US: Saint-Gobain subsidiary CertainTeed Interior Products Group has recycled 454,000t of insulation fibres from its Kansas City plant in Kansas as raw materials for ceiling panel production at its L'Anse plant in Michigan. The company has run the initiative for 12 months. HBSDealer News has reported that it avoided 2000t of CO₂ emissions.

CertainTeed Interior Products Group president Jay Bachmann said "I commend our teams in Kansas City and L'Anse who through innovation, collaboration and out-of-the-box thinking are reducing waste and exemplifying Saint-Gobain's mission to be the leader in light and sustainable construction."

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.

World: Demand for sheep’s wool insulation will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% between 2024 and 2031, according to a new report from US-based Market Research Intellect. This will expand the market from a value of US$500m in 2024 to US$1.2bn in 2031.

New developments in processing and treatment enable sheep’s wool insulation to attain to comparable durability and fire resistance to conventional insulation materials. Other anticipated growth drivers include increased demand for reduced-CO₂, biodegradable and moisture-regulating building materials and increased government funding and tax incentives. Europe held a ‘significant’ share of the sheep’s wool insulation market in 2024. Public-private partnerships and national transformation agendas, especially in emerging economies, are reportedly creating favourable conditions for global growth.

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."