Europe’s largest independent grower and processor of industrial hemp has announced the acquisition of a manufacturer of natural fibre insulation materials.
HempFlax International Ltd says it is launching a building supplies division after acquiring German company Thermo Natur GmbH & Co. KG. HempFlax states acquiring Thermo-Natur’s existing operations and product certifications accelerates its move into this market by 18 months it would otherwise take.
“Thermo-Natur is a company I’ve long admired because it is well-known for its safe, natural and breathable materials,” said HempFlax CEO Mark Reinders. “Synthetic construction materials are simply not needed, and their usage has dire ecological and climatic consequences, be it from pollutants, carbon emissions or unhealthy living environments.”
Thermo Natur’s hemp insulation has a number of benefits, including a a higher ‘Specific Heat Capacity’ compared to glass wool insulation. According to HempFlax, manufacturing mineral insulation is energy intensive, emitting between 100 kg – 1000 kg CO2 per cubic meter. At the upper end, that’s 25 times more than required to manufacture hemp insulation (40 kg CO2 per m3).
“Overall, the production of hemp insulation is carbon negative, meaning more carbon is taken out of the atmosphere than is emitted in the supply chain,” states the firm.
There’s certainly plenty of room for growth, with hemp insulation making up less than 0.5% of the 3.3 million tonnes of insulation materials used each year in construction says HempFlax.
Hemp’s potential in construction isn’t just limited to insulation – you can learn more about industrial hemp as a building material here.
In addition to its new venture into building supplies, HempFlax has five other business lines:
- Cannabidiol (CBD) based nutraceuticals
- Hemp plastics
- Animal Care
- Horticulture
- Genetics and cultivation
On the cultivation side, the firm has operations across Europe, with more than 2,400 hectares of hemp expected to be harvested this year. HempFlax’s cultivation takes place in Netherlands, Germany and Romania and its manufacturing facilities are located in Oude Pekela, Netherlands and Alba Iulia, Romania.
In other recent news from the company, HempFlax says it has powered through the fallout of COVID-19, with Q1 2020 revenues growing nearly 20% on the previous year.
