Knauf Insulation Files Lawsuit to Protect ECOSE® Technology

SHELBYVILLE, Ind., Feb. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Knauf Insulation, a global leader in sustainable insulation products, filed a patent infringement action against CertainTeed Corporation today in the Federal District Court in Indiana.  The lawsuit seeks to protect Knauf Insulation's valuable intellectual property rights in its innovative ECOSE^® Technology.  Knauf Insulation alleges that the manufacture, use and sale of certain CertainTeed Sustainable Insulation products infringe on Knauf Insulation's patent rights.

Knauf Insulation's ECOSE^® Technology is a revolutionary, sustainable binder technology based on rapidly renewable bio-based materials rather than petroleum-based chemicals commonly used in traditional fiberglass insulation products.  It was launched after five years of intensive research and development and was recognized at the Global Insulation Conference and Exhibition in 2009 with the Global Insulation Product of the Year award.

"Knauf Insulation is leading the industry in moving toward more sustainable insulation solutions," said Mark Andrews, CEO of Knauf Insulation North America.  "We want to ensure that our patents are respected as others follow our lead."

The lawsuit seeks to stop the manufacture and sale of CertainTeed Sustainable Insulation in the United States and includes a claim for damages.

"Our significant investment in time and resources to develop Knauf Insulation with ECOSE^® Technology has given our customers a competitive edge in the marketplace and has helped make them leaders in the Green Building industry," said Mr. Andrews.  "We have filed this suit on their behalf as much as our own."

About Knauf Insulation

Knauf Insulation is the fastest-growing insulation manufacturer in the world, with a wide range of insulation products to meet the growing demand for energy efficiency and acoustic performance in new and existing homes, commercial buildings, industrial, and OEM applications. With manufacturing operations in the UK, Continental Europe, and Russia in addition to the USA, annual sales revenue is in excess of $1.5 billion.

Knauf Insulation's North American headquarters is located at One Knauf Drive, Shelbyville, IN 46176.  Its products are manufactured in Shelbyville, IN, Lanett, AL, and Shasta, CA.  

For more information about Knauf Insulation North America, visit www.knaufinsulation.us.

About patented ECOSE^® Technology

ECOSE^® Technology converts natural, rapidly renewable bio-based materials into an inert polymer for superior environmental sustainability. And it does not contain phenol, formaldehyde, acrylics or artificial colors.

By reducing the binder embodied energy up to 70% compared to our traditional fiberglass insulation binder, ECOSE^® Technology reduces the total embodied energy of EcoBatt^® Insulation by approximately 4%.

Products like Knauf Insulation Ecobatts and Ecorolls combine a minimum of 45% post-consumer recycled glass saved from landfills and sand—one of the world's most abundant renewable natural resources—with ECOSE^® Technology. Knauf Insulation's products improve on the already exceptional environmental credentials of fiberglass insulation, creating a new industry benchmark for environmental responsibility and sustainability.

SOURCE Knauf Insulation