Professional Organizations React to Possible Exclusion of Hybrid Heat Pumps from 5.5% VAT France: Professional organizations are voicing concerns after the latest Official Bulletin of Public Finances (BOFIP) suggested that hybrid heat pumps could be excluded from the reduced 5.5% VAT rate. Stanislas Lacroix, president of Uniclima, called the measure “a contradictory political signal that presents major legal risks,” citing its incompatibility with Article 30-0 D ter of the Fr

Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions Opens CENTRE of EXCELLENCE in Europe to Boost HVACR Training Czech Republic/Italy: Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions has launched its new European flagship training facility, the CENTRE of EXCELLENCE, at its Aquarea heat pump site in Pilsen, Czech Republic, offering 300 m² of classrooms, work bays, and a full showcase of Aquarea air-to-water heat pumps. The centre provides accredited training, remote learning, and project support to e

Coram Group ITALY: Coram Group has appointed Patricia Slootjes as its new CEO, succeeding Bert Speijers after his distinguished three-decade tenure with the company. With more than twenty years of commercial leadership experience, Slootjes joins Coram from Miele, where she held several senior management positions over the past eight years. Under Slootjes’ leadership, Coram plans to further its investments in design, innovation and sustainability to advance the bathroom indust

Greece GREECE: Greece has released the first definitive list of more than 100,000 approved beneficiaries under the “Heating System and Water Heater Upgrade Program,” a €645,000,000 (~US$ 745.5 million) initiative aimed at improving home energy efficiency nationwide. Over 5,000 vulnerable households are included, reflecting the program’s strong social focus and its goal of reducing energy costs through the replacement of old heating systems and the installation of modern solar

UK Tile Companies Enter Administration UNITED KINGDOM: Ceramique Internationale, along with Rowmarl Ltd, Spectrum Tiles and Euxton Tile Supplies, has entered administration, resulting in 59 redundancies. The companies, owned by Full Circle Group and Earle Group, appointed administrators on 27 October following severe financial difficulties, with operations having ceased on 24 October. Joint administrators Matthew Haw and Christopher Ratten of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory co

Naked Energy Expands Operations into Spain and Portugal Britain: British solar technology company Naked Energy has announced its expansion into Spain and Portugal as part of its broader international growth strategy. The company has appointed Luis Guajardo, an industrial engineer with over 15 years of experience in the water, industrial, and energy sectors, as Head of Business Development for Iberia. Naked Energy’s patented Virtu range includes the VirtuHOT, which generates c

Bulgarian HVAC Sector Faces Stagnation Amid Delay in F-Gas Regulation Implementation Bulgaria: The Bulgarian Association for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (BAOVK) has warned that the country’s HVAC sector is experiencing stagnation due to delays in adopting national regulations for working with fluorinated greenhouse gases (freons). Without these regulations, technicians and installers are unable to obtain or renew mandatory certifications, leaving companies expo

Resume Direct Distribution Germany: Swegon Germany GmbH has returned the distribution rights for Fujitsu-branded split, multisplit, and VRF air conditioning systems to Fujitsu General. Effective at the turn of the year 2025/2026, Fujitsu General will take over direct distribution of its air conditioning products in Germany, a role previously managed by Swegon Germany. This strategic move aligns with Fujitsu General’s broader European approach of strengthening direct sales to

Strengthens Leadership Team UK: Triton Showers has announced three new board appointments directors as part of its strategy to reinforce senior leadership and drive long-term business growth. Emily Johnson has been appointed Sales Director – Retail and Export after 17 years with the company, progressing from National Account Manager to Head of Retail and Export Sales. With over 20 years of experience in product management and development, Philip Viner joins as Commercial Dire

Drive Surge in Gas Water Heater Singapore: Condominium developers in Singapore are increasingly adopting gas water heaters, with 70% of new private homes connected to town gas now equipped with such systems. According to City Energy, installations in completed projects have risen by 210% between 2023 and 2025 compared to the 2020–2022 period, with more than 360 condominium developments currently using gas heaters. Instantaneous gas water heaters are now used in over 210,000 h

Three-Year MOU to Strengthen Global HVACR Standards Europe and East Asia: Eurovent Certification and the Korea HVAC Testing Institute (K-HVAC) have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance collaboration in HVACR product certification and standard harmonisation, aiming to strengthen cooperation between Europe and East Asia. The partnership will focus on knowledge sharing, joint promotion of standards and certification programmes, and aligning European,

Bathroom Over the past few years, a quiet but meaningful shift has taken place in the Balkans’ bathroom products industry. Once dominated by multinational brands and imports, the market is now witnessing the rise of local players who combine cost efficiency, design adaptability, and regional identity into compelling offerings.  Croatia: Local Expertise Meets Market Maturity In Croatia, the bathroom products market has evolved from one dependent on imports to one where domesti

closed sign UK: Upmarket tile retailer Fired Earth has closed all of its high street stores after entering administration. The company’s 20 UK showrooms, located in affluent areas such as London’s New Kings Road and Islington, have been shut down, resulting in 133 job losses following the appointment of administrators from Leonard Curtis. According to the administrators, the collapse stemmed from prolonged financial strain on the business, which is known for its handmade tile

Heat pump ITALY: Ariston’s shares rose 6.37% to €3.70 (US$ 4.26) following the release of its third quarter and nine-month 2025 results on November 5, which highlighted accelerated organic growth and continued margin improvement supported by a strong rebound in heat pump demand. The company reported net revenues of €668 million (US$ 768 million) for Q3 2025, reflecting 4.2% year-over-year organic growth. Adjusted EBIT reached €48 million (US$55 million), with a 7.4% margin on

Air Conditioner TURKEY: Japan-based air conditioning manufacturer Daikin announced plans to invest €100 million ($114.8 million) in Türkiye, aiming to leverage the country’s production capacity and engineering infrastructure as a regional hub for its Middle East and Africa operations. Daikin entered the Turkish market through the acquisition of Airfel and has been expanding local production, particularly for specialized products. Speaking to Anadolu, Hasan Onder, CEO of Daiki

UK UK: The UK government has launched a new Heat Training Grant offering up to EUR 500 (USD 574) to support engineers and tradespeople in gaining the skills needed to install air source heat pumps (ASHPs), a critical technology in the nation's drive toward net zero emissions. This initiative aims to expand the skilled workforce required to meet the government’s target of installing 600,000 heat pumps annually by 2028. As demand for these low-carbon heating solutions continues

Hornback Holding Serbia: The German DIY chain HORNBACH Holding AG & Co. KGaA is advancing its international growth strategy by preparing to enter the Serbian market, signalling further expansion into Southeast Europe. The company, already present in eight European countries, has indicated at its annual press conference that it expects to announce a new country entry “relatively soon”.   The company has just reaffirmed it is continuing to invest in new stores, digitalisation o

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

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