Elite Bathrooms Enters Voluntary Liquidation in Scotland UK: Edinburgh-based Elite Bathrooms Ltd, a bedroom and bathroom fitting specialist, has entered voluntary liquidation, with Christopher David Horne of Robson Scott Associates appointed as liquidator on July 8, followed by the formal winding-up process on July 13. The company, which had traded for nearly two decades and was registered in North Meggetland, Edinburgh, specialized in luxury bathroom installations by qualifi

Lombardy Introduces New Law to Promote Sustainable Data Center Development Italy: Italy’s Lombardy Region has introduced Regional Law No. 11 of 3 June 2026, establishing a new legislative framework for data center construction that promotes environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and resource optimization. The law introduces bonus measures and simplified authorization procedures for projects that recover and reuse waste heat generated by server cooling systems, encou

Bongioanni Inaugurates Alpina Heat Pump Production Line in Italy Italy: Bongioanni has inaugurated its new Alpina heat pump production line at its Borgo San Dalmazzo (Cuneo), Italy plant, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, energy transition, and sustainable manufacturing. The company has introduced the Alpina range comprising 7 models from 5–15 kW in three sizes (Small, Medium and Large, including three-phase), featuring energy efficiency of up to A+++, R290 natural re

LG Electronics Reports Record Second-Quarter 2026 Revenue and Operating Profit South Korea: LG Electronics Inc. reported preliminary second-quarter 2026 consolidated revenue of approximately USD 17.3 billion (₩23.83 trillion) and operating profit of approximately USD 1.15 billion (₩1.58 trillion), marking the highest second-quarter results in the company’s history. For the first half of 2026, the company recorded revenue of approximately USD 34.5 billion (₩47.56 trillion) and

Solstice Acquires Element Solutions for USD 14.5 Billion to Expand Data Center Cooling Portfolio U.S.: Solstice has announced the acquisition of Element Solutions in a USD 14.5 billion deal, strengthening its position in the rapidly growing data center cooling market by combining its low-GWP A2L and HFO refrigerant technologies with Element Solutions’ electronics assembly materials, specialty chemicals, and packaging technologies. The acquisition aims to deliver integrated so

ITOCHU and Daikin Form Alliance to Advance Commercial Air Conditioner Recycling in Japan Japan: ITOCHU Corp. and Daikin Industries have signed a comprehensive business alliance agreement under Japan’s Act Concerning Sophistication of Recycling Business, etc. to Promote Resource Circulation (Type 1) to advance resource recycling for commercial air conditioners and expand the use of recycled materials. The partnership will integrate the entire recycling process—from collection

Mitsubishi Electric Acquires APAC and COMPAC Groups to Expand European Data Center Cooling Business Japan: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Mitsubishi Electric Hydronics & IT Cooling Systems S.p.A., acquired all shares of the APAC and COMPAC groups, including their operating companies in the Netherlands, on July 13. The acquisition strengthens Mitsubishi Electric’s one-stop capabilities in Europe by combining the groups’ expertise in

Alpha Fire Services to Acquire Icon Engineering in USD 0.87 Million Share-Swap Deal Sri Lanka: Alpha Fire Services PLC has announced plans to acquire 100% of Icon Engineering Enterprises (Pvt.) Ltd, an HVAC solutions provider operating in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, through a USD 0.87 million share-swap transaction. The acquisition, involving the issue of 9.12 million new ordinary voting shares at an implied value of USD 0.10 per share, is expected to position Alpha as a full

IIR Publishes Briefing Note on Dehumidification Technologies for Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning Global: The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) has published "Dehumidification in Air Conditioning," the 62nd note in its Briefing Notes on Refrigeration Technologies series, highlighting the role of moisture removal in improving indoor comfort and HVAC energy efficiency. The report notes that, in hot and humid climates, HVAC systems can account for more than 50% of

LG Expands HVAC Training Network to Strengthen Technical Expertise Across Global Markets UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: LG Electronics is expanding its global HVAC Academy network to strengthen installation, maintenance, and service capabilities as part of its Global South strategy. A key addition is the LG MEA Hub Academy in the UAE, one of the region’s largest HVAC training and testing centers, offering certification programs, hands-on technical training, and customer experience zon

Growth of Energy Recovery Ventilation in the Indian Commercial Sector India's Grade-A office space in India’s top seven cities reached about 72 million sq. ft in 2025, growing by 6% on better demand from domestic and foreign companies, according to real estate consultant Colliers. With this growth ventilation systems have gained importance even as Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) rating system require projects to meet minimum fresh air ventilation standards (often referen

Taiwanese Ceramics Manufacturers HCG Enters Defense Market With Advanced Drone Materials TAIWAN: Taiwanese bathroom ceramics manufacturer Hocheng Corp. (HCG) is expanding beyond its traditional sanitary ware business into defense by leveraging its expertise in advanced ceramics. The company has developed lightweight ceramic-carbon fiber composite materials for drones, unmanned surface vessels, and armored vehicle protection, with products verified for defense use by Taiwan’s

Brazil Raises 2026 Inflation Outlook as High Interest Rates Expected to Slow Growth BRAZIL: Brazil's government now expects inflation in 2026 to remain above the central bank's target, citing faster price increases for manufactured goods, particularly personal care products, while services inflation remains elevated. Officials noted that underlying inflation indicators have eased in recent months. The government maintained its 2026 economic growth forecast at 2.3%, saying act

Viessmann to Shift Gas Boiler Production to Germany After Closing Turkey Plant GERMANY: Viessmann Climate Solutions will close its Manisa, Turkey, manufacturing plant by July 2026 and shift wall-mounted gas boiler production to its Allendorf/Eder headquarters in Germany. The company, part of U.S.-based Carrier Group, said the move follows a sharp decline in European demand for residential gas boilers and aims to improve production efficiency. Viessmann invested over US$17.6 m

Qlima Recalls Heat Pumps in France Over Potential Fire and Explosion Risk FRANCE: Qlima has recalled several heat pump models sold across France between May 2021 and July 2026 after identifying a potential fire and explosion hazard linked to propane (R290) refrigerant leaks. The affected models include WDH 224 PTC, WDH 229 PTC, WDH 229, WDH 235 PTC, WDH 429 PTC, and WDH 435 PTC. If installed below 1.8 meters, a propane leak could create a flammable atmosphere, according to Fr

Byggmax Reports Higher Sales and Profit in Second Quarter Sweden: Byggmax reported net sales of SEK 2,263 million (USD 236.0 million; EUR 202.7 million) for the second quarter, an increase of 2.9% compared with the same period last year, while like-for-like sales rose by 1.4%. Net sales in the corresponding quarter of 2025 stood at SEK 2,199 million (USD 229.3 million; EUR 197.0 million). Operating profit increased to SEK 267 million (USD 27.9 million; EUR 23.9 million) from

HVAC Exports to EU Rise on Strong Cooling Demand Türkiye: Türkiye's climate industry exports to the European Union increased by 22.9% year-on-year to USD 302.5 million (EUR 257.1 million; USD 302.5 million) in June, supported by higher demand for cooling systems as Europe experienced another period of elevated summer temperatures. According to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Germany remained the largest export market with shipments of USD 71.4 million (EUR 60.

Modine Appoints Michael Mahan as President of Commercial HVAC Segment USA: Modine Manufacturing Company has appointed Michael Mahan as President of its Commercial HVAC segment. He will lead the company's newly established business segment, which provides heating, ventilation, air conditioning and heat transfer solutions for commercial, industrial and aerospace applications. Mahan brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the role. He most recently served as Presiden

China's June Exports Surge 27% on AI-Driven Chip Demand, Trade Surplus Reaches USD 125.6 Billion China: China's June exports increased 27% year-on-year, surpassing forecasts of 18.2%, driven by strong global demand for chips and AI computing power, while imports rose 36%, marking a five-year high and exceeding the expected 24% growth. The country's trade surplus widened to USD 125.6 billion from USD 105.4 billion in May, keeping China on track to record an annual surplus exce

China Targets USD 9 Trillion in Annual Retail Sales by 2030 Under First Five-Year Consumption Plan China: China has unveiled its first five-year plan dedicated to boosting consumption, targeting annual retail sales of around USD 9 trillion by 2030, implying annual growth of about 3.7%, down from roughly 5% recorded during 2021–2025. The plan aims to raise household incomes, significantly increase household consumption's share of the economy from around 40%, and expand spendin

Sloan Acquires Controlling Stake in Essel Bath Fittings India: Sloan, a plumbing systems manufacturer based in Illinois, has acquired a controlling stake in Essel Bath Fittings as part of its expansion strategy in India's bath fittings market. The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the transaction. Sloan stated that the investment supports its strategy in India by expanding its local manufacturing footprint and strengthening its presence through Essel Bath Fitt

Uzbekistan Imports 132,691 Air Conditioners in First Five Months of 2026 Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan imported 132,691 air conditioners valued at USD 19.7 million during the first five months of 2026, according to the National Statistics Committee. Import volumes increased by 13,700 units, or 11.5%, compared with the corresponding period of 2025. China remained the largest supplier, accounting for 128,021 imported units. Kazakhstan supplied 4,644 units, while Turkey exported 17 uni

EU Household Energy Consumption for Cooling Doubles Since 2018 Europe: Final household energy consumption for space cooling in the European Union reached 80.4 thousand terajoules (TJ) in 2024, doubling from 40.5 thousand TJ recorded in 2018. Energy use increased annually during the period, except for declines of 2.5% in 2020 and 1.9% in 2023. Italy recorded the highest total household energy consumption for cooling at 26.3 thousand TJ, followed by Spain with 14.3 thousand TJ

Brazil Approves Stage I of HFC Consumption Reduction Programme Brazil: Brazil's Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change has approved Stage I of the national Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Consumption Reduction Programme to support implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The programme targets refrigeration and air-conditioning applications and aims to reduce HFC consumption by 10% by 2029 and 12% by 2032 compared with the established baseline. The mini