Samsung Opens Heat Pump Training Centre in South Korea South Korea: Samsung Electronics has established a dedicated EHS heat pump training centre at its CS Academy in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The facility will provide training for B2B partners and installation engineers covering water piping, product installation, commissioning and service inspection. The initiative comes as South Korea targets the deployment of 3.5 million heat pumps by 2035. The training centre includes eq

Diversitech Acquires French HVAC Distributor MC Distribution France: DiversiTech has acquired MC Distribution, a French company specialising in HVAC product distribution, according to Dentons, which advised DiversiTech on the transaction. The acquisition will result in the formation of DiversiTech France and expand the company’s distribution structure in the French market. MC Distribution has established commercial relationships with industry distributors and HVAC professiona

Johnson Supply Completes Rebrand as Johnson HVAC Distribution United States: Johnson Supply has completed a company-wide rebranding under the name Johnson HVAC Distribution and launched a new website. The updated identity covers 25 branch locations serving HVAC professionals across Texas and Louisiana. The company said the website includes an online portal providing access to product information, account management, branch locations and support resources. All branch locations

Blue Star Expects Continued Margin Pressure from Raw Material Costs India: Blue Star expects margin pressure to continue during the July-September 2026 quarter as higher raw material costs offset the impact of price increases. Managing Director B Thiagarajan said the company may see some improvement towards the end of the quarter as it implements product redesign and material substitution measures. “The summer season was good, though it was short, and we couldn't deliver in t

South African Economy Contracts 0.2% In Second Quarter South Africa: South Africa’s economy contracted by 0.2% on a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis in the second quarter of 2026, ending six consecutive quarters of growth, according to Statistics South Africa. Mining output declined by 3.0%, manufacturing fell by 1.8% and trade contracted by 1.9%. Higher imports and lower investment also constrained economic activity during the quarter. The economic slowdown follo

Systemair Restructures German Operations Germany: Systemair is restructuring its German operations through a partial spin-off that will establish Systemair Deutschland GmbH to consolidate sales activities for the German market. Systemair GmbH will focus on production, development and exports, while the new company will handle sales activities in Germany. Systemair said existing contacts, products, delivery capacity, services and contractual arrangements will remain unchanged.

Saudi Construction Costs Rise as Hormuz Disruption Affects Supply Chains Saudi Arabia: Construction costs in Saudi Arabia are increasing as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz has shifted the movement of materials from sea to road transport, according to industry experts cited by AGBI. Materials that were previously shipped through ports such as Dammam are now being routed through Jeddah or Yanbu before being transported by road to project sites. Saudi Contractors Authorit

Housing Prices in India’s Top Cities Rise Faster Than Construction Costs India: Housing prices across India’s seven major cities increased by 59% between 2021 and 2025, compared with a 34% rise in construction costs, according to a report by ANAROCK. The average cost of constructing a standard-plus residential project increased from INR 2,681 per sq ft (USD 28.14) in 2021 to INR 3,604 per sq ft (USD 37.83) in 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 6.9%. During th

Air cond INDIA: Indian air cooler manufacturer Symphony is expanding beyond its core air cooler business by entering the room air conditioner segment in the domestic market. The company also plans to make a calibrated and phased entry into BLDC ceiling fans and air purifiers, marking its expansion into adjacent consumer durable categories. The new products are expected to be introduced selectively across product ranges, geographic markets and distribution channels starting fr

commercial interior UK bathroom specialist HIB has joined Commercial Interiors UK, the trade association representing the UK’s commercial interiors sector, as part of its strategy to strengthen industry partnerships and expand its presence across commercial markets. Commercial Interiors UK represents more than 200 accredited manufacturers and suppliers across categories including furniture, lighting, fabrics, flooring, bathroom fittings and other interior products. Its member

Construction In the second quarter of 2026, single-family construction remained weak across most U.S. geographic markets, as elevated building material costs, high interest rates and continued economic uncertainty constrained residential construction activity. In contrast, multifamily construction strengthened across most regions, supported by resilient demand for rental housing. According to the latest findings from the NAHB Home Building Geography Index (HBGI), the pace of

Distribution Do it Best Group has continued to make progress in integrating True Value, which it acquired in late 2024, with initiatives focused on product alignment, procurement efficiencies and optimisation of its distribution network. As part of the integration, the company has achieved 92% SKU alignment between the Do it Best and True Value businesses following a review of more than 50,000 products across both operations. The company has also completed more than 100 produ

Kohler Kohler has closed its only manufacturing facility in Brazil, ending production at its plant in Andradas, Minas Gerais, and affecting more than 400 direct employees. The facility was officially closed on 31 August 2026, according to Valor Econômico. The plant manufactured a range of sanitaryware products, including ceramic basins and lavatory pans, as well as bathroom and kitchen fittings. According to Allan di Bartolomeo, Kohler’s legal director for Latin America, the

UK Housing Market Weakens UK: UK house prices recorded their first annual decline in nearly three years in August 2026, with prices falling 0.4% year-on-year and 0.2% month-on-month, according to Lloyds. The slowdown reflects higher mortgage rates, rising inflation, affordability pressures and geopolitical uncertainty. London and the South East were the hardest-hit regions, with prices declining by 1.5% and 1.6%, respectively. In contrast, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Australia’s Housing Boom Australia: More than 23% of Australia’s residential building approvals are concentrated in growth corridors where over half of households are experiencing severe mortgage stress, according to OurTop10 research. In the year to June 2026, 46,557 of the 205,249 approved homes were located in these high-stress areas, including Logan, Ipswich, Casey, Hume and Wanneroo. Despite strong housing demand, approvals remained below the Housing Accord target of 240

Nigeria’s Construction Costs Surge Nigeria: Nigeria’s real estate and construction sectors are facing severe cost pressures, with building material prices rising by up to 440% between 2019 and 2026. Iron rod prices increased by 410%, cement by 367% and blocks by 275%, driven by currency depreciation, higher production costs, logistics expenses and import dependence. Around 60–80% of finishing materials, including tiles and sanitary ware, are imported, increasing exposure to f

Türkiye Introduces First National Cooling Action Plan Türkiye: In July 2026, Türkiye launched its first National Cooling Action Plan (NCAP) to support the transition towards sustainable, energy-efficient and climate-resilient cooling systems. Developed over three years, the plan focuses on improving energy efficiency, reducing pressure on electricity grids and protecting health and critical supply chains during heatwaves. The initiative is particularly significant given Türki

Businesses Turn to Wastewater Heat Recovery to Cut Energy Use UK: Businesses with high shower usage are being encouraged to adopt wastewater heat recovery (WWHR) systems to reduce energy consumption and emissions. The technology captures heat from used shower water and transfers it to incoming cold water, reducing the energy required for water heating. It is particularly suitable for hotels, gyms, spas, leisure centres, student accommodation and healthcare facilities. Showers

Lennox Expands HVAC Training to Address US Technician Shortage USA: Lennox has opened a new training centre in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to address the shortage of skilled HVAC technicians in the US. The 6,000-square-foot facility provides hands-on commercial HVAC training for technicians, managers and field leaders across four career development tracks. Its paid Build-A-Tech apprenticeship combines classroom learning, field experience and mentorship, having trained nearly 1,

UK Energy Costs Rise as US–Iran Conflict Drives Fuel Prices Higher UK: The ongoing US–Iran conflict is expected to add an estimated US$11.4 billion (£9.8 billion) to UK energy and road transport costs, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU). Higher wholesale gas and oil prices could add more than £5bn to energy bills and US$ 5.5 billion (£4.7 billion) to road fuel costs. Energy users face around US$ 220.6 million (£190 million) in additional costs each w

France Links Heat-Pump Incentives to European Manufacturing France: France has introduced new rules linking enhanced financial support for residential heat pumps to qualifying European production. From 1 September 2026, eligible air-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps replacing fossil-fuel boilers must meet specified European manufacturing and performance certification requirements to receive the enhanced Coup de pouce Chauffage CEE bonus. For monobloc systems, final refri

TCL Targets Heat Pumps as Part of Broader HVAC Expansion China: TCL Electronics is positioning heat pumps as a key growth area as it moves towards acquiring control of TCL Air Conditioner in a proposed US$ 0.7 billion (HK$5.61 billion) transaction. The deal would give TCL Electronics control of 51% of the China-based HVAC business, which sold more than 22 million units in 2025 and has over 38 million units of annual production capacity. TCL plans to expand beyond residential

Spanish Manufacturers Report Sales Growth in H1 2026 Spain: Spanish manufacturers in the DIY and hardware sector recorded an increase in sales to the retail trade during the first half of 2026. According to trade association AFEB, total turnover among its 63 members increased by 5.6% compared with the same period in 2025. Excluding exports, which increased by 8.76%, turnover rose by 5.1%. Sales to DIY store operators increased by 4.4%, while turnover from specialist retail gr

Richelieu Hardware Acquires Penrod’s Hardware Division USA: Richelieu Hardware Ltd. has acquired the hardware division of The Penrod Co., a US distributor specialising in commercial and residential doors, hardware and related components. Penrod primarily serves manufacturers, specialty distributors and construction professionals. According to Richelieu’s CEO and President Richard Lord, the acquisition is a strategic fit, bringing established supplier relationships, product ex