notified by email about any changes.

The new Armacell business card Thanks to its practical, creditcard-sized format the ArmaPlus Key is always ready to hand. The USB type A connector fits all conventional USB ports and Armacell guarantees that it is free of viruses, worms or other malware. It can also be used on a smartphone, simply by scanning the QR code on the web key.

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KNOW-HOW

KNOW-HOW

Customers ask – Armacell answers “Can Armaflex products be installed in green building projects?”

Green building certificates have become very important in the construction and real-estate sector. This applies both to the erection of new buildings and the renovation of existing ones. Sustainability is an aspect which many architects and specifiers take into account in their invitations to tender as a matter of course. In addition to the ease of installation and technical properties of the building materials used, their environmental compatibility and their energy and economic efficiency also count.

Sustainable buildings not only emit less CO2, they can also be operated more economically and sold more profitably. In particular international companies now increasingly strive for green building certification for their larger construction projects. Alongside the internationally recognized BREEAM, LEED, DGNB and HQE certificates, there are numerous other public and private initiatives on both a national and international level.

Isoliertechnik, Betzendorf (Germany)

SUSTAIN

CONSTR ABLE WITH ARMAFLEUCTION X INSULATIO N

EPDs are the prerequisite for green building certification

EPDs are the prerequisite for green building certification and thus part of specifications. In this way the environment-related requirements for planning the building are managed. In the BREEAM scheme validated LCA and EPD data leads to credits which have a positive impact on the classification of the product. In the LEED, DGNB and HQE programmes too, points can be gathered in various categories by installing Armaflex insulation materials.

Green buildings – the shape of things to come Over half of the world’s population already lives in towns and cities – the United Nations forecasts that by 2050 it will be more than two thirds. As land becomes scarcer, ever taller buildings are constructed.

Buildings are the single largest consumer of raw materials worldwide and the greatest producer of greenhouse gas emissions. In the indus-

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Armaflex Toolbox – Just the job for insulation professionals

René Selle, Andreas Selle

Armacell is the first to present environ manufacturer of flexible technic mental produc al insulation materia t declarations ls (EPDs).

Today Armacell is the only manufacturer of elastomeric insulation materials to provide environmental product declarations which are based on an independent life cycle assessment (LCA). Environmental product declarations (EPDs) form the basis for planning green buildings. They offer a transparent, independent and reproducible analysis of the environmental impacts of construction products and give detailed information with sound data and figures.

Expert advice

The insulation firm Andreas Selle Isoliertechnik based in Betzendorf (Germany) has many years of experience in installing elastomeric insulation materials. René Selle tested the new Armaflex Toolbox and explains why it is just what insulators have been waiting for.

“Armacell now provides all the tools and aids needed to install foam materials professionally in an aluminium case. Although it is light, this

All information on the use of Armaflex products in the various green building schemes can be downloaded at www.armacell.com/epd

trial nations the majority of energy flows into the building sector – around 40 % of European energy consumption!

case is extremely robust and thanks to the high-quality workmanship it certainly looks as if it can stand up to a great deal of wear and tear. The layout inside is very well-structured and practical. Now I no longer have to rummage around in various boxes or cases, everything has its own place. The inlays are nice and tight, so nothing can fall out. As for the tools, the blades of the three steel knives are outstanding and the wellshaped wooden handles fit the hand nicely. The compasses with penholder and protective caps are very practical, especially for drawing the

pieces for fitting covers directly onto the material. The case also contains a sharpening stone and a tool for re-sharpening the copper pipe ends which are used for fabricating fitting covers for branches and T-pieces. The only thing I’d leave out is the Gluemaster, because I don’t use a glue pump. But that’s a matter of taste. All in all, the Armaflex Toolbox gets top marks from me. It makes a really professional impression.”

The Armaflex Toolbox is presented in a video on YouTube and armacell.eu

To respond to advancing climate change and meet growing energy needs, it is vital that resources are saved in this sector. Designing buildings with state-of-the-art environmental technology and HVAC equipment is increasingly seen as the way forward for the future.

Green building stands for sustainable architecture and the responsible use of resources.

(Georgios Eleftheriadis, Armacell Manager Technical Marketing EMEA)

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KNOW-HOW

KNOW-HOW

Armaflex insulation materials minimize the risk of corrosion under insulation Outstanding results in the TNO institute’s new CUI test As the renowned Dutch TNO institute has confirmed, Armaflex insulation materials minimize the risk of corrosion under insulation (CUI).

Even under the harshest offshore conditions, closed-cell Armaflex significantly reduces the danger of corrosion thanks to its integrated

water vapour barrier. This confirms the excellent results which have been achieved with Armacell’s elastomeric insulation materials all over the world for decades.

Corrosion under insulation costs the global economy billions

Armaflex in the TNO-ENDURES CUI test

Rust never sleeps – some 40 % of the world’s steel production is needed to replace parts destroyed by rust. The World Corrosion Organization estimates that corrosion damage costs the global economy 2.2 trillion US dollars annually. Some 45 % of the costs arise in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry every year. According to a study by the US American ExxonMobil Chemical Company, 40 to 60 % of maintenance costs for pipework are due to CUI.

As yet international standards do not address the influence of insulation materials on the CUI risk. A test method developed by TNOEndures (Den Helder, the Netherlands) for Shell, could provide a basis for a standard.

Suitable insulation systems minimize the risk of corrosion CUI is insidious: the processes occur hidden beneath the insulation and are often only discovered when extensive damage has already taken place. Insulation alone cannot safeguard plant components against corrosion, but appropriate insulation systems can effectively support corrosion protection. The choice of material decides whether the insulation minimizes the risk of corrosion or favours corrosion processes.

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SYSTEMS IN

A CONTINUOUS

T ON ARMAFL EX INSULATION SALT-WATER SPRAY ENVIRON MENT

The international oil and gas industry has discovered the benefits of Armaflex insulation materials for minimizing the CUI risk. The photo shows the insulation of a cryogenic pipe in the Chinese Dalian LNG project in Nianyu Bay.

Test set-up In the standardized test Armaflex insulation materials were subjected to a worst case scenario: an insulated, unalloyed steel pipe with a medium temperature of 80 °C was continuously sprayed with warm saltwater. One half of the pipe was insulated with two layers of Armaflex sheets each 25 mm thick (case A). The other half of the pipe was prepared in the same way and then clad with a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) weather barrier (case B). To simulate a failure mode, in case A several holes were drilled through the entire insulation thickness. In case B, on the other hand, the holes were only drilled in the cladding, the insulation remained undamaged. In both cases it was ensured that

Case A Case B

Corrosion only around drill hole

MITIGATING CO UNDER INSU RROSION LATION (CUI) SPREAD OF COR ROSION ASSESS MEN

No corrosion on the steel pipe

A detailed brochure on the study can be downloaded at: www.armacell.com/oilandgas/cui

test conducted by TNO/Endures

water could penetrate the insulation material. These artificial conditions, which are ideal for corrosion, were maintained for 6 months.

The test demonstrated impressively that Armaflex minimizes CUI processes even under the harshest conditions.

Test results

Long service life of elastomeric insulation systems

At the end of the test phase, the specimens were examined thoroughly.

In case A corrosion had occurred as expected – however the processes were restricted to the immediate vicinity of the drill holes. There were no signs of corrosion in any other areas, including the entire underside of the pipe. The saltwater had obviously not reached these regions.

Expectations were surpassed again in the second case, in which the holes had only been drilled in the cladding. While the outer insulation layer was damp to touch at the end of the test phase, the inner insulation layer was completely dry. No corrosion was detected on the steel pipe. The Armaflex insulation had prevented moisture reaching the surface of the pipe.

The CUI test confirms the excellent results which have been achieved with Armaflex insulation materials throughout the world for decades.

The closed-cell insulation material with low thermal conductivity and high resistance to water-vapour transmission provides plant components with long-term protection against condensation and energy losses. As is often noticed during maintenance work, plant insulated with Armaflex displays no sign of corrosion even decades after its installation. To ensure a long service life of the insulation system, it is not only essential that the insulation thickness is calculated correctly and system-compatible accessories are used, but also that the materials are installed professionally following the manufacturer’s instructions.

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KNOW-HOW

KNOW-HOW

Staying ahead of the curve

Armacell training courses Every year several thousand insulators around the world attend the Armacell application training courses. At many locations Armacell has set up special training centres. On the construction site too, application specialists provide valuable support in installing the insulation materials correctly.

UK training centre re-opens The Armacell application training centre in Oldham has undergone a major overhaul and now provides state-of-the-art facilities. After extensive renovations had been carried out, the room was equipped with new training rigs on which the correct installation of insulation materials can be demonstrated and practised. These training rigs include valves, various bends, flanges, small and large diameter pipes, air ducts and vessels so that all types of application scenarios can be covered.

Courses are available monthly at the training centre and are run by an application specialist. Depending on the requirements various Bronze, Silver and Gold level accredited training courses are offered. After successfully completing the course, thermal insulation contractors receive an Armacell accredited skills card, valid for 5 years.

Nordic Insulation Course Education (NICE) In the Nordic states, the company also relies on external expertise for its training activities. In addition to the courses carried out by Armacell’s application specialists, Nordic Insulation Course Education (NICE) offers workshops in the countries’ own languages. In Denmark, Armacell has been working with Armaflex expert Brian Jensen from Delta Isolering (Birkerød) with great success for many years. Six to eight courses are offered annually in cooperation with insulation wholesal-

ers. In Sweden too the programme can count on a real pro: Per-Åke (Perra) Larsson has been training apprentices for the Swedish insulation association Isoleringsfirmornas Förening (IF) for many years. Now “older students” can also benefit from his experience in installing Armaflex. Courses focus on the application of tube and sheet material and the correct use of the Armaflex adhesives. Upon successful completion of the course participants are awarded the Armaflex certificate.

Are you interested in training?

If so, please speak to your sales representative or send an email to info@armacell.com

Special courses for insulators in shipbuilding ArmaSchool in Begur Armacell France does not just hold training courses at the local branches of wholesalers and insulation contractors. The company also regularly invites insulators to workshops at the Spanish plant in Begur. Here participants are trained on the models developed by the French insulation association SNI (Syndicat National de l’Isolation) for the national insulation championships. In addition to receiving application training, participants in these events on the Costa Brava are also given a tour of the plant and shown new products. Interest has grown steadily since the courses were first held in 2013 and last year nine French ArmaSchool courses were carried out in Begur.

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Armacell organizes regular workshops dedicated to installing elastomeric materials in shipbuilding applications, too. Last year, employees from various companies which carry out insulation work for the Meyer shipyard were invited to the training centre in Münster. On the programme was the fabrication of fitting covers for typical plant components in shipbuilding. All ten participants successfully completed the course and were certified. For decades the Meyer shipyard (Papenburg, Germany) has only used elastomeric insulation materials made by Armacell on its cruise ships and stipulates the Armacell certificate when awarding contracts. Established shipping companies from all over the world commission huge ocean liners from the shipyard based in Emsland, a region in the north-west of Germany.

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“Insulation is sexy stuff.”

Barack Obama, 44th US President

In his inimitable style the former American President puts in a nutshell what industry associations and energy agencies have been saying for years.

Technical insulation materials are sexy, because they • save energy, • save money, • protect the climate, • enhance living comfort, • reduce dependency on energy imports, • minimize safety hazards for employees, • keep industrial processes running, • protect investments by making a long-term contribution to the value retention of technical equipment and • they have an unbeatably short payback period.

Technical insulation materials may not be able to save the world, but they do make a valuable contribution to optimizing energy efficiency in buildings and in industry. There are many possibilities for saving energy. Stemming losses where they occur – that is everywhere where the valuable resource is lost through transport – is by far the simplest, fastest and most cost-efficient way.

While accounting for just 1 % of the total costs of the technical equipment on average, insulation materials ensure higher performance, a longer service life and higher efficiency. Sexy!

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NEWS NEWS NEWS 40

Armacell opens new insulation plant in Russia Last year, Armacell opened new production facilities in Russia. The newly-built plant in Lobnya, a town located to the north of Moscow, manufactures an extensive range of products, including high-density materials. These are supplied not only to distributors and general construction companies in the Russian Federation, but also to customers in Kazakhstan, Belorussia and Azerbaijan.

Delivering on international growth strategy “The Russian market is very interesting for us because the local demand for high-performance insulation products is continuously growing,” explains CEO Patrick Mathieu. “With our new plant in Russia we underline our consistent effort to build-up regional market expertise in order to supply first-class services to the local market.”

Tapping into increasing market potential Armacell has been present in Russia since 2008. After establishing the subsidiary ‘OOO Armacell Rus’ and opening warehouses in Novosibirsk, Krasnodar and Saint Petersburg, the next logical step for the company was to construct its own production site to meet steadily growing demand. The Russian team consists of 70 locally recruited employees. They have all received intensive training at the plants in Münster and Środa Śląska to ensure that Armacell’s high quality standards throughout the world are achieved.

Formal opening of the state-of-the-art facilities Guests at the official opening of the plant included customers and other business partners as well as the Mayor of Lobnya, Nikolai Grechishnikov. After an impressive laser show on the milestones in the company’s success story the guests were invited to take a tour of the factory.

“Our new plant in Lobnya is probably one of the most efficient factories in the Armacell group. When planning and designing the production line for Armaflex sheets and tubes we were able to utilize all the experience we have gathered in our programme of continuous improvement in recent years. Thanks to this commissioning went smoothly and we were able to start production within a very short period of time,” says Bernd van Husen, Armacell General Manager for the regions Europe North and Russia.

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NEWS

NEWS

Acquisition of 100 % of the shares of PoliPex in Brazil Armacell has acquired 100 % of the shares of PoliPex Ltda (PoliPex).

Polipex is a leading Brazilian manufacturer of extruded PE insulation foams with approximately 80 employees. The company was founded

by John Johannes van Mullem in 1991 and is headquartered in Santa Catarina in the south of Brazil. In 2015, PoliPex generated revenues of approx. R$ 43 million. The acquisition significantly strengthens Armacell’s product portfolio in Latin America and increases both the domestic customer service levels and the support for regional OEMs. “PoliPex has decades of technology know-how in extruded PE production as well as a strong domestic team. We are looking forward to serving our clients across Latin America with a broader product portfolio and extended customer service levels,” explains Patrick Mathieu, President and CEO of Armacell International S.A. “Historically, PoliPex exhibited solid growth rates and healthy operating margins. The predicted rebound of the Brazilian economy and the overall construction market make PoliPex an attractive investment for us.”

Armacell and JIOS establish joint venture for Aerogel blankets

Background facts

Together with JIOS Aerogel Ltd, South Korea, Armacell has established the joint venture Armacell Jios Aerogels Ltd (AJA) for the development and manufacturing of silica aerogel blankets. The new company will be based in Hong Kong and South Korea, operating from Armacell’s existing manufacturing facility in Cheonan, close to Seoul, South Korea.

JIOS will contribute its process technology and proprietary manufacturing know-how as well as the intellectual property (IP). Armacell will invest into state-of-the-art production equipment for aerogel blankets, accelerate the industrialization and certification process and provide its worldwide distribution network to market the new technology. AJA will focus on delivering tailor-made solutions based on aerogel blankets to the oil and gas, marine and general industrial sectors – in particular for high temperature and cryogenic applications. The joint venture with JIOS provides Armacell with access to the next generation of aerogel technology and enables the company to deliver a complete portfolio of thermal and acoustic insulation solutions to the oil and gas industry.

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What are aerogels?

Aerogels are highly porous solid materials composed to over 90 % of air. As the pores are only nanometres (billionths of a metre) in size, the energy transfer is greatly reduced. Aerogel is not only the solid material with the lowest density worldwide, it is also an extremely effective insulation material. In comparison to traditional insulation materials, aerogel products achieve the same performance with only half or a third of the insulation thickness. The temperature resistance is also outstanding, in both cryogenic and high-temperature applications. JIOS has developed an innovative, proprietary manufacturing process, which allows a reduction in the previously very high production costs.

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NEWS

NEWS

New extension for the European Development Centre In recent years, Armacell has steadily expanded its research and development activities and as a result the European Development Centre in Münster was bursting at the seams. A muchneeded 180 m2 extension was inaugurated in spring, providing office space for nine employees.

Inauguration of the Münster North site

Last year, Armacell had the honour of welcoming the Dutch insulation association (VIB) to Münster and organizing the annual conference.

Altogether 45 VIB members came to “the world’s most liveable city” to exchange ideas on the development of the insulation sector in the construction industry and its significance for climate policy. The programme included a technical presentation on the importance of environmental product declarations for green building projects, the launch of a new manual dealing with all aspects of technical insulation and a tour of the plant.

UL Environment recognizes Armaflex environmental product declarations (EPDs)

en

G uid e R a

t g

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The renowned independent Building Research Establishment (BRE) has now added pipe insulation to its Green Guide to Specification. Nitrile rubber insulation products such as Armaflex receive an ‘A’ rating, thus confirming their low environmental impact. A points uplift is also awarded for products that hold an independently verified environmental product declaration (EPD).

BREEAM provides information on the overall environmental performance of a building, covering the planning, construction and in-use phases.

in

In the Asian-Pacific market too, Armacell has received recognition for its pioneering initiatives in sustainability. At the International Green Building Conference in Singapore, the company was the first manufacturer of flexible technical insulation materials to present UL-certified environmental product declarations. Independently verified EPDs are also becoming more and more important in Asia. India, China, Korea and Taiwan are already among the top ten countries with LEED-certified buildings.

The relocation of these production areas from Herzebrock to Münster has led to shorter supply routes and higher flexibility and also eliminated external transport costs. The company has thus been able to greatly increase the efficiency of processes.

Elastomeric insulation materials achieve Green Guide ‘A’ rating

G re

Dutch insulation association visits Armacell

After a successful move, Armacell officially opened its Münster North site. The new plant consists of three areas: the DuoSolar production, equipment for finishing self-adhesive products and a water-jet cutter.

BREEAM A

Read more on MinergieEco at www.eco-bau.ch

Armaflex insulation materials listed by the Minergie-Eco label Armaflex products are the first flexible insulation materials to be listed by the Swiss Minergie-Eco label. None of the listed Armacell products violates Minergie-Eco’s exclusion criteria and the halogen-free insulation material NH/Armaflex has been rated as “well-suited for MinergieEco”. The solvent-free Armaflex SF990 and Armaflex Ultima SF990 adhesives even received the highest rating and are listed as “very well-suited”.

The Minergie-Eco project helps architects and specifiers to select sustainable building materials.

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NEWS

NEWS

Would you like to become a member of the exclusive ArmaPlus Club?

Register today at www.armacell-premium.com and secure the chance to take part in Armacell’s exclusive events.

Getting off to a great start on the sunny island of Mallorca A busy working day often leaves little time for in-depth conversations and trade fairs do not usually provide the right environment for a real exchange of ideas either. Armacell has recognized the signs of the times and rethought the way it builds and maintains relationships with its customers. The ArmaPlus Club creates a platform for talking about topics which affect the industry in a stylish atmosphere. For Armacell, working in partnership with customers means sharing knowledge, learning from each other and supporting each other. Members of the ArmaPlus Club can look forward to top-class events with a personal touch.

Armacell hosts top-notch event For the first event Armacell invited members of the Armacell-Premium loyalty scheme and other business partners to Mallorca. The H10 Punta Negra Hotel lies on the seafront and has direct access to bays with crystal-clear water. Whether over a meal in the trendy beach club, on a catamaran sailing trip, during the paella cooking course or hands-on training with the latest Armacell insulation materials – the 3 ½ day programme offered many opportunities for successful networking in a relaxed atmosphere. “A truly wonderful experience” – that was the unanimous opinion of the participants who are looking forward to the next event.

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NEWS

NEWS

CEFEP has joined the trade association for European plastic converters The CEFEP interest group has become a member of EuPC, the trade association for European plastic converters. CEFEP represents European manufacturers of elastomeric and polyethylene products and will now play an active role on the various EuPC committees. Based in Brussels, EuPC sees itself as the heart of the plastics industry in Europe. Armacell is a founder member of CEFEP and Georg Eleftheriadis, Manager Technical Marketing EMEA, is Chairman of the group. Read more on CEFEP at www.cefep.net

Armacell backs ambitious renovation initiative The key to cutting CO2 emissions as agreed at the COP21 climate change summit in Paris lies in the energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings. To unlock the enormous energy-saving potential in this sector, EuroACE (European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in

Buildings) launched the Renovate Europe Campaign. As a founder member of EuroACE, Armacell supports this initiative which focuses exclusively on implementing ambitious renovation strategies for the building stock throughout Europe. Read more on the Renovate Europe Campaign at www.renovate-europe.eu

EiiF presents TIPCHECK report Energy saving potential of 750,000 megawatt hours and a reduction of 500,000 tonnes of CO2 – that is the remarkable result of the recently published TIPCHECK Report. Since its introduction in 2010, 180 industrial plants have been audited. The report by the European Industrial Insulation Foundation (EiiF) reveals the enormous energy-saving potential of technical insulation in industry and demonstrates the

unbeatably short pay-back periods for investments. Armacell is a founder member of EiiF and Jarema Chmielarski, Armacell Technical Manager Engineered Systems, is a certified TIPCHECK Engineer.

Survey of

180 TIPC

HECK Au

dits

WIACO 2016: Armacell CEO on stage

Jarema Chmielarski (fifth from the left) with other TIPCHECK Engineers certified in 2015

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The TIPCHECK Report can be downloaded at www.eiif.org

In April, leading figures from the international insulation industry met in Boca Raton (Florida, USA) to share information on developments and current trends in their industries at the 11th World Insulation and Acoustic Conference. Armacell was a sponsor of the symposium and

CEO Patrick Mathieu took part in a panel discussion featuring top representatives of the insulation industry. One of the key challenges, he pointed out, is to convince end customers of the sustainable value creation achieved by technical insulation.

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NEWS

armacell.eu – The central address for technical insulation In today’s busy working environment it is more important than ever that information is readily available anytime and anywhere. At www.armacell.eu and the country sites which will follow successively, users can access the information needed with just a few clicks. The new website has a clear, modern design and can be called up on all digital devices such as PCs, smartphones and tablets. User-friendliness is further enhanced by the reduced, easy-tounderstand texts, generously sized buttons and distinctive images, leading to greater clarity and easier navigation.

Bivouac made of Arma-Chek Silver in the Swiss Alps An endurance test at temperatures around freezing: just before Christmas some 250 students from the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture set off with self-made bivouacs for the Stöckalp in the Melch valley (1,081 m). The aim of the project was to construct a bivouac which is both light and weather-proof. For one of the 53

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groups Armacell’s pre-covered Arma-Chek Silver was the material of choice. In comparison to other bivouacs their model was lighter in weight and had a smaller pack size. Most importantly, it was also one of the warmest tents, protecting the five students against the icy temperatures.

ArmWin App is one of the best products of the year ArmWin, Armacell’s technical calculation program, was completely revised in 2015 and has been chosen by the US magazine ConsultingSpecifying Engineer (CSE) as one of the products of the year in the app category. CSE’s product of the year contest is the premier award for new products in the HVAC market.

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NEWS

Armacell competition

Personnel

Bernd van Husen

Thank you very much for the many entries to our photo competition in the last issue. We are pleased to announce the following winners.

Tiago Silva

General Manager Europe North and Russia

General Manager Marketing EMEA

Bernd van Husen succeeds Klaus Peerenboom as General Manager

Tiago Silva has taken up the position of General Manager Marketing

Europe North. He has many years of experience in the insulation

EMEA. A chemical engineer, he has been working for Armacell since

industry: before joining Armacell in 2008, he was Head of the Trocel-

2005. After joining the company as a sales representative in Portu-

len Group, which became the leading manufacturer of cross-linked

gal, he later took on additional responsibility for technical manage-

PE foams in Europe under his leadership. As Armacell Business Direc-

ment for the Spanish and Portuguese markets and was then pro-

tor he was initially responsible for the south-east European sales area

moted to Marketing Manager Europe West in 2011. Before changing

and most recently for setting up the new Armacell plant in Russia. In

to the EMEA Management Team, he held the position of Sales Man-

his new position as General Manager Europe North he will retain his

ager for Spain and Portugal.

Main prize:

Professional photo shoot

Jan Baarspul, Jan baarspul Isolatie (Vleuten, the Netherlands)

current responsibilities for the region Russia and the CIS states.

Karl Scharner, GFRERER Isolierwerk Ges.m.b.H (Linz, Austria) with Armacell employee Engelbert Ellmauer

Winners of a toolbox:

Carolina Guinó

Sascha Kaiser

Product Manager EMEA

Credits

Carolina Guinó moved to the EMEA Marketing Team in April last year. She is a graduate chemist who joined the company as Technical Manager for Spain and Portugal. Alongside her product management responsibilities, she will provide local marketing support for the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Nordic countries and Russia.

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Publisher:

Armacell, Robert-Bosch-Straße 10, 48153 Münster (Germany) www.armacell.com

Editors:

Natascha Jüttner (responsible), Jean-Luc Chollier, Georgios Eleftheriadis, Valentin Galliker, Carolina Guino, Bernd van Husen,Sascha Kaiser, Susan Krambo, Manuel Martin, Dr. Heribert Quante, Pascal Raphoz, Tiago Silva, Malte Witt Anthony Barnett, Joanna Beckman, Ivo Boruta, Patricia Gonzalez, Hilda Han, Belinda Janson, Andrzej Januszewski, Serhan Kayan, Marina Maslikowa, Janna Röttgers, Alina Stegemann, Berta Steiner, Edith Thomas

Concept and realization: PR-Büro Rullmann, Greven (Germany)

Product Manager EMEA

In his new position as Product Manager EMEA Sascha Kaiser is responsible for local marketing in Germany and Austria and is also in charge of metal and PVC claddings and the pipe support range. A graduate industrial engineer, he joined Armacell in 2009. In his most recent position he led the Supply Chain Team EMEA with great success.

Layout:

Schäfer & Partner GmbH Waldbronn / Karlsruhe (Germany

Picture credits:

carbon neutral natureOffice.com | DE-212-840646

print production

(©) 2016 Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (14 -16) Thinkstock - Smoke eater (29) Thinkstock - Young Businesswoman on Teleconference Video Call (30) Stock-Photo-Padlock-on-laptop (31) Thinkstock - Sunset in the mountains (50) Thinkstock - Modern devices laptop, smartphone, tablet (51) Thinkstock - Digital photo camera in studio with softbox and flashes (53)

Dennis Coles, Denco Thermal Ltd. (Solihull, UK) with Armacell employee John Watt

Ludwig Ranzinger, KAEFER Industrie GmbH (Munich, Germany) with Armacell employee Tina Weidhase

Francisco Román and José López, Aislamientos Aispert (Madrid, Spain, at the front) with Antonio Martín (Armacell), Óscar Rocha (Cir62), Víctor de Bernardo (Armacell) and Esther Moreno (Cir62)

Congratulations to the lucky winners!

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ArmaPlus Magazine I Issue 25 - Winter 2016 / 2017