Exquisheat Europe: The newly launched three-year EU-funded project EXQUISHEAT brings together nine partners from six European countries with the objective of developing standardised, ready-to-implement heat pump solutions specifically for the food and drink manufacturing sector. By analysing industrial heat demand processes such as sanitation and hot-water supply, pasteurisation, evaporation and refrigeration, the consortium aims to target major efficiency gains and facilitat

Daikin US: Daikin Industries Ltd. has achieved a significant turnaround in the U.S. market, having overcome two previous unsuccessful attempts to establish a foothold. The company now operates a major production facility near Houston, Texas, featuring 23 production lines and an annual capacity of 4.7 million air conditioners. Key to its success has been the acquisition of Goodman Global Group in 2012 and the subsequent integration of four factories, enabling Daikin to leverag

Lixil India: LIXIL Corporation, which owns various bathroom brands like GROHE and American Standard, is targeting double-digit growth in India by expanding into Tier-2 cities and strengthening its B2B business. The company reports a nearly equal split between its B2B and B2C segments, and it expects the B2B side to grow faster due to large scale high-rise developer orders. For fiscal 2025, LIXIL projects growth in the 15-20% range, driven by rising demand from premium bathroo

Caleffi Group Germany: The Italian Caleffi Group, a global manufacturer of components and solutions for heating, plumbing, air conditioning, and renewable energy systems, has inaugurated the new headquarters of its German subsidiary, Caleffi Armaturen. The facility spans over 1,000 m² and includes an advanced training area and an in-house laboratory.  The investment underscores the group’s commitment to the German market, which it considers a key territory not only because of

Beijer Ref Scotland: Beijer Ref UK has announced plans to establish a third training academy in Scotland, underscoring its commitment to skills development in refrigeration and HVAC servicing. The new academy will support technician training, product knowledge dissemination and servicing standards across the UK market, helping to meet rising demand for skilled personnel in the evolving HVAC sector. Source: Refindustry

European Commission Europe: The European Commission has officially abandoned the previously envisaged Heat Pump Action Plan, which had been announced to accelerate heat pump adoption across member states as part of the EU Green Deal and REPowerEU objectives . The decision comes amid a reassessment of regulatory priorities and industry readiness; the move may delay certain policy-driven incentives for heat-pump deployment in industrial and commercial applications. The cancella

Carysil United Kingdom: Carysil, a kitchen and bathroom manufacturer, has announced a strategic expansion of its UK sales and field-support team following the administration of distributor Waterline. The closure of Waterline risked supply disruptions for Carysil’s clients; in response, the company appointed three new field sales personnel and reaffirmed continuity of supply and customer servicing. Carysil was the principal manufacturer behind Waterline’s essential sinks and t

Southeast Asia Transitioning to Low Global Warming Potential Refrigerants Over the past decade, Southeast Asia’s cooling industry has been undergoing a profound transformation. Once dominated by high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants such as R22 and R410A, the region is now steadily transitioning towards lower-GWP alternatives, led by R32 and other next-generation blends. This analysis focuses on the five major ASEAN markets, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia,

The Rise of Chinese Sanitaryware in East Africa Chinese sanitaryware has established a strong foothold in the East African market, particularly within the lower-income segment, while the premium category remains largely dominated by Western brands such as Ideal Standard, Duravit, and Roca. At first glance, China’s dominance appears to stem from its competitive pricing, which makes its products highly accessible to cost-conscious consumers. Yet the picture is far more nuanced.

SCG Decor THAILAND: SCG Decor Public Company Limited (SCGD) reported robust third-quarter results for 2025, achieving its strongest performance since listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Net profit rose sharply as the company enhanced operational efficiency, expanded production at PRIME Vietnam its regional production and export hub and launched innovative high-value-added (HVA) bathroom and kitchen solutions. New offerings such as the DUACT-TAP & GO automatic toilet, X

Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Limited INDIA: Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Limited (KPCL) has announced plans to enter the commercial air conditioning segment, aiming to tap into a market valued at over ₹5,000 crore (~US$602 million). The company’s Board has approved filing a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme application to support this venture.  The initiative is part of KPCL’s broader strategy to diversify its portfolio beyond its core air, refrigeration, and gas compres

ScottishPower and Panasonic UNITED KINGDOM: ScottishPower and Panasonic have announced a new partnership aimed at making green home heating more accessible and affordable for UK households. Customers purchasing a Panasonic heat pump through ScottishPower will receive a £1,000 (~US$1312.4) discount, along with an additional £300 (~US$393.7) energy bill credit for those who also get their energy supply from ScottishPower. The promotion includes a heat pump optimizer and smart r