Switzerland: Sika recorded sales of €6.09bn in the first half of 2025, down by 3% year-on-year. It noted foreign currency impacts, including a weak US Dollar, offsetting ‘modest’ local sales growth across its operations. Organic growth was 1% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 1% in the Americas region and 2% in the Asia/Pacific region, with a 1% acquisition effect globally. Group earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were €1.15bn, down by 2% year-on-year. Sika expects to record full-year sales growth in local currencies in 2025.

During the first half of 2025, Sika acquired Singapore-based green roof supplier Elmich, UK-based for roofing products supplier Cromar Building Products, US-based finishing materials and waterproofing producer HPS North America and Qatar-based concrete admixtures, mortars, flooring and waterproofing producer Gulf Additive Factory. It opened new plants in Brazil, China, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Singapore.

UK: Knauf Insulation has submitted plans for a €196m, 100,000t/yr mineral wool insulation plant in Shotton, Flintshire. The plans involve the use of 120,000t/yr of basalt, slag and recycled stone wool insulation to produce insulation, using a submerged arc furnace (SAF). Local press has reported that the plans will now be subject to scoping opinion, ahead of an environmental impact assessment.

Regional Managing Director Northern Europe Neil Hargreaves said "Knauf has a proud history of production in Wales and this project aligns with the Welsh and UK governments’ commitment to sustainability and the industrial vision for North Wales and Deeside, using UK-first SAF technology."

UK: The government has established an advisory panel for a proposed reform of its insulation retrofit schemes. A preliminary audit showed that ‘most’ wall insulation installed under existing schemes may be defective. The panel will gather insights from the insulation industry and regulatory and consumer protection experts. Regulators previously suspended 39 retrofit companies from installing insulation under the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) schemes in January 2025, after their work led to outbreaks of mould and damp in customers’ homes.

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said "The potential scale of non-compliant solid wall insulation installed under ECO4 and GBIS points to a systemic failure with these schemes. An overhaul of the retrofit system and the consumer protection landscape is urgently required. This is being brought forward as part of the government's Warm Homes Plan in mid-late 2025."

India: The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of faced glass wool in rolls from Egypt on 16 July 2025. Mondaq Business Briefing News has reported that a complaint from UP Twiga Fibreglass triggered the investigation. The DGTR made a prima facie recognition of dumping.

At the same time, the DGTR also initiated a sunset review of an existing anti-dumping duty on imports of faced glass wool from China. It noted ‘sufficient evidence’ to demonstrate the likelihood of continued dumping upon their expiry. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry previously launched an investigation into imports of Chinese glass wool in mid-June 2025.