Refrigerant SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa’s HVAC-R sector is preparing for a major shift as the country reduces its R22 import quota to 2.5% of current consumption starting in 2026, a move aligned with commitments under the Montreal Protocol. According to SARACCA Executive Director David Botha, the reduced limit means only 80 to 100 tons of R22 will enter the market for servicing and repair. “This reduction is intended to minimise the environmental impact of R22, which is known

Greece GREECE: Greece has released the first definitive list of more than 100,000 approved beneficiaries under the “Heating System and Water Heater Upgrade Program,” a €645,000,000 (~US$ 745.5 million) initiative aimed at improving home energy efficiency nationwide. Over 5,000 vulnerable households are included, reflecting the program’s strong social focus and its goal of reducing energy costs through the replacement of old heating systems and the installation of modern solar

Somany Ceramics INDIA: Somany Ceramics Limited reported consolidated revenue of ₹681.00 crores (~US$ 76.8 million) for Q2 FY2026, reflecting a 2.9% year-on-year increase, while net profit declined to ₹15.00 crores (~US$ 1.7 million) from ₹17.00 crores in the previous year. Operational performance included tiles sales volume of 17.80 million m² and strong capacity utilization rates of 75% in tiles and 74% in sanitaryware. The Board approved a draft scheme for merger of three w

UK Tile Companies Enter Administration UNITED KINGDOM: Ceramique Internationale, along with Rowmarl Ltd, Spectrum Tiles and Euxton Tile Supplies, has entered administration, resulting in 59 redundancies. The companies, owned by Full Circle Group and Earle Group, appointed administrators on 27 October following severe financial difficulties, with operations having ceased on 24 October. Joint administrators Matthew Haw and Christopher Ratten of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory co

Growing Interest in Wellness Products Boosts India’s Bath Market In urban India, bathrooms are gradually evolving from purely functional spaces into personal wellness zones. While this transformation is still limited to a relatively small segment of the population, it reflects changing aspirations among affluent city dwellers. This shift has sparked a promising growth in wellness bathroom products, breathing new life into the baths market, which remained a slow mover for deca

The Indonesian Economic Growth Slows Slightly in Third Quarter Indonesia: The Indonesian economy expanded by 5.04% year-on-year in the third quarter, down from 5.12% in the previous quarter, according to official data released on Wednesday. The moderation in growth poses a challenge for the government, which aims to achieve an annual target of 5.2% and gradually raise it to 8% by 2029. The slowdown coincided with anti-government protests and disruptions in key sectors, includ

Philippine Economic Growth Slows Amid Corruption Scandal and Weak Investment Philippines: The Philippine economy expanded by 4% year-on-year in the third quarter, falling short of market expectations of 5.2% and the 5.5% growth recorded in the previous quarter, according to the National Statistics Agency. The slowdown has been linked to an ongoing corruption scandal involving government infrastructure projects, which has affected investor and consumer confidence. Economic Pla

Thailand Records 7% Decline in Foreign Tourist Arrivals Thailand: Thailand recorded 26.89 million foreign tourist arrivals between 1 January and 2 November, marking a 7.22% decrease compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Tourism Ministry. Malaysia remained the top source of visitors with 3.88 million arrivals, followed by China with 3.8 million. The Finance Ministry recently revised its forecast for total foreign tourist arrivals in 2025 to 3

Naked Energy Expands Operations into Spain and Portugal Britain: British solar technology company Naked Energy has announced its expansion into Spain and Portugal as part of its broader international growth strategy. The company has appointed Luis Guajardo, an industrial engineer with over 15 years of experience in the water, industrial, and energy sectors, as Head of Business Development for Iberia. Naked Energy’s patented Virtu range includes the VirtuHOT, which generates c

Bulgarian HVAC Sector Faces Stagnation Amid Delay in F-Gas Regulation Implementation Bulgaria: The Bulgarian Association for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (BAOVK) has warned that the country’s HVAC sector is experiencing stagnation due to delays in adopting national regulations for working with fluorinated greenhouse gases (freons). Without these regulations, technicians and installers are unable to obtain or renew mandatory certifications, leaving companies expo

Hocheng Philippines Installs 660 kW Solar Power Facility at Cavite Sanitaryware Plant Philippines: Hocheng Philippines Corporation (HCG), the local arm of Taiwan-based sanitaryware manufacturer Hocheng, has inaugurated a 660-kilowatt (0.66 MW) solar power facility at its manufacturing plant in Dasmariñas, Cavite. The project was developed in partnership with First Gen Corporation, which began construction late last year after the two companies signed an agreement in October 2

Roca Group to Establish Sanitaryware Manufacturing Hub in Kazakhstan Spain/Kazakhstan: Roca Group has announced plans to invest EUR 70 million (USD 76 million) in constructing a large industrial complex in Kyzylorda, southern Kazakhstan, aimed at serving as its regional production hub for Central Asia. The site will include multiple facilities dedicated to producing bathroom products, including sanitaryware, faucets, and installation systems. The plant will have the capacity