How Consumer Preference Has Driven the Dominance of Japanese Air Conditioners in Australia The Australian air conditioner market is significantly influenced by Japanese brands, with consumer preference playing a key role. Brands like Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Fujitsu and Panasonic consistently top buyer satisfaction surveys, command premium prices, and enjoy loyalty that no other competitor has successfully eroded. Understanding why Austr

Tecumseh and Invotech Sign Global Partnership Agreement USA: Tecumseh and Invotech have signed a Strategic Global Partnership Agreement aimed at expanding cooperation in the HVAC&R industry. The agreement focuses on accelerating innovation, improving supply chain flexibility, and supporting customers across global markets. The partnership was formalised in the presence of Jay Pittas, Chairman of Tecumseh, Ricardo Maciel, CEO of Tecumseh, and Jo Chen, Chairman and CEO of Invot

Haier and Masterwatt Partner for Dutch Heating Market Netherlands: Haier HVAC Solutions Europe and Masterwatt have entered into a strategic partnership to expand the distribution of heating technologies in the Netherlands. The collaboration will initially focus on Haier’s air-to-water heat pumps and heat pump water heaters for residential and commercial applications. The partnership combines Haier’s manufacturing and technology capabilities with Masterwatt’s distribution net

Caverion to Deliver Heat Pump Plant for Finnish District Heating Network Finland: Caverion is supplying a heat pump plant with a total heating capacity of more than 30 MW for Finnish district heating company Loiste Lämpö in Kajaani, Finland. The project will recover waste heat generated by local data centres and integrate it into the Kajaani district heating network. According to the companies, the recovered waste heat is expected to cover more than 80% of the region’s annual

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Reports FY2025 Growth Japan: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) reported increases in order intake, revenue, business profit, net income and free cash flow for FY2025. Order intake rose 20% year on year to JPY 7,653.6 billion (approximately USD 51.0 billion), while revenue increased 14% to JPY 4,974.1 billion (approximately USD 33.2 billion). Business profit increased 22% to JPY 432.2 billion (approximately USD 2.9 billion). The company stated that

GIZ Highlights Emission Reduction Potential of R290 Air Conditioners Germany: GIZ Proklima released an updated version of its “R290 Split Air Conditioners Resource Guide” in 2025, outlining the potential environmental impact of wider adoption of propane-based split air-conditioning systems. According to the organisation, global emissions from split AC systems could decline by 25% if propane (R290) units achieve a 50% market share. The guide also compared the incremental mater

India Replaces NBC 2016 with NBC 2026 India: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has officially notified the National Building Construction Standards 2026 (SP 7: 2026), replacing the National Building Code of India 2016 with immediate effect from 30 April 2026. The updated standards were introduced under Rule 15(1) of the BIS Rules, 2018, and are intended to revise India’s regulatory framework for building design, construction practices, safety standards and valuation parame

TerraVest Reports Fiscal 2026 Second Quarter Results USA: TerraVest Industries reported increased sales and adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, while net income declined compared with the previous year. Sales for the quarter ended 31 March 2026 rose to CAD 442.6 million (approximately USD 319.0 million), compared with CAD 311.5 million (approximately USD 224.7 million) in the same period of fiscal 2025. Adjusted EBITDA increased to CAD 75.5 million (approxi

E.ON Agrees to Acquire UK Energy Supplier OVO UK: E.ON has signed an agreement to acquire UK energy supplier OVO, expanding its customer base in the UK energy market. E.ON currently serves around 5.6 million customers in the country, and the addition of OVO is expected to add approximately four million more customers. The company stated that the larger customer base and digital infrastructure would support the development and expansion of energy solutions across Europe. The c

Exits India After Four Decades India: Japanese electronics major Sharp Corporation has exits India after selling its 75% stake in Sharp India to Pune-based Smart Services for INR 19.46 crore (USD 2.03 million), ending the company’s direct presence in the country after nearly four decades. Sharp entered India in 1985 through its manufacturing arm and later partnered locally to manufacture televisions and air conditioners. Over the years, the company expanded into consumer elec

HVAC AUSTRALIA: AIIR Intelligent HVAC has entered into a strategic partnership with Copeland to enhance smart HVAC system integration and energy management capabilities. Under the collaboration, all AIIR products will be equipped with a custom-configured version of Copeland’s Verdant VX4 thermostat, creating an advanced HVAC solution aimed at simplifying installation, speeding up project approvals, and improving energy efficiency. The specially configured Verdant VX4 thermost

Bathroom Villeroy & Boch reported a satisfactory performance in the first quarter of 2026 despite operating in a difficult market environment influenced by ongoing geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainty. The company experienced a decline in revenue, mainly due to the divestment of its northern European Gustavsberg and Vatette businesses along with unfavorable currency movements. However, underlying demand trends remained relatively stable on an adjusted basis.