Irish golfer Shane Lowry has ended his partnership with Kingspan after it was found to have shown a “complete disregard” for fire safety before the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Lowry’s decision comes days after the conclusion of the inquiry into the blaze at the west London tower block that left 72 people dead in 2017.
The 37-year-old had been under pressure to end his sponsorship deal with Kingspan – which made the insulation used on about 5% of the building – ever since the tragedy.
The final report of the Grenfell Inquiry last week said the tower block was covered in combustible products because of the “systematic dishonesty” of firms which made and sold the cladding and insulation.
Building materials firm Kingspan had, from 2005 and even after the inquiry began in the wake of the fire, “knowingly created a false market in insulation” for use on buildings over 18 metres tall (59ft), the report said.
While the report exempted the Irish building materials company from responsibility for the spread of the fire, it found that the firm had used “dishonest strategies” and had shown a “complete disregard” for fire safety.
Lowry, who is due to play in the Irish Open at Royal County Down this week, released a brief statement on Tuesday morning announcing his decision to end his sponsorship arrangement with Kingspan.
In the brief statement, he said: “Kingspan and I have mutually agreed to discontinue our sponsorship relationship, which we believe to be the right decision for all concerned at this time. Neither party will be commenting further.”
Ed Daffarn, a spokesman from the Grenfell United pressure group, which is made up of survivors and the families of the victims of the tragedy, had accused Lowry of ignoring calls to address the issue.
Mr Daffarn told The Guardian last week that it was “deeply offensive” that Mr Lowry had been playing with the Kingspan logo on his sleeve.
Read more:
The companies named in the Grenfell report
Grenfell Inquiry report main findings
The Grenfell disaster minute by minute
Representatives of golfer Leona Maguire, who is also sponsored by Kingspan, have been asked for comment on whether she will continue the partnership.
Grenfell United previously welcomed the end of Ulster Rugby’s sponsorship deal with Kingspan.
After two decades with the club, Kingspan “signalled its intention” to conclude its association with the club on a phased basis by June 2025.
Ulster Rugby has been criticised for their continuing association with the firm following the disaster.
Kingspan previously said it had no role in the design of the cladding system on Grenfell Tower, and that its product was used without its knowledge as part of an “unsafe and non-compliant system”.
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Earlier this week, Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin said it was for the UK authorities to pursue companies over the Grenfell Tower fire.
Mr Martin was responding to comments by former UK housing secretary Michael Gove that criminal prosecutions should be brought against Grenfell Tower cladding firms, including Kingspan.
Mr Martin said he was “surprised” by Mr Gove’s comments, as reported in the Sunday Times at the weekend.
Mr Gove claimed attempts to punish Kingspan, Arconic, and Celotex when he was in government had been blocked by “bureaucracies”.
