Canada: Saint-Gobain Canada has appointed Jean-Claude Lasserre as its CEO, effective 1 April 2025. Lasserre brings over 30 years of experience working for Saint-Gobain across multiple continents, most recently serving as Saint-Gobain Surface Solutions CEO in France. Lasserre succeeds Julie Bonamy, who oversaw US$2.77bn in strategic acquisitions for Saint-Gobain Canada, including of metal products company Bailey Group of Companies, roofing company Building Products of Canada and siding products company Kaycan.

Lasserre said "My primary focus will be to connect with our customers and support our teams as we continue our work to offer a complete portfolio of building products with our recent acquisitions, while reinforcing our commitment to sustainable construction. We are eagerly anticipating the completion of North America's first zero-carbon wallboard plant in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec, and the imminent launch of CarbonLow drywall."

Iraq: Researchers found that a sawdust-clay composite reduced power consumption for cooling by up to 37% when used as insulation in test rooms in Kirkuk. In a paper published in the Scientific Reports journal, the team recorded a thermal conductivity of the material of 0.44W/mK. It noted the suitability of the material as a circular insulation alternative for construction in arid regions.

Spain: Kingspan Insulation Southern Europe has launched a new polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation panel, called Therma TA41, in Spain. This product aims to meet the demand for high-performance thermal insulation solutions in building applications. Interempresas Construcción News has reported that Therma TA41 insulation has a thermal conductivity of 0.022W/mK and is suitable for use in flat roofs, ceilings, walls and floors.

Russia: TechnoNICOL says that it will invest US$219m in new mineral wool plants and plant upgrades in Russia throughout 2025, as part of a drive to raise its capacity to 5Mm³/yr by 2030. Interfax has reported that projects include the upcoming Krasnosulinsky stone wool insulation plant in Rostov, scheduled to open in late 2026. In Moscow, the company is investing US$46.2m to rebuild it Serpukhov glass wool plant, scheduled for completion in April 2026. At its Ryazan plant, meanwhile, TechnoNICOL is installing a 1.25Mm³/yr mineral wool recycling line and captive power plant, with a combined investment of US$29m.