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: Q3 2024
It’s been a challenging period for the construction industry, but the trendlines are positive as we look to the year ahead. Public policy and falling interest rates should bolster housebuilding, and we expect robust demand for mineral wool insulation – evidenced by our investments in UK manufacturing capacity for both glass and rock mineral wool.
What does 2025 look like beyond the numbers? Expect to see the increasing influence of a few major issues shaping construction. Sustainability and the drive to reduce not just operational carbon, but embodied carbon too. The push to reduce building risk via improved construction practices and products.
And of course, real performance.
Too often, finished buildings aren’t as efficient, as quiet or as safe as they were designed to be. Driven by changing regulations and evolving technology, 2025 will be a year of greater scrutiny, more accountability, and an increased focus on closing the performance gap.
How will the construction industry rise to the challenge? Part of the answer lies in a more joined-up supply chain, acting with greater visibility of what happens on site.
When specifiers know certain products aren’t practical to install correctly in typical site conditions, they can adapt their designs. When housebuilders know there’s underperformance on a plot, they can adjust their processes. When merchants know which products perform, they can make tailored recommendations.
Knowing is the key. And that knowledge comes from on-site insights.
Building these feedback loops has long been a priority for Knauf Insulation. Our service offering is increasingly geared towards measuring and monitoring actual performance. And our product innovation is actively informed by what we learn – such as our recent launch of a rainscreen slab with a water-repellent facing in response to observations about exposure time on site. Our merchant customers should expect our product portfolio to continue to evolve to meet changing market needs in the real world.
Through 2025, we should see tangible progress towards a more joined-up construction industry. By closing the gaps across the value chain, we can close the most important gap of all.