ROCKWOOL plans a second Indian factory in Cheyyar

Cheyyar factory plans

ROCKWOOL plans a Rs 550 crore (€55 million) stone-wool factory at Cheyyar SIPCOT (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu) Industrial Park, Tiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu, about 90 km from Chennai. Asia Managing Director Darryl Mathews outlined a 56-acre site and a factory 25% larger in size than the Dahej, Gujarat, facility. Management expects about 150 jobs and production of about 50,000 tonnes. Some products would serve fire-protection applications.

Chairman Thomas Kähler, Mathews and India Business Unit Director Vinay Pratap Singh met Chief Secretary N Muruganandham on Aug. 22, 2024. The board approved the project, targeting groundbreaking in November 2024 and commercial operations in the first half of 2026. Cheyyar would supply domestic customers. Gujarat operations began in 2011; Mathews expected India’s group-revenue contribution to grow.

From volcanic rock to insulation

ROCKWOOL’s established stone-wool production process starts with volcanic rock mixed with limestone. In certain geographies and product lines, the mixture can contain up to 75% recycled material. It is heated above 1,500°C before the molten material is spun into wool.

A binder and either a special oil or a wetting agent are added according to the intended application. Heat treatment cures the binder, providing dimensional stability before final processing.

Company profile

ROCKWOOL’s stone-wool portfolio extends beyond thermal insulation, serving several application areas:

• Building and industrial insulation.
• Products for transportation applications.
• Horticultural and water-management solutions.

ROCKWOOL’s manufacturing footprint comprised 51 facilities in 23 countries in its 2023 business profile, with sales activity in more than 120 countries.

The group’s business combines capital-intensive production with local sales. In that profile, 85% of sales did not cross customs borders.

ROCKWOOL attributed solid Asian insulation growth in 2023 to continued industrialisation and urbanisation in major markets including India and Indonesia. Those were existing-market results preceding the Cheyyar proposal.