The Kingspan Group AT A GLANCE
- “Green products” — Kingspan is a global “green” building materials manufacturer, headquartered in Ireland. Its primary products are insulation-related, but it also makes skylights, ventilation systems, flooring and roofing.
- A Global Corporation — Kingspan employs over 15,500 workers in 166 factories around the world, with sales of $5.5 billion.
- North American Operations — Kingspan has been buying up smaller companies throughout the world, including in the United States and Canada. Kingspan now operates 16 factories in the United States. It operates 10 factories in Canada, mostly under the Vicwest brand.
- Footprint in California — In addition to the Santa Ana factory, Kingspan has two insulation factories in the state of California (Modesto and Vacaville), and one unionized metal roofing factory in Fontana (operating under the Morin brand, which is a Kingspan Group company). In 2019, the company acquired Skyco, a second skylight factory, and combined its operations into the Santa Ana facility.
- Record Profits — Kingspan’s profit has increased every year since 2008, reaching $600 million in 2020, despite COVID-19. In 2021, sales in the first quarter were up 24% from the prior year. On April 19, 2021, Kingspan reported that it “has, in aggregate, in excess of €2.0bn [$2.4bn] of cash on hand and committed undrawn facilities.”
- Largely Non-Union — Only three of Kingspan’s 16 U.S. factories are unionized. These include the facilities in Fontana, Calif., and Bristol, Conn. (both operated by Morin), and a Kingspan factory in Winchester, Virginia. Only four of the 10 Canadian locations are unionized.