China: China's Ministry of Public Security has announced that it will cease restrictions on certain insulation materials that were previously recognised as flammable materials, according to the website of the ministry's Fire Department. Polyurethane will become the biggest beneficiary of the relaxation to the existing rules. According to analysts, China's annual building insulation materials market capacity may reach US$16bn by the end of 2015.

Malaysia: PGF Insulation, a Penang based glass wool manufacturer, has completed its two phase plant upgrade. Starting in 2010, the plant has undergone a plant upgrade that involved changing its curing oven, fiberising technology, melting furnace and adding a new production line. The upgraded plant has a capacity of 20,000t/yr.

PGF says that the increased capacity is needed to cater for the expected growth in Asia Pacific, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East due to increased awareness of energy efficiency and of the benefits of mineral wool insulation.

Other than the traditional building application, the plant is also able to mass produce superior quality glass wool for Vacuum Insulation Panels.

China: Danish insulation maker Rockwool International has announced that its board of directors have approved a plan to construct a plant in China costing around Euro110m. The new plant will be constructed in Tianjin, approximately 150km from Beijing in northern China. The plant is expected to be ready by the end of 2014 and will have a capacity of more than 120,000t/yr of mineral wool insulation.

"We have seen a good sales development since we acquired the Australian company CSR's insulation activities in southern China in 2010," said Rockwool division managing director for East Division Theo Kooij. "So far the majority of our sales have gone to industrial insulation. With the new plant in the northern part of China we can now target the promising market for building insulation, which has the potential to become the biggest in the world over time. High-rise buildings, where fire safety is a serious concern, stand out as a promising segment for our non-combustible insulation. The national and regional authorities in China are now expressing a high interest in improving the fire safety of insulated buildings."

In 2011, sales in Asia accounted for 5% of the total group sales for Rockwool and this share is expected to grow in the coming years. China is the group's biggest single Asian market.

Egypt: GlassRock Insulation Company, part of regional mining platform Ascom, has reported the successful completion of the commissioning phase of its new production line for glass wool. The new production line will produce 20,000t/yr of glass wool increasing the plant's total production to 50,000t/yr, of which 30,000t/yr is mineral wool.

"We are exceptionally proud to be manufacturing these strategic insulation materials, which can be used as both residential thermal insulation and as acoustic insulation. Our products can help to significantly reduce the impact of the energy crisis that Egypt is currently facing," said chief executive officer Bechir Dardour. According to Dardour the glass wool insulation that will be produced in GlassRock's Sadat City Free Zone plant is being manufactured principally with local materials.

In September 2012 GlassRock announced the launch of its first mineral wool production line. The company is now targeting exports to key markets in Europe, North Africa, the Gulf Cooperation Countries and Turkey.