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1900
Our history

Our history

URSA is a modern company with 70 years of insulation expertise.

URSA’s history goes back to 1949, when Poliglas was established in Spain. In 1988 it was acquired by Uralita Group. The German firm Pfleiderer AG also entered the insulation business in 1991. The course of these two companies ran parallel – Poliglas growing predominantly in Western Europe through the construction of new factories, and Pfleiderer growing especially in Eastern Europe – until 2002, when Uralita Group purchased Pfleiderer’s insulation division. In 2004 URSA was officially born, and since then has not stopped expanding within Europe and beyond, launching innovative and award-winning insulation products, refining its already customer-oriented approach, providing even more services and solving our customers’ needs.​

The beginning

1949

The beginning

Poliglas is established by the Masiá Mas-Bagá family, specializing in the business of natural lighting and molding of thermoplastics.​

The beginning
1955

Dämmstoffe Held is established

The insulation firm Dämmstoffe Held GmbH is established in Dinslaken, Germany.​

The beginning
1959

Poliglas enters the insulation business​

Poliglas first enters the insulation business by producing GLASCOPOR expanded polystyrene (EPS). The first subsidiary company is created in Madrid in 1973 and is followed by one in Seville in 1976.​

The beginning
1970

Dämmstoffe Held builds a glass mineral wool plant​

Fifteen years after it began operations, Dämmstoffe Held GmbH builds a glass mineral wool factory in Wesel, Germany.

The beginning

FIRST EXPANSION

1974

Poliglas builds first glass mineral wool plant​

The first Poliglas glass mineral wool plant is built at El Pla de Santa Maria in Tarragona, Spain, which starts commercializing its products under the brand name GLASCOWOOL.​

FIRST EXPANSION
1983

Poliglas SA France is born​

Poliglas SA France is established with a subsidiary in Toulouse, France – a big step towards the Group’s international expansion.

FIRST EXPANSION
1987

First XPS plant opened​

The first Poliglas extruded polystyrene (XPS) plant is also built in El Pla de Santa Maria in Tarragona, Spain, which soon starts commercializing the brand GLASCOFOAM. ​

FIRST EXPANSION

FIRST ACQUISITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL GROWTH​

1988

Uralita Group acquires Poliglas​

Uralita Group, the leading Spanish manufacturer of building materials, acquires Poliglas and its insulation business.

FIRST ACQUISITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL GROWTH​
1991

Pfleiderer also enters the insulation business​

The German firm Pfleiderer AG, wanting to enhance its product portfolio, enters the insulation business through the acquisition of the manufacturer Dämmstoffe Held GmbH, located in Wesel, Germany.​

FIRST ACQUISITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL GROWTH​
1992

Glass mineral wool plant opened in Slovenia​

Pfleiderer, in line with its expansion strategy, acquires KRKA Novoterm d.o.o., a Slovenian company with a glass mineral wool plant in Novo Mesto. KRKA has strong market share in the former Yugoslavia and also delivers glass mineral wool to Italy and Austria. ​

FIRST ACQUISITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL GROWTH​
1993

Pfleiderer’s fast growth and Poliglas’s market consolidation​

In 1993 Poliglas establishes its presence in Germany and Italy by founding local branches – Poliglas GmbH and Poliglas SRL.​ Pfleiderer purchases Isoglass NV, a Belgian firm with a glass mineral wool plant in Desselgem and a presence in Benelux, France and the UK. Pfleiderer also opens a new glass mineral wool plant in Delitzsch, Germany.​

FIRST ACQUISITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL GROWTH​
1995

New glass mineral wool plant opened in Russia​

Pfleiderer continues to grow, this time through the acquisition of a glass mineral wool plant in Chudovo, Russia that had formerly been established by Mehr & Held GmbH, the engineering arm of the aforementioned Dämmstoffe Held GmbH.​

FIRST ACQUISITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL GROWTH​

NEW PRODUCTS – CONSOLIDATION THROUGHOUT EUROPE​

1996

Pfleiderer increases production capacity and Poliglas builds second XPS plant​

Due to market growth, production capacities of the Slovenian Novo Mesto plant and the Belgian Desselgem plant are increased. At the same time, Pfleiderer Technika Izolacyjna Polska is established as a sales subsidiary in Poland.​ Poliglas builds its second XPS plant in Queis, Germany. ​

NEW PRODUCTS – CONSOLIDATION THROUGHOUT EUROPE​
1997

Poliglas launches stone mineral wool business​

Poliglas continues with its European industrial expansion program through the acquisition of the Isolyth Rt. plant in Tapolca, Hungary and the launch of the stone mineral wool brand GLASCOROCK.​ Pfleiderer opens a sales office in Kiev, Ukraine.​

NEW PRODUCTS – CONSOLIDATION THROUGHOUT EUROPE​
1998

New glass mineral wool plant and new international sales offices​

Poliglas France Industrie SA is established in Saint-Avold, France, paving the way for the construction of a new glass mineral wool plant in France. ​ That same year, Poliglas Ltd. and Poliglas Dämmsysteme GmbH are established in London, England and Frankfurt, Germany, respectively.​

NEW PRODUCTS – CONSOLIDATION THROUGHOUT EUROPE​

50 YEARS OF POLIGLAS – GROWTH BEYOND EUROPE​

1999

Poliglas acquires Fibraver and Pfleiderer adds two more glass wool factories​

Poliglas celebrates its 50th anniversary. That same year it acquires Fibraver in France, together with a glass mineral wool plant in Beaucaire, France. ​ Pfleiderer acquires a glass mineral wool plant in Salgótarján, Hungary, while the factory in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland begins operations. ​

50 YEARS OF POLIGLAS – GROWTH BEYOND EUROPE​
2000

Saint-Avold facilities begin operations​

Poliglas’s new plant in Saint-Avold, France begins the production of glass mineral wool.​

50 YEARS OF POLIGLAS – GROWTH BEYOND EUROPE​
2001

Second glass mineral wool plant opened in Russia​

Pfleiderer decides to build a second glass wool plant in Serpukhov, Russia. ​

50 YEARS OF POLIGLAS – GROWTH BEYOND EUROPE​

FORGING A NEW COMPANY​

2002

Uralita Group purchases Pfleiderer’s insulation division​

Uralita acquires Pfleiderer’s insulation division. ​ Poliglas begins the development of the Adriatic project related to the construction of an XPS plant in Bondeno, Italy. ​

FORGING A NEW COMPANY​
2003

Capacity increase in Bondeno​

Poliglas starts installing a second production line in order to increase the capacity of the recently built XPS factory in Bondeno, Italy.​

FORGING A NEW COMPANY​
2004

URSA is born​

As a result of the merger of Poliglas and Pfleiderer, URSA is born as a new company combining the expertise of the two businesses. A totally fresh and new image of URSA is created, and a new logo and corporate image are launched. The two polar bears are a symbol of protection of and adaptation to the environment, which represents the values behind URSA’s products: well-being, closeness and humanity.​ In parallel, new brands are launched, the flagship ones being URSA GLASSWOOL and URSA XPS. ​

FORGING A NEW COMPANY​

100 YEARS OF URALITA – CAPACITY KEEPS INCREASING​

2005

Capacity increase in Serpukhov

URSA builds a second production line in its Serpukhov plant, Russia.​

100 YEARS OF URALITA – CAPACITY KEEPS INCREASING​
2006

New XPS plant in Saint-Avold​

URSA builds an XPS plant in the existing production site of Saint-Avold, France with a capacity of 25,000 square meters.​

100 YEARS OF URALITA – CAPACITY KEEPS INCREASING​
2007

A hundred years of Uralita – new XPS plant in Russia and more capacity growth​

Uralita Group celebrates its 100th anniversary. ​ URSA’s fifth production center for XPS insulation is built in Serpukhov, Russia, while the capacity of the glass mineral wool plant in Saint-Avold, France is increased to 34,000 tons.

100 YEARS OF URALITA – CAPACITY KEEPS INCREASING​

NEW PRODUCT BREAKTHROUGHS​

2008

Glass mineral wool plant acquired in Turkey​

URSA’s expansion beyond Europe continues, this time through the acquisition of the glass mineral wool business of Ozpor, whose plant is located in Polatlı in Ankara, Turkey.

NEW PRODUCT BREAKTHROUGHS​
2009

Launch of innovative and revolutionary URSA PUREONE

URSA launches the premium product URSA PUREONE – the first white, soft and high-performing mineral wool in Europe. This launch falls within the corporate strategy of offering the most innovative and sustainable product lines while additionally contributing to the improvement of indoor air quality.​ URSA TERRA, the new mineral wool used for high-quality acoustic insulation, is also launched that year.​

NEW PRODUCT BREAKTHROUGHS​
2010

URSA GEO is simultaneously launched internationally​

URSA launches URSA GEO, an innovative product in its standard range that provides for high thermal and acoustic insulation, coupled with excellent mechanical and fire-resistance properties.​

NEW PRODUCT BREAKTHROUGHS​
2011

PUREONE receives several European awards​

Throughout its history, URSA has received many awards, but rarely has one of its products been so internationally acclaimed. URSA’s star product URSA PUREONE receives a number of awards all around Europe, such as the BAU 2011 Product Innovation Award, the Zielona Marka (“Green Brand”) Innovation Award in Poland and end consumer recognitions.

NEW PRODUCT BREAKTHROUGHS​

ACCELERATING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL GROWTH​

2012

URSA insulation receives EPD​

URSA Germany receives an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) after passing an evaluation under Institut für Bauen und Umwelt (IBU) standards.

ACCELERATING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL GROWTH​
2013

URSA receives award for Product of the Year 2012​

The readers of the journal dachbaumagazin select the high-performance insulation product URSA PUREONE as Product of the Year 2012.​

ACCELERATING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL GROWTH​
2014

URSA Bondeno resumes production after earthquake​

URSA’s XPS manufacturing plant in Bondeno, Italy resumes production after going through substantial reconstruction following a serious earthquake that hit the region of Ferrara on May 20, 2012.​

ACCELERATING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL GROWTH​
2015

URSA launches its new corporate image​

URSA keeps its logo and emblem of the two polar bears. This image now faces the right, accompanying the brand’s name. A new color palette brings vivid and striking colors and all URSA’s product names and packaging are redesigned.

ACCELERATING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL GROWTH​

MOVING TOWARDS A NEW HORIZON

2017

URSA becomes part of Xella Group

Xella International GmbH acquires URSA, which continues to operate as an independent business unit. URSA now completes Xella’s portfolio of mineral-based building materials, creating opportunities to combine products from both companies to create innovative solutions.

MOVING TOWARDS A NEW HORIZON
2017

URSA TERRA launch in France, Belgium and the UK

In 2017 URSA TERRA glass mineral wool also landed also in France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. The great success and performance of this material in the Spanish market was a key factor behind its introduction in these new markets, where the reception has also been excellent.

MOVING TOWARDS A NEW HORIZON
2018

New white blow-in wool line in El Pla de Santa Maria

URSA has invested in a new manufacturing line in El Pla de Santa Maria (Tarragona, Spain) for this material as a result of its success in France and other markets, as well as its ease of installation and significant impact on end user economy and well-being. The new line was built up in record time and our customers have been pleased to receive materials from this factory since the first half of the year.

MOVING TOWARDS A NEW HORIZON

STRONG BRAND WITH MAJOR GROWTH POTENTIAL

2021

Major advances in sustainability

URSA has set its own 2030 schedule to contribute to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve its environmental and social performance in a firm commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. The ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) project defines the lines of work the company will tackle decisively in the coming years.

STRONG BRAND WITH MAJOR GROWTH POTENTIAL
2022

URSA joins the Etex Group

At the beginning of the year, the integration of URSA into Etex, a large European group, was announced, allowing the company to continue with its margin for growth and its strong commitment to sustainability, which it has been undertaking in recent years. With its incorporation, Grupo Etex confirms the line it has taken to become a world leader in lightweight and modular construction.

STRONG BRAND WITH MAJOR GROWTH POTENTIAL

About Etex

Etex is a global building material manufacturer and pioneer in lightweight construction. Etex wants to inspire people around the world to build living spaces that are ever more safe, sustainable, smart and beautiful.   Founded in 1905, headquartered in Zaventem, Belgium, Etex is a family-owned company with more than 13,500 employees globally. It operates more than 140 sites in 45 countries and recorded a revenue of EUR 3.0 billion and a REBITDA of EUR 570 million in 2021. Etex fosters a collaborative and caring culture, a pioneering spirit and a passion to always do better for its customers.   Etex has five R&D centres supporting five global divisions:  
  • Building Performance: dry construction solutions including plasterboards and fibre cement boards, plasters and formulated products, passive fire protection and associated products.
  • Exteriors: a range of aesthetic fibre cement materials for use in agriculture, architectural and residential exteriors.
  • Industry: fire protection and high-performance insulation products for the construction and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) industries.
  • Insulation: glass mineral wool and extruded polystyrene (XPS) for thermal and acoustic insulation.
  • New Ways: high-tech offsite modular solutions based on wood and steel framing.
  Etex’s global portfolio includes leading commercial brands such as Cedral, Durlock, Equitone, Eternit, Gyplac, Kalsi, Pladur, Promat, Siniat, Superboard and URSA.   Etex is Inspiring Ways of Living, for more information, please visit our website: www.etexgroup.com
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