Southeast Asia Transitioning to Low Global Warming Potential Refrigerants Over the past decade, Southeast Asia’s cooling industry has been undergoing a profound transformation. Once dominated by high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants such as R22 and R410A, the region is now steadily transitioning towards lower-GWP alternatives, led by R32 and other next-generation blends. This analysis focuses on the five major ASEAN markets, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia,

The Rise of Chinese Sanitaryware in East Africa Chinese sanitaryware has established a strong foothold in the East African market, particularly within the lower-income segment, while the premium category remains largely dominated by Western brands such as Ideal Standard, Duravit, and Roca. At first glance, China’s dominance appears to stem from its competitive pricing, which makes its products highly accessible to cost-conscious consumers. Yet the picture is far more nuanced.

SCG Decor THAILAND: SCG Decor Public Company Limited (SCGD) reported robust third-quarter results for 2025, achieving its strongest performance since listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Net profit rose sharply as the company enhanced operational efficiency, expanded production at PRIME Vietnam its regional production and export hub and launched innovative high-value-added (HVA) bathroom and kitchen solutions. New offerings such as the DUACT-TAP & GO automatic toilet, X

Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Limited INDIA: Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Limited (KPCL) has announced plans to enter the commercial air conditioning segment, aiming to tap into a market valued at over ₹5,000 crore (~US$602 million). The company’s Board has approved filing a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme application to support this venture.  The initiative is part of KPCL’s broader strategy to diversify its portfolio beyond its core air, refrigeration, and gas compres

ScottishPower and Panasonic UNITED KINGDOM: ScottishPower and Panasonic have announced a new partnership aimed at making green home heating more accessible and affordable for UK households. Customers purchasing a Panasonic heat pump through ScottishPower will receive a £1,000 (~US$1312.4) discount, along with an additional £300 (~US$393.7) energy bill credit for those who also get their energy supply from ScottishPower. The promotion includes a heat pump optimizer and smart r

TOTO Reports Mixed Regional Performance with Growth in Asia and Europe Japan: TOTO Corporation reported varied performance across its global operations for the third quarter of FY2025. The company plans to accelerate the expansion of new products with strong demand. Its International Housing Equipment Business also saw a mixed performance, while the Americas recorded a significant increase in WASHLET sales across all channels, profits were affected by exchange rates and growt

Bricoman to Rebrand as Tecnomat in France by Spring 2026 France: The French building materials chain Bricoman will officially rebrand as Tecnomat in spring 2026, following the same step taken by its parent company Adeo in Italy three years ago. The professional distribution chain currently operates 37 locations across France. As part of the transition, the future Tecnomat stores will offer 20,000 items in stock, along with 350,000 additional products available through the onl

UK Government Raises “Boiler Tax” as Heat Pump Quota Increases from 6% to 8% by 2026 UK: Ed Miliband has announced an increase in the “boiler tax,” expected to add about EUR 117 to the cost of replacing household boilers. From April 2026, boiler manufacturers must ensure 8% of their sales are heat pumps, up from the current 6%. For every 92 boilers sold, eight heat pumps must be sold, with fines of EUR 585 imposed for each shortfall. The additional costs are passed on to cons

TruTankless Expands Operations with New 14,000-Square-Foot Phoenix Facility U.S.: TruTankless celebrated the grand opening of its new 14,000-square-foot facility in Phoenix, which will function as a distribution center and training hub, among other purposes. The company, a leader in electric tankless water heating, remains focused on delivering efficient, reliable, and eco-friendly residential water heating solutions. The new facility will support the launch of TruTankless’s

Bosch Postpones Construction of Planned Heat Pump Factory in Poland Poland: Bosch has announced the suspension of its planned heat pump manufacturing facility in Dobromierz, Lower Silesia, citing slower-than-expected growth in European demand for heat pumps and increasing political and economic uncertainty across the region. The factory, originally intended to expand Bosch’s existing European heat pump production network, which includes facilities in Portugal, Germany and Swe

Somany Impresa Group Invests in Building Materials Platform Through Corporate VC Arm India: Somany Impresa Group has expanded its corporate venture capital activities through its investment arm, SIG Tattva, with a strategic investment of INR 60 million (USD 0.7 million/ EUR 0.65 million) in Mad Over Buildings, a fintech-enabled B2B ecommerce platform for building materials. This marks SIG Tattva’s second publicly announced investment since its formal launch in November last y

Mitsubishi Electric Expands HVAC and IT Cooling Operations in Southern Africa South Africa: Mitsubishi Electric has strengthened its collaboration with Intramech to expand its applied HVAC and IT cooling operations across southern Africa. The partnership will integrate Mitsubishi Electric’s product portfolio with Intramech’s local expertise in sales, service, and engineering to deliver comprehensive one-stop solutions. The collaboration aims to enhance capabilities in system