profile
Neil Hargreaves
Neil Hargreaves is Managing Director for Knauf Insulation Northern Europe (KINE), which includes the markets across the UK & Ireland, Scandinavia and English-speaking countries in Africa.
Neil originally joined KINE in 2006 as Head of Commercial Finance before leaving to become Finance Director (EMEA) for a multi-national manufacturing and contracting business. In 2011, he re-joined KINE as Finance Director and has since played a key role in a number of commercial, financial and strategic projects. He was appointed Managing Director in February 2019.
Prior to joining KINE, Neil trained as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG and gained experience in audit, business consulting and transaction services working with clients across manufacturing, construction and leisure industries.
Neil sits on the board for the Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association (MIMA).
Knauf Insulation
Knauf Insulation is the UK’s leading manufacturer of glass and rock mineral wool insulation products.
As part of the family owned Knauf Group, Knauf Insulation represents one of the most respected and progressive names in insulation. It offers an unrivalled range of insulation solutions for any application or project to meet the increasing demand for energy efficiency, fire resistance, thermal and acoustic performance in new and existing homes, non-residential buildings and industrial applications.
In the UK, the company operates at three manufacturing plants; Cwmbran, Queensferry and St. Helens.
Visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk. Follow @KnaufUK
Launched in 2015, the award winning monthly Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report is the only reliable measure of repair, maintenance & improvement (RMI) activity in the UK. Filling an important gap, it can be widely used in construction, and by economists, Government, national media, commentators and influencers outside the industry.
Knauf-Insulation Comment: Q1 2026
History doesn’t repeat, but it rhymes. So we’re reminded as global events again unsettle UK construction.
Our industry is no stranger to disruption. Covid, the Ukraine war and the Evergrande blockage have all stretched supply chains in recent years. The situation in Iran has once again triggered an unwelcome oil price shock.
We’re fortunate the resulting energy price spike has arrived in the spring, when many households are switching off the thermostat. But with long-term effects predicted, it’s an acute reminder of the critical importance of insulation. Not just for net zero, but for managing the cost of living and ensuring energy security. Better insulation is a national priority.
It’s already on the agenda. The measures announced in the long-awaited Future Homes Standard will result in homes that have more insulation in the walls and the loft. And the Warm Homes Plan should drive some retrofitting demand, though not at the scale of fabric upgrades needed.
A nation seeking energy self-sufficiency will lean on mineral wool insulation. As merchants seek to meet that need, they should consider the other lesson from the current situation.
Shorter supply chains are more robust when trade flows are disrupted. There is value in sourcing products from close to home. We’re fortunate in the UK to have several mineral wool manufacturers making products here (with more capacity to come), and that those products are generally made using locally-sourced raw materials such as stone and glass cullet – as long as Brits continue to enjoy a bottle of beer on a warm spring day, that raw material remains in plentiful supply.
These are uncertain times, for construction and the country. Mineral wool insulation will be part of the solution, helping to address some of our most pressing national challenges. Products made not just in the UK, but for the UK, so we’re better-prepared the next time history rhymes.