Surdulica celebrates 40 years of Rock Mineral Wool success

Knauf Insulation’s Rock Mineral Wool plant in Surdulica, Serbia, is celebrating 40 years of success.

Started in 1974 with just 40 workers, the plant today employs 130 people and has an annual production capacity of 44,000 tonnes.

More than 60% of that production is exported to key markets in Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Greece and Croatia.

Although 2014 was a year of celebration for the plant, it was also a time for reflection. In May, Serbia and the surrounding region was devastated by the worse flooding in recorded history.

As a result, the plant cancelled official anniversary celebration events and instead made a significant donation to the flood relief fund.

When the plant started operation n 1974 only binder-free wool was produced using technology taken from ‘Termo’ at Skofja Loka – today a plant also owned by Knauf Insulation.

Four years later Surdulica’s annual capacity was 100,000 tonnes and by 1986 an extra production line was added.

By 1991 the plant and its product were named ‘Vunizol’ and over the next 14 years, capacity and employee numbers increased steadily to keep pace with demand.

Knauf Insulation acquired the plant in 2005 and two years later it was completely renovated to create a new production line for Rock Mineral Wool.

In the process more than €25 million was spent upgrading the plant with a focus on clean technology as well as health and safety.

Although 2014’s official anniversary celebrations were cancelled, the plant held an art contest and prize day for the children of employees and also commissioned an innovative video that charted the plant’s history through animated ‘sand art’.

Click here to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY_o6uNZXY8 

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