Change Trade Name to “GENERAL Inc.” Global: Fujitsu General Air Conditioning will change its name to General Inc HVAC Solutions Ltd as part of a broader global rebranding exercise after the acquisition of the parent company by Paloma Rheem Holdings. The Japanese parent company completed the sale of its air conditioning business in August, and in October Paloma announced that the group would be renamed General Inc. The name change will be rolled out across all domestic and ov

Kohler Store USA: Kohler Co. is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Kohler Stores with plans to open three new locations in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Salt Lake City, the company announced. Kohler Stores are designed as immersive, interactive spaces where customers can experience a wide range of offerings from Kohler’s brand portfolio, including bathroom and kitchen fixtures, smart home solutions, wellness-focused products, and exclusive collections such as Kohler x Stud

Hoffman & Hoffman to Invest $8.5M and Create 60 Jobs in Lexington County USA: Hoffman & Hoffman, a leading HVAC company, has announced plans to invest $8.5 million in a new facility in West Columbia, Lexington County, signaling a major expansion of its operations in South Carolina. The project will consolidate the company’s existing offices into a single, modern location while enhancing its capacity to deliver comprehensive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services

IKEA USA: IKEA is planning to increase the share of products manufactured in the United States as higher tariffs continue to drive up the cost of importing furniture, according to a Reuters report. The move represents a shift for the Swedish furniture retailer, as only around 15% of the products currently sold in its US stores are domestically made, compared with significantly higher levels of local production in regions such as Europe and Asia. IKEA previously operated a man

Middleby to Sell Majority Stake in Residential Kitchen Unit, Including European Brands, for USD 885 Million United States/Europe: Middleby has entered a definitive agreement to sell a 51 percent stake in its Residential Kitchen business to affiliates of 26North Partners, valuing the unit at USD 885 million. As part of the transaction, several European brands, including AGA Rangemaster, previously wholly owned by Middleby, will move under the ownership of 26North Partners. Mid

Brazil Sets Out Stage I Plan for National HFC Phase-Down BRAZIL: Brazil has unveiled its proposed Stage I National HFC Phase-Down strategy, reaffirming its commitment to the Kigali Amendment. Running from 2027 to 2032, the plan targets a 10% reduction in HFC consumption through regulatory measures, sectoral actions and adoption of low-GWP technologies. Proposed steps include banning certain high-GWP refrigerants from 2029, updating energy standards, and supporting industry tr

Daikin Applied Invests USD 163 Million in New R&D Test Lab in Minnesota U.S.: Daikin Applied has announced a USD 163 million investment to build a 71,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art R&D test lab at its Plymouth, Minnesota headquarters, reinforcing its commitment to advancing HVAC innovation across chillers, air handlers, heat pumps, and hyperscale data-center cooling technologies. The facility has begun phased commissioning of nine test cells, with full completion expected

International Valves and Taps Alliance Launched to Boost Global Collaboration United States/Europe/Japan: The International Valves and Taps Alliance was officially launched on December 10th, bringing together leading associations of valve and tap manufacturers from the United States, Europe, and Japan. The new global alliance aims to enhance international knowledge sharing and provide common tools to tackle technological, regulatory, and environmental challenges across the va

Trane Technologies United States: Trane Technologies has signed an agreement to acquire Stellar Energy Digital, a provider of turnkey liquid-to-chip cooling solutions for data centres. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Stellar Energy designs modular cooling plants and utility systems and employs around 700 people across two assembly facilities. The acquisition strengthens Trane’s position in the fast-growing data centre thermal-management market and creates opportunities to sca

LG Electronics Advances Global Heat Pump Innovation Through Consortium Research United States/Norway/China/Saudi Arabia/South Korea: LG Electronics is accelerating the development of high-performance heat pumps through its Global Heat Pump Consortium, focusing on efficiency, reliability, and climate-specific performance across cold-humid to extreme heat regions. Since establishing the Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research (CAHR) in Alaska in 2023 with the University of A

Lowe's Reports Strong Q3 2025 Earnings Amid Strategic Acquisitions   U.S.: Lowe's Companies, Inc. reports net earnings of USD 1.6 billion and diluted EPS of USD 2.88 for the quarter ended Oct. 31, 2025, compared to USD 2.99 EPS in Q3 2024. Total sales reached USD 20.8 billion, up from USD 20.2 billion a year ago, with comparable sales increasing 0.4%, driven by 11.4% online sales growth, double-digit growth in home services, and continued growth in Pro sales. The company reco

Grohe UNITED STATES: Grohe has introduced GROHE SPA, a new premium sub-brand focused on “Wellness through Water,” marking its latest move to elevate luxury bathroom experiences. Debuted at the World Architecture Festival in Miami, the brand reflects Grohe’s vision of integrating wellness principles into spatial design, transforming bathrooms into serene, restorative environments where form and water work in harmony. Developed specifically for architects and designers, GROHE S

Chile Develops New Technical Standards for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Chile: Chile’s National Institute of Standardisation (INN) has begun developing two new Chilean Technical Standards intended to regulate practices in the country’s refrigeration and air conditioning sector. The process is being carried out by a technical committee led by the INN’s standards division, using proposals from the Ministry of the Environment. The Institute stated that both standards remai

First New Jersey Showroom USA: Innovation Kitchen & Bathroom has entered the New Jersey market with a new 7,000-square-foot showroom at 1796 Route 27 in Edison, marking the company’s first location in the state. The newly opened showroom features kitchen and bath cabinets, countertops, flooring, and bathroom fixtures, and the long-term lease was arranged by NAI DiLeo-Bram & Co., which represented both the landlord and tenant. The company now operates four showrooms and a ware

Beijer Ref Acquires Two HVAC/R Distributors in the United States USA: Beijer Ref has acquired Key Refrigeration Supply and Dennis Supply Company, two HVAC/R wholesale distributors based in the United States with a combined annual turnover of approximately SEK 800 million (about USD 74 million). Key Refrigeration Supply, founded in 1999 and headquartered in North Kansas City, Missouri, operates six branches across Kansas and Missouri, supporting the company’s presence in exist

Home Depot Reports Higher Third-Quarter Sales for Fiscal 2025 USA: Home Depot reported sales of USD 41.4 billion for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, an increase of USD 1.1 billion compared with the same period of fiscal 2024. The results include approximately USD 900 million in sales from the recently acquired GMS Inc., reflecting around eight weeks of activity during the quarter. Comparable sales increased by 0.2 per cent overall and by 0.1 per cent in the United States. T

Quilt Expands Availability of Ductless Heat Pumps to Canada Canada: Quilt has launched its ductless heat pump offering in Canada following its expansion across 15 states in the United States. The company stated that its system is designed to provide an efficient option for residential heating and cooling. The rollout marks Quilt’s entry into the Canadian market, where it aims to offer an alternative to existing home heating systems. The product is now available in five provin

Watts Water Technologies Completes Acquisition of Superior Boiler USA: Watts Water Technologies Inc. has completed its acquisition of Superior Boiler, a company that designs and manufactures steam and hot water boilers and related equipment for commercial, institutional and industrial use. Superior’s product range includes firetube, watertube and condensing boilers, and the company reports annualised sales of about USD 60 million. The transaction was funded using available ca

Navien Enters the US Heat Pump Water Heater Market with a New Stainless Steel Tank Model USA: Navien has entered the heat pump water heater market with the launch of its NWP 500 model, marking a shift from its established focus on tankless gas water heaters and boilers. The new model is fully electric and includes a stainless steel tank and an in-house manufactured recirculation pump, features adapted from the company’s existing gas water heater technologies. This product rep

Bathroom USA: At the World Architecture Festival in Miami, Grohe Spa—the luxury sub-brand of Grohe and part of building materials group LIXIL, unveiled a new partnership with Buster + Punch to launch an integrated bathroom concept. Framed as a “creative’s toolkit,” the collection is designed to enable architects and designers to achieve “harmonious interiors” with consistent fit, feel and finish. The initial collaboration showcases three Grohe Spa finishes, Brushed Warm Sunse