Europe Housing Landscape in 2025: Ownership Dominates, Affordability Strains Intensify EUROPE: Housing conditions across the European Union in 2025 reveal a market shaped by high ownership, rising costs and growing affordability challenges. In 2024, 68% of EU residents owned their homes, with ownership rates exceeding 90% in Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia. Germany remained the only country where renting predominated. Just over half of Europeans lived in houses, though

Dutch Technical Wholesaler Vihamij Declared Bankrupt Netherlands: Vihamij, a technical wholesaler serving construction and installation companies, was declared bankrupt by a court shortly before Christmas. All thirty of the company’s branches have been closed, affecting a workforce of 110 employees. It remains unclear whether the business will be restarted. Founded in 1955 and headquartered in Arnhem, the company supplied a wide range of products including sanitaryware, clima

Bharti Enterprises and Warburg Pincus to Acquire 49% Stake in Haier India INDIA: Bharti Enterprises together with private equity firm Warburg Pincus, has announced a strategic investment in Haier India, a subsidiary of Haier Group. Upon completion of the transaction, Bharti Enterprises and Warburg Pincus will jointly hold a 49% stake in Haier India, while Haier Group will retain an equal 49% share. The remaining 2% equity will be owned by Haier India’s management team. In a s

Dekiln Secures ~US$3.8 Million to Commercialise Kiln-Free Tile Manufacturing UNITED KINGDOM: Dekiln Limited has secured approximately US$3.8 million in funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering to scale up its low-carbon, kiln-free tile manufacturing technology to industrial production. The funding coincides with Dekiln Chief Executive Dr. Aled Roberts being named among the inaugural Green Future Fellows, a programme designed to support engineers developing solutions that

Saudi Arabia SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has announced that invoicing under the White Land and Vacant Properties Fees Program will commence in Riyadh on Jan 1, 2026. The initiative will apply to undeveloped land plots larger than 5,000 sq. meters located within designated urban development zones. These zones are categorised by development priority, with annual fees ranging from 10 percent of land value in high-priority areas to 2.5 perc

Hisense INDIA: Hisense is positioning air conditioners as the cornerstone of its next growth phase in India, viewing the category as the fastest-growing appliance opportunity over the next decade. Citing single-digit AC penetration, CEO Pankaj Rana stated, "AC penetration in India is still in single digits, and over the next 10 years, air conditioners will be the biggest category in terms of CAGR growth." Hisense expects ACs to surpass TVs and refrigerators in value within fi

Samsung Electronics PERU: Samsung Electronics is strengthening its presence in the Latin American HVAC market by expanding beyond product sales into installation and aftersales capabilities. The company has opened a new Samsung HVAC Professional Training Center in Chiclayo, Peru, aimed at training engineers and installers in advanced installation and maintenance. The initiative is part of a broader B2B strategy to improve service quality and competitiveness in a region where

Heat Pump UNITED STATES: US homeowners face higher heat pump installation costs as the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit ends on December 31. Under the program, households could claim up to $3,200 annually, including up to $2,000 for qualifying heat pumps, covering 30% of eligible costs. From January 2026, new installations will no longer qualify, removing a key mechanism that helped offset upfront costs and reduce long-term heating expenses. The credit applied only to

United States UNITED STATES: National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) forecasts that United States household heating costs will rise 9.2% this winter, roughly three times inflation, driven by higher electricity and natural gas prices and colder weather. Average heating spending is expected to reach $995, up $84 year-on-year. Electricity-heated homes face the steepest increase (+12.2%), followed by natural gas users (+8.4%), while heating oil and propane costs

Amber Enterprises to Invest USD 55.8 Million in Punjab, India to Expand HVAC R&D Facility INDIA: Amber Enterprises India Ltd has announced plans to expand its advanced HVAC research and development centre in Punjab, supported by state incentives aimed at boosting technology innovation. The facility will focus on the development of commercial air-conditioning solutions and VRV systems. The company will invest ₹500 crore (USD 55.8 Million) over the duration of Punjab’s incentiv

EU-Backed Project Introduces Subscription-Based Model to Accelerate Heat Pump Adoption EUROPE: A new EU-funded initiative, HP SUBSCRIBE, aims to overcome the high upfront costs that limit the uptake of heat pumps in Europe’s commercial and public rented buildings. The project introduces a subscription-based model that allows tenants to access efficient heat pump heating without initial investment, while a specialised third party installs, finances and maintains the system. By

District Heating Prices Surge, Driving Sharp Rise in Iceland’s Home Heating Costs ICELAND: Latest inflation data from Statistics Iceland show a sharp increase in home heating costs, driven mainly by a 9.2% rise in district heating prices. According to Landsbankinn, this marks the largest increase in 15 years, last seen in 2010. The rise follows the introduction of new tariffs in December, meaning much of the expected January impact has already been reflected in inflation figu

GST Cut Fails to Kickstart Indian AC Sales – Primary Market Stays Subdued The recent reduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the Indian AC market from 28% to 18% has provided price relief for consumers. However, primary sales, shipments from manufacturers to distributors, have yet to see the anticipated boost, with industry insiders citing high channel inventories and cautious dealer ordering as key factors.  Distributors Hold Back Amid High Inventories   Distributor

Kohler Marks Two Decades of Retail Stores with New US Openings USA: Kohler Co. has announced the opening of three new Kohler Stores in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Salt Lake City, as it marks the twentieth anniversary of its retail store concept. The stores provide interactive spaces where customers can view and experience products from the company’s portfolio, including bathroom and kitchen fixtures, connected home technologies and curated collections. The openings form part o

Hindware Expands Retail Focus Amid Shifts in India’s Bathroom and Home Solutions Market India: Hindware is adjusting its retail strategy as consumer preferences in India’s bathroom and home décor segment evolve towards design-led choices and integrated technology. The company is placing greater emphasis on experience-driven retail, a broad product portfolio across price points, and an extensive distribution network. Sanitaryware remains central to the business, alongside fauc

Roca Group Opens First Design Gallery in India with Dual-Brand Showcase in Delhi India: Roca Group has opened the Roca Delhi Gallery, marking the group’s first design-led gallery in India and adding the country to its international network of cultural spaces. The new gallery brings together Roca and LAUFEN under one roof, presenting curated bathroom environments focused on contemporary living, technology and design. Designed by architecture studio Ultraconfidentiel, the space

Thai Firms Partner to Reuse Eggshell Waste in Sanitaryware Production Thailand: Thai firm Siam Sanitary Ware Co., Ltd., operating under the COTTO brand, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited to explore the reuse of eggshell waste from food production in the manufacture of sanitaryware. Under the agreement, eggshell byproducts from CPF hatchery operations in Saraburi Province will be supplied to COTTO for use as an alternat

Air Conditioning Qatar’s climate is among the harshest in the world, with summer temperatures regularly rising above 45°C. In such conditions, air conditioning is not a luxury but a necessity. AC systems designed to operate efficiently and reliably at extreme ambient temperatures, often above 50°C, are therefore essential. Gulf nations use special performance ratings such as T3 at 46°C and T4 at 48°C for AC testing, and manufacturers build units to function continuously well

Appoints New Management Team Germany: Kermi GmbH, has announced a change in management following the departure of its former managing directors, with Kerstin Sticht and Jan Kujaw appointed to lead the company. Sticht, who joined Kermi in 2001, has held several senior roles including Head of Strategic Planning and Chief Marketing Officer, where she strengthened the group’s brand strategy across European HVAC markets. Currently serving as Chief People Officer (CPO) of the MBT C

Airvance Group Acquires Majority Stake Austria: Airvance Group Acquires Majority Stake in Austrian Heat Pump Distributor IPK as Austrian distributor IPK, which specializes in air/air and air/water heat pump systems and distributes brands including LG and Hisense, signed an agreement to sell a majority stake in its share capital to the Airvance Group, a specialist in ventilation and indoor air quality solutions for residential and tertiary buildings. Under the transaction, the