CSR Panels business, BradcoreTM,today celebrated the construction of its RokcoreTM plant inGuangzhou, Southern China, with an official opening by The Hon. Ian Campbell,Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage Resources. He was joined by the Managing Director of CSRLimited, Mr Alec Brennan and senior Chinese government officials.

At a cost of around A$20 million, the new plant will produce 500,000 squaremetres per annum of RokcoreTM panels. RokcoreTM is composed of astructural rockwool insulation core bonded to high quality zinc coated steelsheet facings. The panels are ideal forfacades, internal walls and ceilings. They also provide high quality thermal insulation and fire resistance.

Mr John Hodgkinson, CSR’sExecutive General Manager Insulation and Panel Systems, said “the sales ofRokcoreTM panels have grown rapidly in Australia and NewZealand. Sales commenced in 2004, afterwe signed with Paroc Panel Systems to distributetheir patented panels in Australasia and Asia. Since then, we have supplied these panels systems to several large scaleprojects, such as: the Castle Hill Homemaker Centre, Sydney, which was 5,500m2;IKEA Adelaide; and University of Southern Queensland, Brisbane.

Mr Mark White, General ManagerBradcoreTM Panel Systems said ”The RokcoreTM panels plantin Guangzhou will provide us with cost effective supply of high quality panelsolutions, with short supply lead times to the Australia, New Zealand and Asianmarkets. In anticipation of continuedstrong growth, the plant has been designed with the ability to be upgraded toone million square metres per annum.”

CSR is also investing in asecond phase project on an adjoining site, to build its fifth high technologyrockwool plant in the Asia Pacific region. This plant will supply the insulation core for the RokcoreTMpanels and will meet existing and growing demand for industrial and commercialinsulation applications in the region, replacing CSR’s existing Dongguan plant in Southern China.

“These two investments inSouthern China further reinforce our strong position in value add insulationand technical rockwool in China,” added Mr John Hodgkinson.