Availability and certainty of supply are critical for distributors, merchants and their customers. However, recent years have shown how vulnerable the Irish construction industry can be to global supply chain volatility. Products that depend on raw materials or manufacturing further afield are particularly exposed to disruption. They may also carry higher transport emissions at a time when embodied carbon is coming under greater scrutiny.
So, what is the value of sourcing products manufactured closer to the Irish market?
The Impact of Disruption
Supply chain disruption can affect the availability and cost of both raw materials and finished building products. For merchants and distributors, this creates uncertainty over stock levels and pricing, making it harder to manage margins and provide customers with reliable lead times.
For contractors, the consequences can include project delays and unplanned product substitutions. Spec-swapping may provide a short-term solution, but changing a product during construction can have wider implications. Substituting one type of insulation or block for another, for example, could alter the U-value of a wall or affect its acoustic and fire performance.
Even where an alternative is technically suitable, installers may be less familiar with it. This can increase the risk of errors and make it harder to achieve the intended performance in practice. A reliable supply chain therefore supports consistency from specification through to installation.
Some products are more vulnerable to disruption than others. Insulation manufactured using oil or oil-derived materials, such as rigid PIR boards, can be exposed to volatility in international energy and petrochemical markets. Products that travel through longer or more complicated supply chains also face more opportunities for delays.
through to installation.
Manufactured Closer to the Market
Manufacturing closer to Ireland can help reduce this exposure. Shorter, more established supply routes make it easier to maintain availability and respond when demand changes. They can also give merchants greater confidence when planning stock and agreeing delivery times with customers.
Knauf Insulation manufactures products for the Irish market at several plants in Britain. Glass mineral wool is produced at St Helens and Cwmbran, while rock mineral wool is manufactured at Queensferry in North Wales. This manufacturing network gives customers access to a broad range of insulation products without relying on supplies transported over long distances or through multiple international markets.
Reducing Embodied Carbon
For merchants and distributors, choosing products with lower embodied carbon is one way to address indirect Scope 3 emissions and support customers with their own sustainability commitments. Transport can be a significant part of this picture, particularly when bulky construction materials are moved over long distances. Sourcing closer to the market can therefore help reduce emissions as well as supply risk.
However, distance is only one factor. The raw materials, manufacturing process, recycled content and energy source used by the manufacturer can all have a substantial effect. Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool products, for example, contain up to 80% recycled content, primarily glass cullet. The company’s St Helens plant also uses 100% renewable electricity.
Environmental Product Declarations can help merchants and specifiers assess these impacts. Independently verified, product-specific EPDs provide standardised information that allows products to be compared on a consistent basis.
Expanding Capacity For the Irish market, investment in capacity is crucial and provides confidence that the products needed to support new construction and renovation will be available. A robust supply chain protects merchants and their customers from disruption while helping the industry make progress on embodied carbon. In a volatile market, those practical and environmental benefits are becoming increasingly valuable.
For more information visit www.knauf.com.
