Johns Manville Introduces Black PSK Duct Wrap

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and leading building products manufacturer, has introduced a black-coated Polypropylene-Scrim-Kraft (PSK) duct wrap insulation, Microlite^® Black PSK Duct Wrap.

Like JM’s other Microlite Duct Wrap Insulations, this new insulation is Formaldehyde-free™ and has a facing with a perm rating of 0.02. Brennan Hall, JM’s Senior HVAC Product Manager, explained that the new duct wrap is designed for aesthetic applications that need a high-quality insulation.

“We’ve found there is a growing trend toward exposed ceilings in building design, and as such, we have reconsidered our insulation offering from an appearance perspective as well as a performance perspective. Our new Microlite Black PSK Duct Wrap is designed to offer excellent thermal control specifically for aesthetic applications, like exposed ceilings,” Hall said.

This material allows installers to meet aesthetic design requirements calling for black insulation without resorting to painting the insulation facing, a method that can void the UL fire rating required by the 2015 International Mechanical Code (IMC). The new black-coated PSK facing on Microlite Black PSK meets the 25/50 flame spread/smoke developed rating required by the 2015 IMC.

Michael Cusick, JM’s HVAC Portfolio Leader, said the new Microlite Black PSK is JM’s latest response to both current and future market demands. “We listen to our customers and end-users and routinely discuss growing trends they see in the industry,” Cusick explained. “Our new black duct wrap represents our response to what we have seen and heard from the industry and our end-users who are out there, installing our products every single day.”

Microlite Black PSK rounds out the JM Formaldehyde-free™ Duct Wrap portfolio. Customers now have the choice of three different insulation facing colors: Black PSK, White PSK, or Silver FSK (Foil-Scrim-Kraft). The Black and White PSK were designed for aesthetically targeted applications, while the Silver FSK is intended for more traditional applications, like those behind closed walls or ceilings.

Given that the Black and White PSK insulation will be used largely for aesthetic purposes, JM also released matching PSK seaming tape for both the Black PSK and White PSK insulations so that installers can utilize tape that matches the material exactly.

Learn more by reading the Microlite Black PSK product information on the JM website.

About Johns Manville

Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality products for building insulation, mechanical insulation, commercial roofing and roof insulation, as well as fibers and nonwovens for commercial, industrial and residential applications. JM serves markets that include aerospace, automotive and transportation, air handling, appliance, HVAC, pipe and equipment, filtration, waterproofing, building, flooring, interiors and wind energy. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales over $3 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs 8,000 people and operates 42 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.