INTRODUCTION
|Knauf, a family name, and a corporate group of global dimensions. A leading | |
|manufacturer of building materials worldwide, including plasterboards, | |
|plasters, insulation materials and external renders, with a turnover of Euro| |
|2.5 bn. With over 100 plants in Europe, Asia, USA and South America, it is | |
|through technical innovation and high quality standards that Knauf leads the| |
|development of markets across the Globe. Committed to the environment, Knauf| |
|is active in retaining the natural balance across all oour operations. | |
|[pic] | |
| |
|[pic] |
| |[pic][pic] |
| |Established in 1932, Gebr. Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke, Iphofen, is not | |
| |only one of the leading manufacturers of building materials in Europe, but | |
| |also a global group whose activities are no longer limited solely to the | |
| |production of gypsum-based building materials. | |
| | | |
| |The families of Alfons and Karl Knauf still wholly own the strongly | |
| |expanding company. Their oldest sons, BBaldwin and Nikolaus Knauf are the | |
| |managing partners. | |
| | | |
| |The company is based in Iphofen, midway between Nuremberg and Frankfurt. | |
| | | |
| |All the other shareholders also belong to the family aand some are | |
| |responsible for the various business activities of the company both at home | |
| |and abroad. | |
-2-
Established in 1932, Gebr. Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke, Iphofen, is
not only one of the leading manufacturers of building materials in Europe,
but also a globally operating group whose activities are no longer limited
solely to the production of gypsum-based building materials.
The families of Alfons and Karl Knauf still wholly own the strongly
expanding company. Their oldest sons, Baldwin and Nikolaus Knauf are the
managing partners. The company is based in Iphofen, midway between
Nuremberg and Frankfurt.
All other shareholders also belong to the family; some are responsible
for the various business activities of the company both at home and
abroad.
Profile
Knauf nowadays ooperates more than 100 production plants in over 30
countries. Annual sales of more than € 2.5 billion are achieved with more
than 16,000 employees. The main markets are to be found in northern,
western and central Europe as well as the entire Mediterranean area
including Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey. In recent years Eastern Europe,
the former CIS states and China, in particular, have made an increasingly
significant contribution to the development of business.
Knauf was one of the first companies to invest in modern pplants in
eastern Germany, Eastern Europe and the CIS. In 1997 a new Knauf
plasterboard factory was opened in Wuhu, near Shanghai, a second plant
supplies the markets in Canton, Hong Kong and southern China with Knauf
plasterboards. A third factory was acquired in 1999 from Siam Cement, which
produces in Tianjin, near Peking.
Knauf has spent recent years building up the Brazilian and Argentine
markets. The first Knauf plasterboard factory in South America commenced
production since 2000 in Queimados, near Rio de Janeiro. A further factory
produces in Mendoza in Argentina directly on the border to Chile to service
the Argentine and Chilean markets.
In addition to plasters and plastering accessories, Knauf manufactures
insulating materials made from glass fibers at four sites in the USA.
A further business field is the production of distended pearlites that
are used in plastering, cement bound boards and dry mortars.
With the production of carton for Knauf boards Knauf has continued its
strategy of vertical diversification. Knauf owns two paper factories;
Inland AB in Lilla Edet, Sweden and St Petersburg Polygraphie- und
Kartonkombinat in St. Petersburg in Russia, and also holds shares in
Tecnokarton located in Mayen.
Lime and lime cement plaster and even bricks round off the product
assortment offered by the Knauf group.
The range of products ffor the drywall sector is rounded off by plaster
fiberboards that are manufactured in factories in Satteldorf, Germany, in
Vidin, Bulgaria, in Dzershinsk and Tscheljabinsk, both in Russia.
A new business sector is the production of moulded plastics in France,
Italy, Spain, England, The Netherlands, Brazil and Poland. The construction
of a factory in Belgium for the production of polystyrene is a further step
in the strategy of vertical integration pursued by Knauf in this sector as
well. -3-
Its diversified portfolio of partner companies also highlights the
commitment of Knauf to the construction industry.
The company Putz- und Fördertechnik (PFT) located in Iphofen leads the
market for the development and manufacture of machines for the machine
application of plasters for interior and exterior use. The plaster machine
G4, which is legendary in industry circles, is probably the best-known
product manufactured by PFT.
Richter-System, a leading manufacturer of metal profiles and angle
protectors in Europe, is also a member of the Knauf group.
With more than 30 furnaces in nine factories, Knauf is Europe’s largest
producer of distended Perlites that are used in the production of dry
mortar to improve the heat insulation qualities.
The product range of Deutsche Perlite GmbH, one of the leading processors
of perlites, also includes the cement-based Perlconboard, dry composition
floor elements and perlite charges.
Group member AAMF is a manufacturer of high-quality mineral fibre boards
used to form innovative ceiling systems.
Knauf Bauprodukte GmbH offers the most extensive range in Europe of
building chemicals for DIY and professional users.
Marmorit GmbH located in Bollschweil, to the south of Stuttgart, produces
and sells an extensive range of lime and lime cement renders.
This extensive and diverse product programme ensures that Knauf is the only
gypsum-based manufacturer in the market offering this complete range of
services and products.
-4-
As expectations for the performance of our buildings rise, so must the
performance of the materials used in their construction. As a result, the
demand for gypsum is on the increase. Due to its exceptional performance
characteristics, we call it the magic material.
Nature is innovative
Nature possesses exceptional innovative spirit. Gypsum, a sedimentary rock
that is over 200 million years old, is so easy to handle that it has been
used for building purposes for thousands of years. For example, 11,000
thousand years ago, the walls and floors in ancient Jericho were made of
gypsum. The utilisation of this building material reached a new peak in the
stucco masterpieces and cornice-work of the Baroque Age. Today gypsum is
used to create a comfortable living environment through both plaster and
plasterboard. And it continues to be used for creative
interior designing.
Securing the raw material base
It is little wonder that we constantly need more of this magic material.
Knauf combines modern energy-saving methods with state-of-the-art
production processes to ensure that enough of this superb building material
will be at our disposal well into the new millennium.
The ecological outcome is positive
At Knauf, gypsum is extracted, manufactured and transported in a safe and
environmentally friendly manner.
-5-
The white natural stone gypsum was formed in several geological eras 100 to
200 million years ago. Defined chemically defined, gypsum bbears the name
calcium sulphate and has the formula CaSO4 2H2O. It sediment when water
evaporated in shallow bays around the earth.
In the course of the earth’s history, when the gypsum deposits were covered
by other masses of rock or exposed to additional geological influences,
gypsum lost its crystallisation water, and anhydrite (CaSO4 ) was formed.
As soon as water-free anhydrite comes into contact with water again, it
will slowly be reconverted to gypsum.
Both natural materials are important for the manufacture of our products.
Both above ground aand underground extract them.
In many countries, legislation requires that power plants fired with
fossil fuels have to be equipped with flue gas desulphurisation (FGD)
systems. This was a great step towards keeping the air clean.
We at Knauf made a decisive contribution ttowards the further development of
the desulphurisation technology. It is a simple, wet cleaning process using
natural lime, in which the final product is fine FGD gypsum. This gypsum
can be introduced directly into the economic cycle of the construction
materials industry as a raw material.
Both the desulphurisation technology and the development of the processes
of using FGD gypsum in the building materials industry are based on our
research and development work and our comprehensive know-how, as well as
the close cooperation with the operators of power plants.
-6-
FGD gypsum is formed according to the same natural laws as natural
gypsum. The only difference is that the process takes place at an enormous
velocity, within a few hours, whereas nature needed millions of years to
form its gypsum deposits. AA study on the quality of FGD gypsum, which was
carried out over several years and is recognized in international
scientific circles, confirms that its properties are identical to those of
natural gypsum.
Just like its natural counterpart, FGD gypsum is also a completely harmless
building material, with regard to both health and ecological construction
principles. We constantly check its quality in accordance with our own high
standards, in the same way as with natural gypsum.
We use FGD gypsum for the manufacture of high-quality gypsum products.
Every available ttone of this renewable resource is processed in our own
works.
In both function and effect, the surface of the wall made of gypsum is
very similar to the human skin. Knauf plasters meet the highest standards:
good insulation, excellent humidity regulation, high impact resistance and
an attractive surface finish. All this leads to a comfortable living
environment.
A skin for the wall
Gypsum is the ideal surface for a wall because it has the same P H value
and thermal conductivity properties as the human skin. Gypsum is made up of
minerals, and is free of any materials that could negatively influence a
sense of well-being. Gypsum is not harmful to human skin: modern medicine
uses gypsum directly on the skin to set broken bones; dental technology
uses gypsum for moulds. It is not surprising that gypsum is extremely
popular with the installers – protective gear is not necessary when working
with any pure gypsum Knauf materials.
Feel the warmth
Building materials made of gypsum always feel warm when touched. This is no
deception as gypsum possesses low thermal conductivity properties. As a
result, gypsum building materials store warmth within a building.
Balanced Climates
The secret of a balanced room climate lies primarily in balanced humidity
levels.
-7-
The Knauf group and the Swiss Alcopor conclude a strategic alliance
The GGerman Knauf Group, one of the leading worldwide building material
companies is taking 50% participation in the Alcopor subsidiary AOC, which
comprises the European activities of the Alcopor Group in the field of
glass wool and XPS (expanded polystyrene hard foam). The participation is
mainly through capital investment. The joint venture needs only the
approval of the European Competition Commission.
AOC is one of the leading European producers of insulating systems in
building and includes the former activities of the American Owens Corning
in Europe in the field of insulating materials.
The company sells its products in about 10 countries and runs seven
production plants in Europe (Belgium, Italy, Spain and four plants in
England). They produce both insulating materials based on mineral wool
(glass wool and rock wool) and XPS. Mineral wool accounts for 80% of sales.
With about 1,000 staff, AOC has an annual turnover of around € 235 million.
The company is the market leader in England and the Benelux countries and
is one of the most important companies for the leading European markets in
the trade.
The Knauf Group and Alcopor, or their subsidiary AOC expect further
great stimulus for business development in both groups, from the
partnership.
· The groups complement each other almost ideally, both geographically
and in their products. AOC has aa strong position in Europe and adequate
production capacity in the mineral wool field, while Knauf has a very
strong position in the expanded polystyrene hard foam field, especially in
France. The European glass wool works of AOC will gain access to Knauf
technology, a technology which has proved itself in the USA.
· The strong sales organisation of the Knauf Group will give considerable
support to AOC and their sales activities. AOC’s presence will be
strengthened particularly in those countries where Knauf is already well
established. The partners expect a considerable increase in sales by the
opening of further sales channels for AOC and its glass wool products. This
will further optimise the capacities of the AOC glass wool works.
· Knauf has an important logistic capacity in Europe. The integration of
the logistics and distribution functions will result in significant
optimisation of costs and a further improvement in customer service.
· New product developments (system products as combinations of different
materials, such as plaster boards with glass wool) will open additional
market opportunities and further demonstrate the technological competence
of AOC.
The Knauf Group and Alcopor will direct their main attention to this
obvious potential for synergy.
-8-
CONCLUSIONS
In my project I wrote about “Knauf “ it is firm leading manufacturer
of building materials worldwide, including plasterboards,
plasters,
insulation materials and external renders. With over 100 plants in Europe,
Asia, USA and South America, it is through technical innovation and high
quality standards that Knauf leads the development of markets across the
Globe.
Established in 1932, Gebr. Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke, Iphofen, is
not only one of the leading manufacturers of building materials in Europe,
but also a globally operating group whose activities are no longer limited
solely to the production of gypsum-based building materials.
Knauf nowadays operates more than 100 production plants in over 330
countries. Annual sales of more than € 2.5 billion are achieved with more
than 16,000 employees.
With more than 30 furnaces in nine factories, Knauf is Europe’s largest
producer of distended Perlites that are used in the production of dry
mortar to improve the heat insulation qualities.
As expectations for the performance of our buildings rise, so must the
performance of the materials used in their construction. As a result, the
demand for gypsum is on the increase. Due to its exceptional performance
characteristics, we call iit the magic material. The utilisation of this
building material reached a new peak in the stucco masterpieces and cornice-
work of the Baroque Age. Today gypsum is used to create a comfortable
living environment through both plaster and plasterboard. And it continues
to bbe used for creative interior designing. It is little wonder that we
constantly need more of this magic material. Knauf combines modern energy-
saving methods with state-of-the-art production processes to ensure that
enough of this superb building material will be at our disposal well into
the new millennium.
In both function and effect, the surface of the wall made of gypsum is
very similar to the human skin. Knauf plasters meet the highest standards:
good insulation, excellent humidity regulation, high impact resistance and
an attractive surface finish. All this leads to a comfortable living
environment.
My opinion about this firm is really good because I use “Knauf
“materials and didn’t think change in another. Gypsum need for as and be
needed in future, so use this material and enjoy your llife.
-9-
LIST OF LITERATURE
WEBPAGE : WWW. knauf. com
Firm booklets from exhibition
-10-
VILNIUS COLLEGE OF CONSTRUCTION
Prepared by:
Lecturer:
Vilnius 2001 m.
CONTENS
INTRODUCTION……………………….
. 2
THINKING AHEAD –ACTING
AHEAD…………….. 3
PARTNERSHIP……………………. 4
LIVING WITH GYPSUM………………..5
NATURAL
GYPSUM……………………
….. 6
COMFORTABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENT…………7
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE………………….8
CONCLUSIONS…………………… 9
LIST OF LITERATURE………………. 10
Gynimasis
My individual work consist of ten pages and nine parts first is
introduction, thinking ahead –acting ahead, partnership, next living with
gypsum, comfortable living environment and the last strategic alliance,
conclusions and list of literature.
My thirst part is about knouf,
Knauf is aa family name and a corporate group of global dimensions. A
leading manufacturer of building materials worldwide, including
plasterboards, plasters, and insulation materials and external renders.
With over 100 plants in Europe, Asia, USA and South America, it is through
technical innovation and high quality standards that Knauf leads the
development of markets across the Globe.
My second part of project is thinking ahead –acting ahead
Established in 1932, Gebr. Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke, Iphofen, is
not only one of the leading manufacturers of building materials in Europe,
but also a global group whose activities are no longer limited solely to
the production of gypsum-based building materials. The families of Alfons
and Karl Knauf still wholly own the strongly expanding company. Their
oldest sons, Baldwin and Nikolaus Knauf are the managing partners. The
company is based in Iphofen, midway between Nuremberg and Frankfurt. All
other shareholders also belong to the family; some are responsible for the
various business activities of the company both at home and abroad.
Firm profile Knauf nowadays operates more than 100 production plants
in over 30 countries. Annual sales of more than € 2.5 billion are achieved
with more than 16,000 employees. The main markets are to be found in
northern, western and central Europe as well as the entire Mediterranean
area including Spain, Italy, Greece aand Turkey. In recent years Eastern
Europe, the former CIS states and China, in particular, have made an
increasingly significant contribution to the development of business.
Knauf was one of the first companies to invest in modern plants in
eastern Germany, Eastern Europe and the CIS. In 1997 a new Knauf
plasterboard factory was opened in Wuhu, near Shanghai, a second plant
supplies the markets in Canton, Hong Kong and southern China with Knauf
plasterboards. A third factory was acquired in 1999 from Siam Cement, which
produces in Tianjin, near Peking.
Next part is about knouf partners. knauf has now I recite some of them
: Putz- und Fördertechnik (PFT), Richter-System, Deutsche Perlite GmbH,
AMF, Marmorit GmbH.
This extensive and diverse product programme ensures that Knauf is the
only gypsum-based manufacturer in the market offering this complete range
of services and products.
After partnership is part about gypsum. As expectations for the
performance of our buildings rise, so must the performance of the materials
used in their construction. As a result, the demand for gypsum is on the
increase. Due to its exceptional performance characteristics, we call it
the magic material. Nature possesses exceptional innovative spirit. Gypsum,
a sedimentary rock that is over 200 million years old, is so easy to handle
that it has been used ffor building purposes for thousands of years. For
example, 11,000 thousand years ago, the walls and floors in ancient Jericho
were made of gypsum.
Next part is about comfortable living environment. In both function and
effect, the surface of the wall made of gypsum is very similar to the human
skin. Knauf plasters meet the highest standards: good insulation, excellent
humidity regulation, high impact resistance and an attractive surface
finish. All this leads to a comfortable living environment. Gypsum is the
ideal surface for a wall because it has the same P H value and thermal
conductivity properties as the human skin.
Building materials made of gypsum always feel warm when touched. This
is no deception as gypsum possesses low thermal conductivity properties. As
a result, gypsum building materials store warmth within a building.
Next is about strategic aliens. The German Knauf Group, one of the
leading worldwide building material companies is taking 50% participation
in the Alcopor subsidiary AOC, which comprises the European activities of
the Alcopor Group in the field of glass wool and XPS (expanded polystyrene
hard foam). The participation is mainly through capital investment. The
joint venture needs only the approval of the European Competition
Commission.
And the last parts are conclusions and list of literature.My
conclusions. In my project I wrote about
“Knauf “ it is firm leading
manufacturer of building materials worldwide, including plasterboards,
plasters, insulation materials and external renders. With over 100 plants
in Europe, Asia, USA and South America, it is through technical innovation
and high quality standards that Knauf leads the development of markets
across the Globe. Knauf materials are popular in the world gypsum is
strong, durable, ecologically clean material. This firm is really good
because I use “Knauf “materials and didn’t think change in another. Gypsum
need for as and be needed in future, sso use this material and enjoy your
life.