Who we are

ROCKWOOL, founded in Denmark in 1937, is the world’s leading manufacturer of environmentally-friendly stone wool insulation. Our insulation is used in a range of construction industry applications, including interior and exterior walls, floors, roofs and attics, as well as industrial and original equipment manufacturers (OEM).

Responsible environmental stewardship has been one of our core values for more than 80 years and we continually strive to do better in terms of reducing the environmental impact of our manufacturing activities. We do this by investing in state-of-the-art technology in our factories while at the same time, upholding an unbreakable commitment to meeting and exceeding the environmental protection standards set by governments and regulators wherever we operate globally.

Natural and abundant basalt stone is our core raw material and makes up around 97 percent of our insulation products. We have been making stone wool products since our founding, and today we deliver specialized solutions for a variety of sectors including buildings, marine and offshore construction.

Stone wool, and the products we make with it, play an increasingly significant role in addressing two of the most far-reaching megatrends influencing virtually every aspect of modern society – urbanization and climate change.

While our organization continues to evolve, we remain committed to our purpose – to release the natural power of stone to enrich modern living. 

Our products help combat climate change, leading to more sustainable building practices. And it is through our philanthropy and corporate citizenship efforts, which remain an integral part of our identity as well as the job security and stability we bring to our workforce, that we’re focused on strengthening the communities of which we are a part.

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A brief history of ROCKWOOL Group

Founded as a family business more than 80 years ago, today our organization is headquartered in Denmark and is listed on the Copenhagen stock exchange. 

From our first stone wool production in 1937 to the extensive range of solutions we supply today, ROCKWOOL continues to evolve. We are proud of the fact that ROCKWOOL continues to operate with a consistent track record of safeguarding the safety, health, and wellbeing of citizens in the communities living by the 51 facilities in 40 countries where we operate today. 

Stone is our core raw material and the bedrock on which our business is based. Our insulation is comprised of basalt rock and recycled slag, and is developed through an eight-step process that begins with raw materials and goes through to the end product that’s packaged and shipped to customers across North America. See for yourself in our ‘manufacturing plant tour’ video below: 

Production process

Advanced Manufacturing Factory Tour

We’re proud of the efficiency and productivity of our manufacturing facilities. They offer a unique combination of state-of-the-art technology and equipment, and people working together to ensure the highest product quality.

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Number of employees globally:
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ROCKWOOL company history and timeline of events across North America and the world.

History of the ROCKWOOL organization from its founding to the projected 2020 opening of the factory in Ranson.

ROCKWOOL in North America

We opened our first factory in North America in Milton, Ontario, Canada in 1988. Since then we have started operations in additional facilities in Grand Forks, British Columbia, as well as the opening of our first facility in the United States in 2014 located in Byhalia, a small town within Marshall County, Mississippi. 

Our stone wool is used in a wide range of applications including building insulation; industrial and technical insulation for the process industry, marine and offshore business; customized solutions for industrial applications; wall and facade systems; acoustic ceilings; horticultural substrates; engineered fiber solutions; noise and vibration control; and urban flood control. 

Our newest factory in Ranson, that began commercial production July, 2021, adds to ROCKWOOL Group’s already strong presence in North America. Production in West Virginia has increased our total capacity to meet customer demand, and we are proud to have already brought 130 manufacturing jobs in addition to becoming a positive and contributing member of the county by investing in the community. 

 

Our history of partnerships with fire safety associations

Our insulation works to contain fire and prevent it from spreading through the interior or on the exterior of a building. When seconds count this can provide the people inside the building more time to exit safely and firefighters more time to extinguish the fire.  At the same time, our insulation also does not contribute to the emissions of significant quantities of toxic smoke.

For us, the dedication to fire safety goes well beyond our products as an active promoter and participant in the annual Fire Prevention Week activities. ROCKWOOL advocates for fire safety and advancing regulations in building and fire codes, as well as improving testing standards.

In 2017, our expertise as leaders in fire-resilient and non-combustible building materials was frequently called upon by governments and building companies across North America who sought to better understand best practices in construction.

We collaborate with numerous fire safety associations and councils including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Fire Safe North America (FSNA), and the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM). These networks help advance fire safety provisions in building code development processes and are contributing to the development of increased fire test standards.

To learn more about ROCKWOOL’s dedication to fire safety, please download our Community Fire Safety Fact Sheet and watch the video below.

Partnerships in fire safety

We work with fire associations and councils to ensure building codes, laws, regulations and practices promote strong methods of fire safety.

Rick Roos - senior manager codes and standards, fire portfolio north america

Fire safety is at the core of what we do as a company

Through our efforts both in product development and partnerships with fire-related organizations, we are helping to create safer homes and buildings for people in communities around the country, including right here in Jefferson County.

We as an organization are passionate about fire safety and we work at improving it every day. The future of buildings is going to be at a much higher level of safety and quality than we’ve come to expect today and we’re at the forefront of making that happen.

Rick

Sr. Manager, Codes, Standards, & Fire Safety, ROCKWOOL

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Seven strengths of stone

Stone wool is a versatile material and forms the basis of our business.

ROCKWOOL Group has maintained its position in the market over decades because we’ve had one single-minded purpose: unlocking the strengths of stone to enrich modern living. The world’s most abundant resource can be engineered to create uniquely useful and exciting solutions for the world. And it all starts with what all ROCKWOOL products are made of: stone wool.

Click on any of the titles below to learn about the seven strength of stone wool.

  1. Fire Resilience – can withstand temperatures up to 2100F, works to contain a fire and prevent its spread, making homes and buildings safer for occupants.
  2. Thermal Properties – helps save energy and reduces heating and cooling needs because a good indoor climate is essential to health and wellbeing.
  3. Acoustic Capabilities – helps control the acoustic environment with protection from unwanted noise, increasing occupant comfort.
  4. Water Properties – can be engineered to absorb or repel water while still being vapor permeable.
  5. Durability/Robustness – increase the longevity of performance and future-proof your building to reduce maintenance costs.
  6. Aesthetics – gives you the freedom to design aesthetic environments to ensure occupant comfort and motivation.
  7. Circularity – as one of the most abundant resources on the planet, the stone we use in production can be infinitely recycled.

While our products usually go unnoticed due to their placement in construction, their silent, often-hidden existence can make people’s lives measurably more comfortable and enjoyable. These are seven reasons why we believe the world’s most abundant resource can be engineered to create innovative solutions for modern living. 

Monthly Newsletter

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Keep updated with the latest news and information on the ROCKWOOL development in Ranson, Jefferson County by subscribing to our eNewsletter.

01

Community and Economic Impact

We seek to make a positive impact in the City of Ranson and more broadly in Jefferson County, West Virginia.

By building our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ranson, we are committing to making a long-term and positive impact on the economy of Jefferson County. The $218 million investment includes $64 million in payroll and $4 million in taxes over the first 10 years, in addition to the community support we have already started to provide through partnerships with local organizations.

02

Jobs Opportunities

Manufacturing jobs and employment coming to Jefferson County, WV.

We are proud to be bringing 150 new manufacturing jobs to Ranson that will provide local workers the opportunity to build meaningful careers in manufacturing a product that is used worldwide to create safe and more sustainable living environments. At ROCKWOOL, we offer employees an attractive benefits package, investments in learning and development, and a supportive workplace culture.

03

Sustainability

At ROCKWOOL, sustainability is always top of mind.

While manufacturing any product requires using resources, we are focused on ensuring our products leave the smallest footprint possible during production while delivering the biggest benefit during their use. To accomplish this, we have committed to several UN Sustainable Development Goals and are proud to say that during the lifetime of its use, the building insulation we sold in 2018 will save 100 times the carbon emitted in its production.

04

Factory Operations and Production

Interested in how the day-to-day operations of our facilities and how our stone wool insulation is made?

ROCKWOOL’s new manufacturing facility will produce stone wool insulation for residential, commercial, and industrial uses. Stone wool is a natural product made mostly from volcanic rocks, which are supplemented with recycled mineral wool and slag from the steel industry during production. Get an inside look at our facilities and how insulation is made.

05

Environment

We're protecting the local environment during construction and operations of our manufacturing facility in Ranson.

We have an unbreakable commitment to meeting and exceeding the environmental protection standards set by government and regulators wherever we operate globally, and our facility in WV will be no different. This includes limits established to protect the health of sensitive populations such as children, the elderly and asthmatics, and we continue to invest in state-of-the-art abatement technologies to further reduce any impact.

06

Construction and Permitting

We're driving investment in infrastructure to attract more business and development for the years to come.

All permits that have been obtained to date for the Ranson facility have been done in accordance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. We’ve also outlined the site selection process, progress of the development project, and safety procedures that are in place during the construction process.

Documents and resources

 

 

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