Hyundai car plant insulated by EcoTherm
Glass-Therm rigid PIR (Polyisocyanurate) insulation board from EcoTherm will provide much needed protection against the biting cold of the Eastern European winter in a massive new car plant in the Czech Republic. Specified by general contractor, the Takenaka Company, for its high levels of thermal insulation EcoTherm board is being installed across the 200,000 square metres of the factory’s flat roof.
The new Hyundai factory at the Nosovice Industrial Zone in the Czech Republic, about 20km from the Polish border, will employ 3,500 workers and produce 300,000 cars a year. One of the biggest projects of its type in Europe, construction started in April last year and the plant will be in full production by 2011.
The Takenaka Company was keen to exploit modern building technology to provide a high quality manufacturing environment and chose to use a flat roof construction insulated with EcoTherm PIR boards. The selection was made on the basis of the superior insulation properties of EcoTherm’s PIR board combined with its high fire resistance. Glass-Therm is a rigid PIR board with mineral coated glass fibre tissue on both sides, which means it is compatible with any fully adhered or mechanically fixed single-ply membranes.
The contract was placed with EcoTherm Polska, a direct subsidiary of EcoTherm that has been active in Eastern and Central Europe for the past ten years and has established the company as a clear market leader.
One of the key requirements of the project has been for EcoTherm to handle the logistics required to deliver the huge quantities of material required to a tight build schedule. Its infrastructure and experience means that it can easily deliver the 18,000 square metres of board required per week to meet the build plan. It has already completed delivery of 150,000 square metres of board for the first phase of the project.
EcoTherm’s European Marketing Manager Bart van ’t Ende commented, “EcoTherm’s PUR/PIR insulation boards have always offered the thinnest solution for any required level of insulation. For high spec projects such as this, any other type of insulation solution is simply too thick, and that means problems with fixings and flashing, and also with potential compression, which could lead to ponding on the roof.”
EcoTherm is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of PUR (Polyurethane) and PIR (Polyisocyanurate) rigid thermal insulation boards. These have become increasingly popular on commercial and industrial projects as they offer the ideal combination of exceptional insulating properties, high strength
and light weight. This high strength to weight ratio makes them easy to handle and install, and allows light supporting structures. The boards are also extremely durable – which ensures that their energy saving properties remain undiminished over the complete life of the building.