Kuwait Insulating Material Manufacturing Company (Kimmco) recently launched enhanced versions of its key products aimed at reinforcing its presence in the region.

These included Climaver, an upgraded lightweight pre-insulated ductwork system, and EcoBuild, an improved version of its standard glasswool range.

The products were launched at The Big 5, a premier construction show held in Dubai last November.

Commenting on the new range, Mark Westermayer, marketing director of Kimmco, said: “Climaver is a lightweight pre-insulated ductwork system which enables designers to meet the stringent thermal, acoustic and fire-performance requirements of the HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) market.

According to Westermayer, the product helps address the time pressure challenges at the building site during installation and the comfort and energy efficiency demands during the lifetime of a building.

“It helps meet a variety of challenges faced while designing and executing a project and provides energy-efficient solutions in order to keep the operational costs as low as possible. According to a recently published report, 20 per cent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections. Climaver is the solution here!” he said.

Listing its advantages, he said: “The product is an all-in-one alternative to sheet metal and helps save space and reduces installation time. An additional benefit is that no extra insulation work is required once it is installed. Hence it is more cost-effective in comparison to traditional metal ductwork.”

Westermayer continued: “With a focus on building applications, EcoBuild is an improvement of the standard glasswool range. We have launched the product with the slogan – ‘In sync with nature’.”

Manufactured using Saint-Gobain Isover’s patented state-of-the-art technology, EcoBuild contains 100 per cent natural resources, such as sand and soda, among others, and up to 80 per cent recycled post-consumer glass culets and, therefore, has a unique natural colour.

“EcoBuild meets the most stringent requirements, statutory or voluntary, in Europe on emissions of formaldehyde and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in indoor air, thereby improving the quality of the environment in which we live and work,” said Westermayer.

“We have launched the product with the falcon as a symbol since it is 100 per cent natural, a high-performance product with high value and quality. The product has already been proven through its zero phenol-formaldehyde emission certificate,” he added.

In addition, EcoBuild’s insulation is also said to improve job-site efficiency, as it is less dust-producing and easier to work with, while providing excellent thermal, acoustic, fire and indoor air quality performance.

The product has been supplied wherever there is a need for sustainable products, according to Westermayer. Abu Dhabi airport and a number of residential, commercial and hospital projects are among the developments across Middle East and North Africa (Mena) where the product has been supplied.

Meanwhile, to widen its activities in industrial and fire resistance applications, the Kuwait-based Kimmco will commission a new stonewool plant in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, in a joint venture with Saint-Gobain in the first quarter of this year.

Kimmco serves the entire Mena region and its main markets include the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.