Ulster Rugby CEO Jonny Petrie says partnership with sponsor Kingspan will be reviewed following Grenfell Tower Inquiry report outcome

Ulster Rugby CEO Jonny Petrie says the club will review their partnership with principal sponsor Kingspan following the final findings of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry being published.
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The province has been associated with the building materials company since 1999 and they agreed a 10-year stadium naming rights deal in 2014.

Ulster confirmed an extension to their on-shirt sponsorship with Kingspan this summer until the end of the upcoming season amid controversy over the firm's products being used on Grenfell Tower in London, where 72 people tragically died following a fire in June 2017.

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The inquiry into the blaze previously heard evidence criticising Kingspan’s business practices.

Graffiti on the wall and entrance gates of Ulster Rugby Stadium in Belfast. Graffiti referencing the Grenfell Tower disaster is being investigated by police after being painted on the Kingspan Stadium. Picture date: Monday January 2, 2023.Graffiti on the wall and entrance gates of Ulster Rugby Stadium in Belfast. Graffiti referencing the Grenfell Tower disaster is being investigated by police after being painted on the Kingspan Stadium. Picture date: Monday January 2, 2023.
Graffiti on the wall and entrance gates of Ulster Rugby Stadium in Belfast. Graffiti referencing the Grenfell Tower disaster is being investigated by police after being painted on the Kingspan Stadium. Picture date: Monday January 2, 2023.

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.

Petrie says the partnership will be reviewed upon the findings of the inquiry, which was ordered by then Prime Minster Theresa May and is expected to be released next year.

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"We're still pending the outcome of the Grenfell Inquiry," he told BBC Sport NI. "We will continue that relationship as we have done up until that point and take a view from there.

"We've done a major review around what's been happening around the Grenfell Inquiry, which is still ongoing.

"We've engaged all the stakeholders around that, including meeting with the residents, and representatives of Grenfell United as part of that on an independent basis.

"We've had two commercial partnerships with Kingspan, on the front of shirt and the stadium naming rights.

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"All we've done at this point is to make the front of shirt and stadium naming rights co-terminus at the end of next year.

"It was quite a big body of work and we got to the position where we were comfortable to continue the sponsorship as it is and we'll continue the conversation come the outcome of the inquiries."