Saudi Arabia Enforces New Washer Efficiency Standard: Functional Coatings Must Pass Condensation-Aging Test

Saudi Arabia’s Standards Organization (SASO) implemented an updated energy and water efficiency standard for washing machines—SASO 2663:2026—effective 1 May 2026. The revision introduces mandatory durability testing for drum coatings, including Functional Coatings, significantly impacting exporters of washing machines and critical components to the Saudi market.

New SASO Standard Mandates Composite Aging Testing for Drum Coatings

Starting 1 May 2026, SASO 2663:2026 requires all front-loading and washer-dryer combination units exported to Saudi Arabia—and their key functional components—to comply with enhanced durability requirements. Specifically, inner drum coatings (including Functional Coatings) must pass a combined 48-hour condensation cycling and salt spray aging test. The standard applies to both complete appliances and standalone coated components supplied to OEMs or as aftermarket parts. To date, three Chinese coating material suppliers have had their SASO Certificate of Conformity (CoC) suspended due to failure to complete the new test; resulting delivery delays exceed six weeks.

Supply Chain Impact Across Key Industry Roles

Exporters and Direct Trading Companies

These entities face immediate compliance risk at customs clearance and post-shipment verification stages. Non-compliant batches may be rejected or subject to retesting fees. Pre-shipment documentation now requires validated test reports referencing SASO 2663:2026 Annex D (condensation-salt spray protocol), not just generic corrosion data.

Raw Material Procurement Firms

Purchasers of coating resins, additives, or pre-treated substrates must now verify supplier capability to generate SASO-compliant aging data—not merely ISO 9227 or ASTM B117 salt fog reports. Material specifications must explicitly reference the 48-hour condensation cycling preconditioning step prior to salt exposure.

Appliance and Component Manufacturers

Manufacturers integrating coated drums must update internal quality control checklists and validate coating application parameters (e.g., curing temperature/time, film thickness uniformity) against the new aging stress profile. Process deviations previously deemed acceptable may now cause coating delamination under SASO’s composite test.

Supply Chain Certification and Testing Service Providers

Laboratories and conformity assessment bodies must obtain SASO-recognized accreditation for the full condensation + salt spray aging sequence. Standalone salt fog testing labs without climate-controlled condensation cycling chambers are no longer sufficient for SASO CoC issuance.

Key Compliance Actions for Affected Enterprises

Validate Coating Qualification Against SASO 2663:2026 Annex D

Confirm whether existing coating test reports cover the exact 48-hour cyclic condensation phase followed by salt spray exposure per SASO-defined cycles. Generic ‘humidity resistance’ or ‘corrosion resistance’ claims do not satisfy this requirement.

Reassess Supplier Certification Status and Lead Times

Verify active SASO CoC validity for all coating suppliers—especially those previously certified under SASO 2663:2018. Account for minimum 4–8 week lead time for full requalification, including sample preparation, aging, adhesion measurement, and visual inspection per clause 7.4.2.

Update Technical Documentation for Tender Submissions

Incorporate SASO 2663:2026 compliance statements and certified test reports into technical bids for Saudi government and private-sector appliance tenders. Omitting the condensation aging evidence may disqualify submissions outright.

Review Export Schedules and Inventory Buffering Strategy

Factor in potential CoC suspension windows when planning shipment timelines. Maintain buffer stock of pre-qualified coated drums or modules to avoid production line stoppages following unexpected certification lapses.

Industry Observation: A Shift Toward Climate-Specific Durability Benchmarking

Analysis shows that SASO’s inclusion of condensation cycling reflects a broader regulatory trend: moving beyond static corrosion metrics toward dynamic, environment-mimicking durability validation. From an industry perspective, this signals increasing emphasis on real-world operational stresses—particularly in high-humidity, high-salinity Gulf climates. What deserves closer attention is the growing divergence between global coating standards (e.g., IEC 60335-2-7, EN 60456) and regionally tailored aging protocols. Observably, manufacturers investing early in climate-resilient coating R&D and accredited local test partnerships gain a measurable advantage in Middle Eastern market access.

Strategic Implication for Global Appliance Supply Chains

This update underscores that energy efficiency regulation is no longer solely about power consumption—it increasingly governs material longevity, environmental resilience, and lifecycle performance. For exporters, SASO 2663:2026 represents not just a certification hurdle, but a catalyst for upgrading coating selection criteria, supplier collaboration models, and technical documentation rigor. Proactive alignment with such evolving regional durability benchmarks will likely become a baseline expectation across GCC markets.

Source Information and Verification Guidance

This article is based exclusively on the user-provided title, event date (1 May 2026), and summary text. Specific official source links were not provided in the input and should be verified continuously. Stakeholders are advised to monitor SASO’s official portal for updates on test method implementation guidance, accredited laboratories list, transitional arrangements, and clarifications on component-level CoC applicability. Ongoing observation of tender documents issued by Saudi municipalities and major retailers is also recommended, as they often embed stricter interpretation of SASO requirements than the base standard.