What we North Americans called "Asia" is a huge area. Extending from frigid areas in northern China to the sweltering tropics, Asia is a sort of ripe market for EIFS. I say "sort of" because some areas (Vietnam, for example) are still rebuilding their infrastructure, while other economies, such as China, are very much "on the roll" in major metro areas. EIFS is not nearly so much of a mainstream product in Asia as it is in North America and Europe but is steadily increasing in its use. For those contractors, distributors and manufacturer eying Asia as a potential area for business, here are some basic things that need to be known, based on more than a decade of working with EIFS in that country.
The original purpose of EIFS, as developed in Europe, was as an insulation system. The climate in Asia varies a great deal. Some areas need insulation, while others should have it but don't want it. What do I mean by this? Simply, that it's hard to have a good life if freezing (EIFS is more popular in northern Asia) but being hot is normal in some parts of the world. Air conditioning is not prevalent in many tropical parts of Asia, so people are used to being hot. Thus, they do not need insulation or at least are unwilling to pay for it. Thus, this selling point of EIFS is moot.