Outstanding Sustainability
Interview with Daniel Hötger, General Manager Operations of Armacell GmbH
Sustainability as a success factor: Armacell GmbH, based in Münster, has been awarded the EcoVadis Gold certification for its sustainable business practices, while other European locations of the internationally active Armacell Group received gold and silver certifications. In the interview, Daniel Hötger, General Manager Operations EMEA, explains how the company continuously expands its sustainability strategy and establishes itself as an innovation leader on the path to climate-neutral production.
The past years have posed unprecedented challenges for companies around the world – hardly any business was spared from the crises brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. At the same time, the pressure on the industry to operate more sustainably and to reduce its own CO2 footprint is growing. For Armacell GmbH in Westphalian Münster, these turbulent times became a catalyst for change. Instead of being paralyzed by the crises, the market leader for flexible technical insulation materials used the time for a strategic realignment with a clear focus on sustainability. "Agility and dynamics as well as our constant adaptation to new circumstances were the keys to our success over the past years," explains Daniel Hötger, General Manager Operations EMEA.
Pioneer Spirit Meets Sustainability
With around 550 employees at the Münster location, Armacell has evolved from a traditional insulation manufacturer to an innovative system provider. The ArmaPrene™ technology introduced in 2012 does away with PVC and brominated flame retardants – a pioneering step at the time, which today proves to be a competitive advantage. "These products meet the highest standards in fire and smoke performance as well as Green Building certifications, making them an important growth driver," emphasizes Hötger.
Sustainable Transformation as a Corporate Strategy
The EcoVadis Gold certification highlights Armacell's comprehensive commitment to sustainability. As an energy-intensive company, Armacell consistently relies on renewable energies: in 2025, a 1-MW photovoltaic system will be commissioned at the Münster site to cover part of the energy needs locally. New hall areas are also heated with heat pumps instead of gas. Additionally, Armacell is exploring integration into the regional hydrogen network. "We have secured our procurement, albeit at correspondingly high prices. Therefore, we have decided to focus more on locally generated renewable energies," explains Hötger. Armacell's product range consistently reflects the sustainability concept. In addition to traditional insulation materials, the company has strategically expanded its portfolio to include future-oriented products: PET core foams for wind turbines and innovative lightweight materials for truck trailers. The energy balance of the products is particularly convincing: an installed ArmaFlex® product saves during its 20-year lifespan 140 times the energy needed for its production.
Market Dependencies and Resilience in Times of Crisis
Turbulent global events such as the Suez Crisis and the Ukraine war have posed significant challenges for Armacell, particularly regarding supply chains and energy supply. However, instead of merely accepting these dependencies, the company took the opportunity to strengthen its resilience. "We have made our supply chain more robust after the Suez crisis and have diversified to prevent supply shortages," explains Hötger. As an energy-intensive company, Armacell was severely affected by rising gas and electricity prices. Yet, the decision to rely on local renewable energies proved to be a game-changer.
Customized Solutions as a Competitive Advantage
As a global leader in effective technical insulation materials, Armacell increasingly focuses on personalized customer solutions. "It's not about offering off-the-shelf products, but rather developing solutions together with our customers that are precisely tailored to their needs," says the General Manager. This strategy is showing success: technical support, reliable delivery services, and the largest product portfolio in the market make Armacell the preferred partner for complex insulation tasks.
Future-Oriented Development
The company, which serves customers in Scandinavia, Benelux, France, Austria, and Switzerland from Münster, benefits from its decentralized production network in Europe. This not only guarantees short delivery times but also reduces CO2 emissions from transport. For 2025, besides further optimizing energy efficiency, the company plans mainly to digitalize business processes and continue rolling out the ArmaPreneTM product portfolio. With this consistent focus on sustainability and innovation, Armacell sees itself well-prepared for the future. The EcoVadis Gold certification is not only an accolade for achievements to date but also motivation for the further development of the company on its path to climate-neutral production. "Sustainability has been a concern for the Armacell Group from the outset," summarizes Daniel Hötger, "because our products are inherently sustainable by saving energy."