Three nominees for Sustainable Project Award 2026 announced. Tuesday, September 22, 2026 11:13 Award ceremony during IH&P 2026 - on Wednesday, October 7. Sappi Maastricht, ROCKWOOL, and Koninklijke Grolsch demonstrate how industrial sustainability takes shape in practice. Electric process heat, energy storage, and an innovative melting process: three projects are competing for the Sustainable Project Award 2026. Sappi Maastricht, ROCKWOOL, and Koninklijke Grolsch have been nominated for the Industrial Heat & Power award. On Wednesday, October 7, they will present their approach at Podium Industrie. The winner will be announced afterwards. The award shines a spotlight on inspiring and innovative industrial sustainability projects. The jury considers, among other things, innovation, overcome complexity, the boldness factor, CO[2] savings, and the potential to apply the approach elsewhere. Sappi Maastricht: sustainability and grid flexibility Sappi Maastricht combines e-boilers, steam storage, and flexibly deployable gas installations into a single integrated energy system. In doing so, the paper mill connects its need for a reliable steam supply with the demand for flexibility on the electricity grid. The innovation lies in the synergy between the technologies and active participation in energy markets. Sappi can utilize electricity flexibly, temporarily store energy as steam, and contribute to grid balancing and congestion management. The continuity of the production process remains paramount in this process. ROCKWOOL: transformation of the industrial heart In Roermond, ROCKWOOL is focusing on the core of rock wool production: melting rock at approximately 1,500 degrees Celsius. Within the sustainability project, the company is replacing coke-fired smelting technology with electric smelting technology powered by green energy. The melting process of the first converted production line has now been fully electrified. In addition, ROCKWOOL is introducing a green sugar-based binder. The combination is aimed at reducing CO[2] and ammonia emissions. The transition requires not only new installations, but also adapted energy infrastructure and new knowledge among employees. Royal Grolsch: step by step to Net Zero Royal Grolsch is working towards a Net Zero brewery by 2030 via a phased energy transition. The latest step is a large-scale e-boiler with a steam accumulator, which converts sustainable electricity into process steam and temporarily stores energy. Smart control aligns the system with the production schedule, electricity prices, and the availability of renewable energy. In this way, the brewery combines sustainability with security of supply and flexibility for the electricity grid. The installation builds upon previous steps, including the use of sustainable heat and green gas from wastewater. Attend the awards ceremony The expert jury consists of chairman Olof van der Gaag, Julia Moes, Sikke Klein, and Jacques van de Worp. The nominees will pitch their projects on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 15:30 to 16:30, at Podium Industrie in Hall 2 of the Brabanthallen in 's-Hertogenbosch.

ROCKWOOL UK & Ireland welcomes new Commercial Director, Melanie Marquard. Sep 22, 2026 ROCKWOOL UK & Ireland has appointed Melanie Marquard as Commercial Director to help deliver its ambitious growth strategy and strengthen its relationships with customers and partners across the construction industry. Melanie joins ROCKWOOL from Protan, a Scandinavian manufacturer of roofing membranes and a ROCKWOOL customer. She has worked in construction for more than 25 years, with extensive experience in the building materials sector, most recently serving as Managing Director, Western Europe at Protan. Her appointment comes as ROCKWOOL continues to invest in and expand its UK operations, including plans to develop a new factory in the West Midlands, alongside continued long-term investment at its stone wool production facility in South Wales. As Commercial Director, Melanie will lead ROCKWOOL's expert specification teams across its fire protection, roof and external wall divisions, while supporting systems holders, distribution partners and merchants throughout the UK and Ireland. Her role will focus on strengthening ROCKWOOL's relationships across the construction value chain and ensuring the business continues to respond to the evolving needs of its customers and partners. Melanie said she was pleased to have joined ROCKWOOL and was looking forward to working with colleagues to build on the company's strong market position, driven by its commitment to high-performing products and services for a safer and more sustainable built environment. "ROCKWOOL UK & Ireland is well positioned to support its construction industry partners in tackling a range of challenges, from ensuring regulatory compliance to responding to the growing focus on building performance and more sustainable building materials," she said. "Alongside a high-quality product and service offering, ROCKWOOL has an important role to play in helping customers navigate increasingly complex standards and regulations. Its technical expertise and understanding of the construction industry mean it can do more than respond to customers' needs - it can anticipate the challenges and opportunities shaping their businesses. "Having worked with ROCKWOOL from a customer perspective, I have seen the value of its expertise and the strength of its relationships across the industry. I'm excited to be joining ROCKWOOL at this pivotal time and look forward to building on those relationships, while identifying new opportunities to support our customers and partners through strong customer service, technical expertise and product innovation." Nick Wilson, Managing Director of ROCKWOOL UK & Ireland, said: "Melanie's extensive industry expertise, combined with the strong network she has built across the construction sector, will be instrumental in helping ROCKWOOL achieve its growth ambitions. Her experience of the industry, including from a customer perspective, will bring valuable insight to the business. We're delighted to welcome Melanie to our leadership team."

Rockwool welcomes new Commercial Director. 22 September 2026 ROCKWOOL UK & Ireland has appointed Melanie Marquard as Commercial Director to help deliver its growth strategy and strengthen its relationships with customers and partners across the construction industry. Melanie joins ROCKWOOL from Protan, a Scandinavian manufacturer of roofing membranes and a ROCKWOOL customer. She has worked in construction for more than 25 years, with extensive experience in the building materials sector, most recently serving as Managing Director, Western Europe at Protan. Her appointment comes as ROCKWOOL continues to invest in and expand its UK operations, including plans to develop a new factory in the West Midlands, alongside continued long-term investment at its stone wool production facility in South Wales. New Commercial Director. As Commercial Director, Melanie will lead ROCKWOOL's specification teams across its fire protection, roof and external wall divisions, while supporting systems holders, distribution partners and merchants throughout the UK and Ireland. Her role will focus on strengthening ROCKWOOL's relationship across the construction value chain and ensuring the business continues to respond to the evolving needs of its customers and partners. Melanie said she was pleased to have joined ROCKWOOL and was looking forward to working with colleagues to build on the company's strong market position, driven by its commitment to high-performing products and services for a safer and more sustainable built environment. "ROCKWOOL UK & Ireland is well positioned to support its construction industry partners in tackling a range of challenges, from ensuring regulatory compliance to responding to the growing focus on building performance and more sustainable building materials," Melanie said. "Alongside a high-quality product and service offering, ROCKWOOL has an important role to play in helping customers navigate increasingly complex standards and regulations. Its technical expertise and understanding of the construction industry means it can do more than respond to customers' needs - it can anticipate the challenges and opportunities shaping their businesses. "Having worked with ROCKWOOL from a customer perspective, I have seen the value of its expertise and the strength of its relationships across the industry. I'm excited to be joining ROCKWOOL at this pivotal time and look forward to building on those relationships, while identifying new opportunities to support our customers and partners through strong customer service, technical expertise and product innovation." Growth ambitions. Nick Wilson, Managing Director of ROCKWOOL UK & Ireland, commented: "Melanie's extensive industry expertise, combined with the strong network she has built across the construction sector, will be instrumental in helping ROCKWOOL achieve its growth ambitions. Her experience of the industry, including from a customer perspective, will bring valuable insight to the business. We're delighted to welcome Melanie to our leadership team." Check out the latest issue.