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History: Knauf Insulation North America was founded in 1978 as Knauf Fiber Glass when the Knauf family from Germany purchased an existing fiberglass production facility in Shelbyville. As an already well-established building material manufacturer in Europe, Knauf began modernizing the plant and increased its capacity.
Growth: In 1983, the Shelbyville plant doubled its capacity. In 1990, Knauf opened a second plant in Shelbyville to manufacture pipe insulation. The company started with 450 employees in 1978 and has since grown to over 1,900 people across the United States.
Today, Shelbyville is the North American headquarters for the company’s six manufacturing plants in the United States. A seventh plant is under construction in McGregor, Texas, and is scheduled to open next year.
Products: Insulation products made in Shelbyville include batts, rolls and blowing insulation, plus insulation for piping, for HVAC systems and for original equipment manufacturers. The products are used in residential, commercial and industrial construction.
Fun fact: Knauf says it prevents 26 million glass bottles each year from being dumped into landfills by recycling them into its products. The company’s products are made with at least 50% recycled glass materials.
Compiled by Greg Weaver
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