Amerrock Products, LP  plant is strategically located about 150 miles south of Dallas, 75 miles north of Austin, and about 150 miles west/northwest of Houston.  The plant sits on approximately 78 acres, contains about 44,000 square feet of production and warehouse space, of which 4,600 is utilized as office space.

The plant was constructed with two production lines using cupolas for melting the raw materials, down spinners for the fiber formation, cyclones for the fiber collection, and compression baggers for packaging the final product. Each line has the capacity to produce approximately 70,000,000 pounds of fiber annually.

Raw materials utilized by the plant are blast furnace slag, which is a rock that is a by-product of steel production, basalt rock, and coke as the fuel for the cupolas. The rocks are melted in the cupola. The molten material is then poured onto a wheel that is spinning at a high speed while at the same time being hit with high velocity air which causes the molten material to turn into fibers. Simply stated, mineral wool is fiberized rock. What better material could there be to use for insulation?

The Nolanville facility is the only plant in North America producing mineral wool loose fiber for the residential and manufactured housing insulation markets. The product is marketed as a premium product, stressing its superior attributes, such as increased fire protection and greater insulation and acoustical values when compared to the major competitive materials, fiberglass and cellulose. When compared to fiberglass, mineral fiber has a higher R-value and cannot be “fluffed” during installation as can fiberglass. Mineral fiber also has higher sound ratings than does fiberglass.  When compared to cellulose (ground up newspaper with chemicals applied) the benefits are dramatic. Whereas cellulose is organic, mineral fiber is inorganic and chemically inert. No additives are required to achieve mineral fiber’s non-combustible properties. Mineral fiber will not absorb moisture and therefore is very dimensionally stable; and will not support vermin, mold or fungus growth. WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE FACTS, IT WOULD BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER PRODUCT TO INSULATE THEIR HOME.

Mineral wool loose fiber insulation is used primarily as attic or wall insulation in new construction. The product can only be installed by trained contractors utilizing specialty equipment.  Because of the loose nature of the product, a full and uniform coverage can be achieved in difficult areas such as between cross bracing and truss bracing and to completely fill a wall cavity. This is almost impossible to achieve with fiberglass batts. The physical properties of mineral wool also completely prevent moisture from accumulating in the insulation.  This is a problem that can happen with layered batt insulation when not properly installed.  Cellulose, which is an organic insulation product made from ground up newspaper with large amounts of borax and boric acid added, readily absorbs moisture.

IN SUMMARY, MINERAL WOOL LOOSE FIBER INSULATION IS ASBESTOS FREE, NONCOMBUSTIBLE, NON CORROSIVE, PERMANENT AND ODOR FREE. IT WILL NOT ABSORB MOISTURE, SUPPORT MINDEW OR FUNGUS, WILL NOT ROT, DECAY, BREAK DOWN OR CONDUCT ELECTRICITY. IT WILL LAST FOR THE LIFE OF THE STRUCTURE, PROVIDE CONTINUOUS THERMAL PERFORMANCE AND HAS THE ADDED ADVANTAGES OF PROVIDING FIRE PROTECTION AND A QUIETER DWELLING.