GC expands in Southeast Asia with new business development & marketing appointment, extending Sun Filter partnership agreement
Sedgefield, UK, 23rd October 2026: GC, the UK-based advanced materials company, announces the appointment of a dedicated Business Development & Marketing Manager for Southeast Asia and a formal joint commercialisation agreement with Bangkok-based partner Sun Filter, accelerating the rollout of its breakthrough GC Halo® air filtration technology – marketed as AirVantage™ – across Thailand and the wider ASEAN region.
Sales and Marketing push in Southeast Asia
Under the agreement, GC will fund a sales and marketing team located at Sun Filter’s headquarters in Thailand, targeting both the domestic market and the broader ASEAN territories with AirVantage.
The move comes at a pivotal moment for air quality in the region. Southeast Asia accounts for approximately 13% of regional HVAC air filter demand, and new regulation – including Thailand’s pending Clean Air Act – is driving significant institutional and commercial procurement. The global HVAC air filters market is projected to reach $14.08 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 5.1%.
AirVantage achieves greater than 99% pathogen reduction with a unique, patented “trap and kill” technology which raises the effective MERV filtration rating by two levels without increased energy consumption.
New Business Development & Marketing Appointment
GC is delighted to welcome Nalin (Mer) Karnchanachari to the team as Business Development & Marketing Manager for GC Southeast Asia. Based with Sun Filter in Bangkok, Mer will lead market strategy and brand development for GC Halo and AirVantage, driving brand awareness, demand generation, and commercial growth across the region by establishing a robust pipeline of commercial opportunities and a sustainable revenue stream from sales.
Mer brings extensive experience in science communications, brand strategy, and business development, with exposure to global organisations including the World Economic Forum and the United Nations. Prior to joining GC, she held roles at a leading boutique management consultancy in Thailand and at Lotus’s (formerly Tesco), where she supported go-to-market strategies across the retail sector.
“I am thrilled to join Graphene Composites at such an exciting moment for the company and for the region. GC Halo represents a genuinely differentiated solution for clean air, and I look forward to working with the Sun Filter team to introduce it to businesses and institutions across Thailand and Southeast Asia.” Nalin (Mer) Karnchanachari, Business Development & Marketing Manager, GC Southeast Asia, Extended Sun Filter Partnership
Sun Filter manufactures and sells filters under the AirVantage trademark, incorporating a filter layer coated with GC Halo technology. The extended partnership formalises the commercial relationship, with GC co-investing in in-market resource to accelerate pipeline development across three primary customer tiers: commercial buildings and hospitality, healthcare and life sciences, and industrial and advanced manufacturing.
Sun Filter provides local market knowledge, distribution infrastructure, regulatory expertise, and office facilities, while GC provides the patented GC Halo® formulation, technical support, and co-funded commercial resource. Together, the partners are targeting Thailand first, with a structured expansion plan into ASEAN markets.
Kanate Ratapipat, Director, Sun Filter said “Since our establishment in 1996, Sun Filter has spent 30 years building filtration manufacturing expertise, product capability and distribution channels across Thailand and international markets. GC Halo is a strong addition to this foundation, adding an advanced technology layer to our existing filtration know-how and market access. Through our partnership with Graphene Composites, we are pleased to help introduce the next generation of air filtration solutions to Thailand and Southeast Asia.”
“This partnership and the appointment of Mer marks a pivotal moment for GC in Asia. Our GC Halo technology has enormous potential in markets where air quality, pathogen control and energy efficiency are front of mind – and Thailand and ASEAN represent exactly the kind of high-growth, high-need environments where we can make a real difference. We are excited to have Mer leading the charge and to be building this commercial infrastructure in partnership with Sun Filter.” Carol Jarvest, Marketing Director, Graphene Composites
About GC Halo® / AirVantage™
GC Halo is a patented graphene oxide/silver nanoparticle ink formulation that coats standard air filters, creating a ‘trap and kill’ layer proven to destroy viruses (including influenza, RSV, and coronaviruses), bacteria (including Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli), and black mould (Aspergillus brasiliensis) with greater than 99% efficacy. Unlike conventional HEPA filters, which trap but do not neutralise pathogens, GC Halo actively eliminates them.
AirVantage can be installed in existing HVAC systems without retrofit, raise the effective MERV filtration rating by two levels, and reduce HVAC energy costs by approximately 28% annually. The formulation is independently certified as non-cytotoxic, with zero particulate shedding across more than 20,000 samples tested.
About Graphene Composites (GC)
Graphene Composites is a world leader in advanced and nanomaterials research, development and design, in a range of applications across defence, law enforcement, anti-pathogen and thermal management solutions.
About Sun Filter
Established in 1996, Sun Filter is a Thailand-based manufacturer with core expertise in automotive parts and filtration solutions. With 30 years of experience in product development, manufacturing and distribution, Sun Filter serves automotive, commercial, industrial and institutional markets across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Through its partnership with Graphene Composites, the company is strengthening its filtration offering by introducing GC’s advanced air filtration technologies to customers across the region.
Media Contact:
Carol Jarvest
+44 7786 855701