USA Finalises High Duties on Solar Imports from India, Indonesia and Laos USA: The US Commerce Department has finalised steep anti-dumping and countervailing duties on solar cells and panels imported from India, Indonesia and Laos, citing unfair pricing and government subsidies. Anti-dumping duties were set at 123.04% for Indian producers, 94.36% for Indonesian producers and 65.43% for Lao producers, while countervailing duties vary by producer and country. The investigation

China Home Prices Remain Weak, Weighing on Economic Growth CHINA: China’s housing market continued to face pressure in August, with new home prices declining 0.1% month-on-month, marking a third consecutive monthly fall. The annual decline narrowed to 3.0% from 3.2% in July, while prices in tier-one cities increased 0.1%, contrasting with declines in tier-two and tier-three markets. Despite signs of stabilisation in major cities, a broad-based recovery remains unlikely in the

Canada imposes retaliatory tariffs Canada: Canada has imposed retaliatory tariffs on US imports worth C$27.6 billion (US$20 billion), effective September 8, 2026, escalating trade tensions between the two countries. Tariffs of 15%, 25% and 50% apply to products targeted by US Section 338 and Section 232 measures, with rates matched to the corresponding US duties. This includes some building and construction materials with 50% duties, such as floor coverings of plastics. On th

US HVAC Shipments Rise 20.1% Year-on-Year in July 2026 U.S.: US shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps reached 916,830 units in July 2026, down 10.43% from June but up 20.1% year-on-year. Central air-conditioner shipments increased 22.3% to 503,151 units, while air-source heat pump shipments rose 17.6% to 413,679 units. According to the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, year-to-date combined shipments increased 5.5% to 5,633,518 u

Samsung and LG Strengthen Electric HVAC and B2B Smart Home Presence South Korea/Saudi Arabia: Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are expanding their presence in electric HVAC and smart home markets, with Samsung showcasing its EHS All-in-One and EHS Heat Pump Boiler in South Korea and LG opening its first B2B-dedicated AI Home experience space in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Samsung’s EHS Heat Pump Boiler achieves a SCOP of 4.9, provides heating at temperatures as low as -25°C a

Beijer Ref to Acquire 75% Stake in Greek HVAC Distributor FG Europe Greece: Beijer Ref has signed a binding agreement to acquire 75% of the shares in FG Europe, a Greece-based HVAC distributor founded in 1958 and headquartered in Athens, with an option to acquire the remaining shares. FG Europe has an annual turnover of approximately SEK 1.4 billion (approximately USD 148 million) and an established presence across the Balkans, the UK, Ireland and Turkey, serving residential

EU Investigates Possible Early Completion of XXXLutz’s Porta Takeover Germany: The European Commission announced in July 2026 that it intends to investigate a possible violation of EU law concerning XXXLutz’s takeover of Porta, with the acquisition remaining subject to European Commission merger-control approval. XXXLutz said the notification followed an extensive pre-notification process involving the preparation and review of significant data and information; the Commission

Clivet Starts Production at New EURO 24 Million Heat Pump Plant in Italy Italy: Clivet has started production at its new 14,000-sq-m facility in Feltre, Belluno, Italy, following a total investment of EURO 24 million (USD 28.1 million) to meet growing international demand for heat pumps and high-efficiency air-conditioning solutions. The plant focuses on commercial heat pumps and natural refrigerants, producing the SHEEN, THUNDER (R290), STORM, SHEEN 130 kW and Modular HP ran

Kyungdong Navien Broadens Heat Pump Portfolio with New Air-Source Water Heater South Korea: Kyungdong Navien has introduced a new air-source water heater in South Korea, combining heat pump technology with an electric heater to provide stable hot water supply while improving energy efficiency. Tests of a North American model with the same specifications recorded around 60% higher cumulative hot water supply over four hours and more than four times higher energy efficiency tha

China’s Midea Hits 3 Million Units in Indonesia, Boosts Global Export Hub Indonesia: Midea Electronics reached cumulative production of 3 million units in Indonesia and inaugurated its expanded Residential AC plant in Cikarang, West Java, on September 9, 2026. The company has produced 2.25 million AC units (75.0%), 1 million refrigerators and 367,500 washing machines, while the Cikarang AC facility covers 51,405 sq m and is planned to expand its operational area by 230%, from

Ukraine: Cersanit ceramic tile production facility in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine was seriously damaged by Russian jet-powered drones overnight on September 12, 2026, forcing production to halt. All employees at the plant were safely evacuated, with no fatalities reported, while key elements of the ceramic tile production cycle were damaged, making the resumption and further operation of the facility currently impossible. Cersanit is conducting a detailed assessment of the

Wilcon Depot Opens First Legazpi City Branch in Albay Philippines: Wilcon Depot opened its first branch in Legazpi City, Albay, expanding access to building materials, tiles, sanitaryware, plumbing, electrical supplies, tools, hardware, furniture, appliances and other home improvement products. The expansion supports the city’s ongoing residential, commercial and infrastructure development and provides services including Browse, Call, Collect/Deliver and a 3D Design Hub. The

European SHK Market Shows Stable Business Climate in Q2 2026 Europe: The European sanitary, heating and air conditioning (SHK) market recorded a stable business climate in the second quarter of 2026, although performance varied across sectors and distribution channels. The SHK business climate barometer remained at +3 points, unchanged from the previous quarter. Installation companies recorded +17 points and manufacturers +6 points, while wholesalers stood at -13 points. By p

How Economic Pressure Is Affecting Building Products Prices in Egypt Over the past three years, Egypt’s building-products industry has been affected by a weakening currency, followed by a gradual stabilisation. This has resulted in a continuous recalculation of costs for both manufacturers and consumers in the bathroom, kitchen, and HVAC categories, from imported compressors and copper to industrial gas used in ceramic firing. The products that rely most largely on imported p

Shift To Lead-Free Materials Reshapes Plumbing Component Design Global: The transition to lead-free materials in plumbing components is progressing across the industry, supported by regulatory changes and increased focus on water quality. Manufacturers are adopting engineered polymers in applications such as faucet mixing valves, where components are required to operate under conditions including high temperatures, pressure variation and continuous exposure to water. These ma

LG Secures First European Heat Pump And Buffer Tank Project Netherlands: LG Electronics has secured its first European order for a combined system of THERMA V air-to-water heat pumps and stainless steel buffer tanks supplied by OSO, for a 102-unit social housing redevelopment project in Ridderkerk, the Netherlands. The project involves reconstruction of an existing site, with retained structural elements and the use of timber in the new build. Installation of the heat pump sy

CAREL Completes Acquisition Of Cotes Dehumidification Business Denmark: CAREL Industries has completed the acquisition of 100 per cent of the share capital of Cotes A/S and Tørbåd ApS, collectively known as Cotes, on 3 September 2026. The transaction adds adsorption dehumidification technology to CAREL’s portfolio, which focuses on components and solutions for the control of heating, ventilation and air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Cotes operates in the field of de

Heat Pumps Highlighted In Industrial Decarbonisation Efforts Indonesia: Indonesia is advancing efforts to reduce emissions from its industrial sector, with the Ministry of Industry setting a target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, ahead of the national target of 2060. The manufacturing sector accounts for around 19.07 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product and remains a major consumer of energy, particularly for process heat. Heating requirements account for

Funding awarded for geothermal heat pump workforce programmes United States: The United States Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office has selected eight projects to receive funding of USD 150,000 (EUR 138,000) each to support workforce development in the geothermal heat pump (GHP) sector. The funding forms part of the Partnerships to Accelerate Training and Hiring for Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP PATHs) programme, which aims to support workforce expansion require

Haier Launches R290 Heat Pump Range Through Solar Partnership Denmark: Haier HVAC Solutions has introduced its R290 air-to-water heat pump portfolio in Denmark through a partnership with Solar Denmark, which will distribute the range to professional installers for residential and small commercial applications. The portfolio includes Monobloc, Hydro Split and All in One units, covering capacities from 6 to 16 kW, along with additional models at both lower and higher capacity l

Clean Energy Employment Grows Amid Skills Shortage European Union: Clean energy technologies are contributing to employment growth across the European Union, with the sector expanding faster than the overall economy. In 2024, energy sector employment increased by 2.2 per cent compared with 1.3 per cent growth in total employment. The European Union accounts for around 1.8 million jobs linked to renewable energy, ranking second globally after China. Within the EU, wind energy

China Announces USD 54 Billion Capital Injection to Strengthen Financial Sector China: China's finance ministry is leading a CNY 360 billion (USD 54 billion) capital injection into state-owned insurers and banks to strengthen the country's financial system and support long-term economic growth. China Life Insurance will receive CNY 35 billion (USD 5.2 billion), China Taiping Insurance CNY 7 billion (USD 1.0 billion), People's Insurance Company of China plans to raise up to CN

Lenox and Town & Country Living Launch Coordinated Bath Collection United States: Town & Country Living has entered into a licensing partnership with Lenox to introduce a coordinated bath collection. The range is scheduled to debut at the New York Home Textiles Market from 14 September 2026, with retail availability planned for the first quarter of 2027. The collection will include bath towels, shower curtains, countertop accessories, bath rugs and mats, along with liners and

Daikin Lists 65 Air-To-Air Heat Pump Combinations on UK MCS Directory United Kingdom: Daikin has become the first successful applicant to have multi-split air-to-air heat pump products listed on the MCS Product Directory through the Eurovent Certification route. A total of 65 residential Multi-split and Multi+ combinations have been listed. The systems pair a single outdoor unit with two to five wall-mounted indoor units, with the certified products including Daikin’s Perfera