ULSTER RUGBY HAS agreed an extension to its on-shirt sponsorship deal with Irish buildings material group Kingspan in a move condemned by survivors and families of victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy as showing “absolute disrespect”.

72 people died in a fire at the west London tower block on the night of 14 June, 2017.

The ongoing Grenfell Inquiry into the blaze previously heard evidence criticising Kingspan’s business practices.

The Cavan-based firm, which employs 15,000 people in over 70 countries, is Ulster Rugby’s shirt sponsor and also holds naming rights to its home stadium in Ravenhill, south Belfast.

Grenfell United, a group made up of victims of the fire and their families, said the extension of the sponsorship deal “shows an absolute disrespect for all those affected by the Grenfell tragedy”.

“We have met with Jonny Petrie [Ulster Rugby CEO] and his team multiple times during their previous sponsorship deal,” said the statement.

“We urged him and the Board to cut all ties with Kingspan, including sharing with them a large file of evidence from the Public Inquiry about Kingspan’s contribution to our families’ deaths which speaks for itself.”

In a statement, Ulster Rugby confirmed the extension, “which will see Kingspan remain on the senior men’s jersey, and selected leisurewear, for the upcoming season”.

It said: “The Irish-owned business has an existing 10-year contract with the club until the end of the 2023/24 season for the naming rights of Kingspan Stadium.”

F1 partnership

In its statement today, Grenfell United added: “This same evidence (from the Grenfell Inquiry) was enough for Mercedes to cut ties with Kingspan for their Formula 1 team in 2021.

“Instead, Ulster Rugby have decided to disregard these facts, and not just cut previous ties, but to extend their deal.”

In late 2021, Mercedes-AMG Petronas’ ended a short-lived partnership with Kingspan and a statement from the F1 team said it was “not appropriate” to continue with the deal.

The partnership involved Kingspan becoming the chair of the F1 team’s new “Sustainability Working Group”.

Speaking at the time, Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton said: “It was news to me when I heard the things that have happened this week [regarding the Kingspan partnership] and I was very aware and watching closely all the families affected by what happened there. 

“We know there has been a huge outcry and an amazing amount of support by people in the community around there.”

Hamilton also distanced himself from the deal and said: “It is really nothing to do with me and I know (Team Principal) Toto Wolff is sorting it”.

Grenfell United has called on “all supporters of the club [Ulster Rugby] to stand with us and demand the Board reverse this decision.

Kingspan continue to make record profits, despite being a key focus of the Public Inquiry and part of an ongoing Police Investigation into the #Grenfell Tower fire. We ask you to contact @UlsterRugby and @JP_Petrie, and urge them to reverse this decision #kingspanout https://t.co/XA2jsukJuh pic.twitter.com/jA1eexOAaa

— Grenfell United (@GrenfellUnited) July 19, 2023

“It is time that all teams across the sporting world start thinking about ethical sponsorship and not just money, especially when taking funds from a company involved with the murder of 72 people.”

Cavan GAA is also sponspored by Kingspan and like Ulster Rugby, this deal includes shirt sponsorship and naming rights for Breffni Park.

Grenfell Inquiry 

The inquiry, which is still in progress, was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire.

But Kingspan has insisted its K15 insulation product made up just 5% of the insulation in the tower block and was used without its recommendation.

It also said the exterior cladding, which it did not make, was deemed by the inquiry to be the “principal reason” for the fire’s rapid spread.

Kingspan has previously said that it “condemn(s) in the strongest possible terms the wholly unacceptable historical conduct and emails which emerged throughout the course of the Inquiry discovery process”.

‘Club values’

The UK Government previously wrote to Ulster Rugby in 2021 to ask it to reconsider its relationship with Kingspan while the inquiry continues.

In his 2021 letter, UK Secretary of Housing Michael Gove wrote: “I would like you to consider the evidence that has been presented to the inquiry before deciding whether continuing with this arrangement is consistent with the values of your club.

“I do not believe that the public across these islands will feel that it is right that a community club should risk its reputation by partnering with a company whose practices have been so seriously called into question.”

In 2022, protesters demonstrated outside the team’s stadium to demand the club severs ties with the company.

Earlier this year, police launched an investigation after graffiti referencing Grenfell Tower was painted on the Kingspan stadium.

Graffiti on the wall and entrance gates of Ulster Rugby Stadium in Belfast. Image taken 2 Jan, 2023. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

In a statement to The Journal regarding today’s Grenfell United statement, an Ulster Rugby spokesperson said: “We have no comment to add to this morning’s release.”

Kingspan has also been approached for comment.