The Grenfell Tower fire was a tragedy that should never have happened, and Kingspan supports the vitally important work of the Inquiry to determine what went wrong and why. We extend our deepest sympathies to the relatives and survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Kingspan had no role in the design of the cladding system on Grenfell Tower, where our K15 product was used without our knowledge and comprised approximately 5% of the insulation purchased for use.
We understand that this is a complex topic, but there are some important facts that we would like to explain:
1. Kingspan did not make the PE ACM exterior cladding on Grenfell Tower.
The Inquiry itself has stated that "the principal reason” for rapid fire spread on Grenfell was the PE (Polyethylene cored) ACM cladding used on the exterior of the building. Our K15 insulation board was mis-used in this unsafe and non-compliant system.
2. The type of insulation used behind the “uniquely hazardous” PE ACM made no material difference to the nature and speed of the spread of the fire.
This was demonstrated by the Inquiry’s experts (Professors Bisby and Torero) in Phase 2. Indeed, the evidence is that even had non-combustible insulation been used, it would have made no material difference to the speed or spread of the fire.
3. Kingspan has full confidence that cladding systems incorporating K15 can be safely used when supported by a successful BS 8414 test and installed correctly.
During the Inquiry, certain process shortcomings were identified and some correspondence emerged involving a small number of employees in our UK Insulation business, containing wholly unacceptable sentiments about fire safety that in no way reflect our culture. We have apologised unreservedly and taken comprehensive measures to prevent recurrence. None of these shortcomings were however in any way causative of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Significant controls and enhancements have been implemented (and reviewed by law firm Eversheds Sutherland ) to achieve an explicit culture of integrity, honesty and compliance across Kingspan Insulation UK, and also the broader Kingspan Group to prevent any recurrence in any other part of our global business. Critically, we are rolling out ISO37301:2021 - the leading internationally recognised standard for Compliance Management Systems - across our Group. These controls and enhancements can be read in detail here .
The Grenfell tragedy has led to a comprehensive review of safety in high-rise residential buildings in the UK. We welcome the BSI guidance (PAS 9980), sponsored by the UK Government, which allows for the retention of K15 in appropriate circumstances on such buildings, in cladding systems which are supported by BS 8414 test evidence and installed correctly, subject to an appropriate fire engineering judgement.
However, in circumstances where we have responsibility for the inappropriate use of K15 in buildings, and its safe retention cannot be supported by testing, we will pay our share of remediation costs. We first made this commitment in February 2021 and continue to stand by it.
A more detailed explanation of these issues and others which have emerged during the course of the Inquiry is available in our Phase 2 closing statement . All statements and submissions to the Inquiry and to DHLUC can be found in the Statements & Correspondence page on this site. Please visit our
A dedicated team and process has been established to support any incoming queries regarding the historical use of K15 in high-rise residential buildings.You can contact them through the Technical Advice & Support page on this site.