A massive investment has enabled the German group specializing in acoustic solutions to open its new site in Illange, Moselle. This ultramodern facility will ensure significant production of ceiling tiles for the French and global markets.

In Illange, near Thionville, the industrial landscape of the Grand Est region is enriched by a new major player. Knauf Ceiling Solutions has just opened a state-of-the-art production plant dedicated to Topiq Alpha acoustic ceiling tiles, a laminated mineral wool range combining aesthetic finesse and high performance. This €100 million investment illustrates the family group's commitment to strengthening its offering in Europe while ensuring its production is sustainable. With Illange, KCS now has four sites in France: Pontarlier (Doubs) for mineral tiles, Dreux (Eure-et-Loir) and Valenciennes (Nord) for structural framing, and Illange for laminated mineral wool. This French presence complements its ten factories worldwide and guarantees valuable proximity to European markets.

Meeting Market Expectations

The new plant launched production last April, after a one-year rapid construction project. The vast building was installed as a continuation of the one dedicated to the production of insulation panels, which opened in 2019. "There's a logic of industrial and logistical synergy," explains Laurent Callard, its director. "Producing mineral ceilings right next to the raw insulation makes sense: it allows us to optimize rock wool processing, waste management, and, of course, recycling." The objective of this new site: to meet growing demand for whiter, smoother acoustic solutions, adapted to contemporary development projects. Topiq Alpha tiles will be the flagship product, enriching a wide range of multi-material solutions, consolidating KCS's position as a partner for architects and designers. The factory has a production capacity of 20 million m2 of slabs per year, and will employ around fifty people by the end of 2026.

High-precision industrial process

Across the 25,000 m² site, including 14,000 m² dedicated to the production line, each slab follows a precise route. Large 2.40 x 1.80 m rock wool panels, transported automatically by AGV (automated guided vehicles) from the neighboring factory, are first cut and then sanded. They are then covered with a glass fibre mat during the lamination stage: this pre-glued mat is continuously applied to the surface, then pressed by a roller, before another cut to separate the panels and obtain the slabs in the desired dimensions (600 x 600 mm or 1,200 x 600 mm). These are then shaped according to the desired edge type (Board or Tegular), and painted white on both the edges and the veil to obtain a uniform finish. After the drying stages at 150 degrees and control, non-compliant products are sent to recycling to be reintroduced into production; those without any defects join the packaging area, where each box is carefully packed and palletized. The 2,400 m2 storage hall can accommodate up to 200,000 m2 of Topiq Alpha. From raw material to finished slab, it takes less than fifteen minutes to obtain a product ready for shipment: a performance made possible by a high level of automation and digitalization.

A factory designed for decarbonization

KCS makes no secret of its ambition: by 2032—the company's centennial—the group intends to reduce its scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 50%, and its scope 3 emissions by 30%. With this in mind, it aims to make Illange a model of low-carbon production. The site, which already runs on 100% carbon-free electricity, plans to install 7,000 m2 of photovoltaic panels on 42 roofs by 2026. This will ensure approximately 30% of the company's energy self-consumption. Water use is also limited to essential processes, such as painting, with an ultrafiltration project to enable recycling. As for reusable metal pallets in buffer stocks, they replace disposable packaging. This industrial investment strategy has earned the company the Choose France 2024 Award - Ecological Transition and Decarbonization, an award that recognizes large-scale decarbonization efforts. And Niels-Christian Havsteen, Managing Director of KCS France, mischievously insists, echoing the economic situation: "When the market is doing well, we invest; when it's not doing well, we invest anyway!"

A key partner for specifiers

For interior designers and fitters, this new offering represents much more than a range extension. With Topiq Alpha, KCS offers a solution that combines acoustic comfort, aesthetic purity, and compliance with environmental standards. A combination that meets current market expectations. The Illange plant thus represents a major milestone in the group's strategy: to produce locally, continually innovate, and support designers in creating spaces where acoustics become an essential component of the interior experience.

Photo credits: Knauf Ceiling Solutions

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