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Villeroy & Boch has successfully completed its acquisition of all operating companies of the Ideal Standard Group. Ideal Standard will be integrated as a separate part of the Villeroy & Boch Group now that all necessary approvals by antitrust authorities have been received.

Brussels/Mettlach, Feb 29. 2024 – Through the integration Villeroy & Boch will join the ranks of Europe’s largest manufacturers of bathroom products, with around 13,000 employees and a global production and distribution network. Ideal Standard complements Villeroy & Boch’s business model excellently. The complementary strengths of the two companies in terms of regional presence, sales strategies and product and brand portfolios will increase the Group’s competitiveness.

The composition of Villeroy & Boch AG’s Management Board will remain unchanged under CEO Gabi Schupp. Jan Peter Tewes will continue to manage the Ideal Standard business and will report to Gabi Schupp.

“With the acquisition of Ideal Standard, we are systematically pursuing our strategic growth path, expanding our core business and enhancing our international presence. We firmly believe that the two companies will also be a good cultural fit. In addition to our traditional brands, we share common values, including a dedication to quality and service, an appreciation for exemplary design and the constant pursuit of innovation. We would like to welcome our new colleagues and we look forward to shaping our future together,” commented Gabi Schupp, CEO of Villeroy & Boch AG.

“The acquisition of Ideal Standard represents the biggest transaction of this kind in Villeroy & Boch’s history. The integration will enable us to increase our resilience in a consistently challenging market environment, leverage synergies and establish optimal foundations for future profitable growth,” added Andreas Schmid, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Villeroy & Boch AG.

“We are looking forward to working together as part of the Villeroy & Boch Group. A stronger regional presence, our bundled expertise in private consumer and project business, and our excellently positioned fittings business are just some examples of the vast potential we will realise with our customers, our partners and our employees,” said Jan Peter Tewes, CEO of Ideal Standard International N.V.

The joint company will retain its established brands in future. Ideal Standard will be integrated into the organisation as a separate arm. Mettlach will remain the headquarters of the Villeroy & Boch Group, while Ideal Standard will continue to be managed from Brussels.

Your press contacts:
Nicole Bard
Corporate Online and PR
Tel: +49 (0)151 16173421
E-mail: bard.nicole@villeroy-boch.com

Anabell Westrich
Corporate Communications
Tel: +49 (0)6864 81-1338
E-mail: westrich.anabell@villeroy-boch.com

Your Investor Relations contact:
Susanne Reiter
Treasury and Investor Relations
Tel: +49 (0) 68 64 81 12 27
E-mail: reiter.susanne@villeroy-boch.com

About Villeroy & Boch
Villeroy & Boch is one of the world's leading premium brands for ceramic products. Founded in 1748 and located in Mettlach/Germany, the family-owned company stands for innovation, tradition and style. As a renowned lifestyle brand, Villeroy & Boch is represented in 125 countries with products in the Bathroom & Wellness and Dining & Lifestyle divisions.

About Ideal Standard
Ideal Standard International is a leading manufacturer of sanitary ware products and fittings in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, providing a broad range of branded products for residential and non-residential buildings in more than 100 countries. The company manufactures products for all product categories in the sanitary ware and fittings markets. Its multi-category solutions position it as a ‘one-stop shop’ for its customers. Ideal Standard International markets its products under a number of well-known international and national brands, including Ideal Standard, Porcher and Armitage Shanks.

Brussels, September 18, 2023 – Villeroy & Boch AG has today signed binding agreements to acquire operating companies in the Ideal Standard Group. The two companies are a strong strategic fit given their regional presence, sales strategies and product and brand portfolios, laying the foundations for a stronger market position and additional growth. In an industry with global growth potential, the integrated company will, after completion of the transaction, join the ranks of Europe’s biggest manufacturers of bathroom products. The Ideal Standard shares are being sold by corporations under the management of Anchorage Capital Group and CVC Credit. The acquisition price is based on a company valuation of approximately € 600 million.

The revenue of the Villeroy & Boch Bathroom & Wellness Division will double to € 1.4 billion as a result of the merger. Including the Dining & Lifestyle business, this represents an increase to over 1.7 billion euros (around € 995 million in the 2022 financial year) for the Group as a whole. “This merger means that we will now catch up with the largest players on the European market in the bathroom sector in terms of turnover,” explains Frank Göring, CEO of Villeroy & Boch. Our complementary strengths also make us more competitive and significantly improve our starting position for achieving additional growth.”

Regional strengths, sales channels and product ranges interweave

The merger will create a powerful combination of complementary established brand and sales strategies. Villeroy & Boch has a strong geographical basis in Central and Northern Europe as well as Asia, while Ideal Standard enjoys an excellent reputation with its brand portfolio in the UK, Italy and the Middle East / North Africa region in particular. While Villeroy & Boch’s sales strategy focuses primarily on a high-end private customer base, Ideal Standard possesses particular expertise in the project business, including for the public sector, the healthcare sector and for developers of large residential, hotel and commercial properties. In addition, alongside a broad range of ceramic bathroom ware and other products, Ideal Standard comes with an established fittings business, which generated more than a third of its revenue last financial year.

Jan Peter Tewes, Ideal Standard CEO, says “Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard complement each other, in terms of products but also in terms of brands, and will gain mutual benefit from their different sales channels. Both companies will play a key role in charting the future course of the industry. We look forward to this development!”

In addition to the strategic fit, Frank Göring points to the cultural similarities between Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard: “We are characterised by strong brands steeped in tradition and share similar values. These include a pronounced service orientation, a flair for good design and a constant striving for innovation. We are delighted that the employees of Ideal Standard will become part of our global organisation after the closing of the transaction. Our clients will benefit from this combined expertise and an expanded offering.”

New expertise opens up prospects for growth

With this merger, Villeroy & Boch is not only elevating its bathrooms business to a new level in terms of volume, but is also gaining access to significant additional growth potential. Ideal Standard’s manufacturing base in the fittings business, expertise in the project business and strong market positions in the UK, MENA and Italy will grant Villeroy & Boch improved market penetration and coverage of specific regions and product segments. These long-standing brands are now combining their strengths.

“The bathrooms sector remains a fast-moving global growth market, but it is a market in which scale effects will be increasingly important to remaining competitive and attracting future investment. For this reason alone, the acquisition represents the right strategic step for Villeroy & Boch. In addition, Ideal Standard is an excellent extension to our own business model. This heralds a new era for the Bathroom & Wellness Division and for Villeroy & Boch as a whole,” states Andreas Schmid, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Villeroy & Boch.

A prudent financial transaction

Villeroy & Boch will finance the transaction from existing cash and cash equivalents as well as with debt in the amount of approximately EUR 250 million. The transaction is subject to the usual regulatory reviews and approvals as well as the successful redemption of the EUR 325 million bond issued by Ideal Standard International S.A. In contrast to the usual pension and other obligations from the operating business, the bond and various financial liabilities are not part of the transaction.

“The merger is taking place on the basis of a solid financing structure. The existing loans at seller level are also not part of the transaction scope and will not be taken over by Villeroy & Boch at closing,” explains Villeroy & Boch CFO Dr Markus Warncke. The transaction is expected to be completed in early 2024.

Deutsche Bank AG served as financial advisor and White & Case served as legal advisor to Ideal Standard.

Media contact:
Email: csuess@idealstandard.com

Brussels, June 5, 2023 – Ideal Standard International S.A., a leading manufacturer of sanitaryware and fittings products in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, today announces that Jonas Nilsson, co-CEO & President Sanitary Ware Segment, will depart Ideal Standard effective June 30th.

Effective July 1st, Jan Peter Tewes, co-CEO and President Fittings Segment will assume the role of sole CEO.

Jonas Nilsson joined Ideal Standard in 2019 as Chief Operating Officer and, in 2021, was appointed as co-CEO alongside Jan Peter Tewes. Jonas will depart having led the successful reconfiguration of Ideal Standard’s manufacturing footprint and streamlining of our logistics networks. Under his leadership, our operations functions have significantly improved their performance across all areas, and continue to target higher levels of quality, cost efficiency, and supply chain optimization.

At the same time as paying tribute to Jonas Nilsson for his significant contributions to the company, the Board and shareholders congratulate Jan Peter Tewes on his elevation to the position of sole CEO. As the Company’s co-CEO since 2021 and former Chief Commercial Officer, Jan Peter Tewes is ideally placed to lead Ideal Standard in its further development, building on the leadership and vision he has already shown.

We'll be exhibiting at Salone del Mobile this year from 7th - 12th June in Milan.

Ideal Standard will exhibiting at the world's largest and most important interiors fair not just with innovative new designs but with Singular - a process that brings all our inspirational bathroom solutions together in one place to enable customers to bring design concepts to life, easily. Look out for Singular debuting at the show – and follow us on Instagram @idealstandardofficial for more previews.

Singular Solutions - Where it all comes together

Click here to find out more about the event

Brussels, 10 March 2022 – Ideal Standard is deeply saddened by the devastating war in Ukraine and the impact it is having on millions of innocent people. We join the global call for this incomprehensible and senseless war to end immediately.

Ideal Standard does not import any materials or goods from Russia, and we have ceased all operations in Russia until further notice. We will continue to provide support for our Russia based employees, and our concerns and empathy are with the Ukrainian people at this difficult time.

Ideal Standard has launched Singular™, a new approach to specification bringing together the company’s deep product knowledge, sector expertise and design services to enable customers to easily choose from thousands of products to create the right solution for their space.

Ideal Standard Singular is a simple, flexible process that means customers only need a single supplier and one dedicated point of contact but will still have access to unlimited inspirational bathroom solutions from a complete range of product categories, including brassware, ceramics, furniture, bathing, showering and accessories.

Singular was specifically developed to streamline bathroom design and simplify the selection process, while still inspiring creativity. It enables customers – from architects and designers to retailers, tradespeople and end users – to create tailored, holistic bathroom designs whether it is for hotels, offices, public spaces, healthcare facilities or homes.

Ideal Standard Singular is built on a thorough understanding of customer and sector needs, and showcases the company’s breadth of range, innovative product design and high-performance technologies, all of which combine to create solutions that make life easier for everyone. Whatever the bathroom type, design style or specific sector requirements, Singular offers everything to bring these concepts to life and to easily adjust them for a tailored result.

Whether customers are looking to create a shower room in the trend colour silk black, an elegant master bathroom using the timeless Linda-X collection, or a stand-out washroom centred around the iconic Tipo-Z washbasin, they can be confident that all products within the proposed solutions work together seamlessly, not just in terms of design but also performance.

Roberto Palomba, chief design officer at Ideal Standard, said: “To me, Singular represents a toolkit, one which every designer can use to find components for the perfect bathroom. It allows you to combine products, adapted across different models, finishes and sizes, to result in multiple solutions that all have their own identity. Singular is Ideal Standard’s definition of creativity, giving people choice in a way that simplifies the entire process.”

Jan Peter Tewes, joint CEO, added: “Whether it’s a small project or 100 bathrooms, our practical advice, bespoke design service and highly experienced team ensures we can support every project, creating harmony with the visual continuity of our product ranges. This gives our customers the opportunity to explore unlimited solutions from our wide product portfolio – all with an easy selection process that’s completely joined up. It’s not only a faster and easier way to make decisions, but a more efficient way for customers to get the solution they need on time and on budget.”

Ideal Standard Singular represents an evolution of the company’s mission to combine design and innovation to make life better for its customers. Underpinning the brand going forward, Singular will be showcased in a variety of inspirational materials, including Ideal Standard’s upcoming Sector Books series, that support customers in streamlining the specification process.

Ideal Standard, the expert provider of bathroom and washroom solutions, is helping specifiers to create beautiful, sustainable washrooms in a new era of hygiene with its holistic portfolio of design and performance-led commercial products.

The manufacturer has launched a new interactive washrooms brochure and solutions finder, enabling architects and designers to quickly input their requirements and instantly receive tailored information about which products will best suit a projects’ needs.

Ideal Standard’s innovative, award-winning commercial ranges have been developed to give specifiers everything they need to create more hygienic spaces that are also sustainable, comfortable and elegant. Whether they’re used in large hotels, public buildings, high-end restaurants or office spaces, Ideal Standard’s products will meet the daily, practical needs of the modern end-user in a post-pandemic world.

Jan Peter Tewes, CEO at Ideal Standard, said: “People’s expectations around hygiene have never been higher, with a greater need for reassurance that the washrooms they visit meet the most exacting standards. At Ideal Standard, we’re delivering solutions that not only meet this need but do so beautifully, too – that’s what we call ‘Hygiene Redefined’.

“Our brands around the world are led by experts in hygiene and design, and have been for decades. We know that any product that goes into these spaces needs to function flawlessly while also looking great and enhancing the environment for the user. By selecting from our award-winning portfolio, specifiers can create washrooms that are certain to exceed the expectations of every visitor.”

Over the last few years, Ideal Standard has brought various hygiene-led innovations to the market, most recently Intellimix. Designed to dispense both soap and water with every use and with the option to display timed handwashing instructions, Intellimix is completely touch-free, guaranteeing improved hygiene standards in public washrooms. Ideal for offices, leisure facilities and other high-traffic environments, such as shopping centres, hotels, restaurants and airports, the fitting significantly lowers running costs while being sustainable and reducing waste.

The innovative tap has won two coveted international design awards, the Red Dot Award for Product Design 2021 and the iF DESIGN AWARD 2021. Both recognise the highest standards of quality, innovation and functionality from product manufacturers across the globe.

To learn more about which solutions are best suited for a washroom project, visit your local website and discover Ideal Standard’s new interactive washrooms brochure and solutions finder.

Ideal Standard’s Together World Tour recently arrived in Paris for the fourth stop on its inspiring cinematic trip around the globe. The event on 21 October introduced Ideal Standard’s latest bathroom collection - i.life – and also showcased the stunning juxtaposition between the two faces of Paris.

The Together World Tour is an event series linked to six destinations – each selected on account of their famed contribution to design and culture. As it deepdives into the unique beauty of each city, Ideal Standard is simultaneously launching new product collections to the architecture and design community through an engaging and artistic format.

Following the success of the tour’s previous three events in Milan, Berlin and London, the latest event in the series takes inspiration from one of the world’s fashion capitals to offer unique trend insights and explore the evolution of bathroom design.

Ideal Standard’s co-chief executive officer Jan Peter Tewes said: “Paris is world renowned for its theatricality and couture, being home to some of the world’s most iconic designers and artists. Throughout history, it has introduced society to thousands of trends as style has evolved, so it felt only right for us to choose this location to showcase how we have finely tuned our own manufacturing processes throughout our 200 years of experience.

“Ideal Standard’s creative process is in never-ending interaction with research and experimentation, always with the goal of developing products of the highest quality. Through a cinematic digital experience, with Paris as our anchor, we were able to capture the evolution from the atelier society to the industrial world of bath ceramics and convey our true passion for bathroom design.”

The film treated viewers to an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Ideal Standard’s manufacturing plant, encapsulating the journey of a collection’s design and the innovative manufacturing process, which uses the latest technology to create a striking design.

Jan Peter continued: “An atelier is not just a physical place, but an iconic one where present masters teach future masters how to make things. They ensure reliability through tried and tested practices, while having the freedom to play and apply new techniques and technologies. For Ideal Standard, this means setting the highest quality goals, mass-producing but without neglecting the tiniest details that enhance the customer experience.”

The event also saw Ideal Standard unveil its i.life collection – a total bathroom solution for the everyday. Designed to bring beauty into any home, whatever the shape or size, i.life offers simplicity with pure lines creating a serene bathroom interior where function and practicality meet flawless beauty.

Crafted in collaboration with Italian design studio Palomba Serafini Associati, i.life enables users to create a bathroom interior they can enjoy day after day. Comprising a selection of basins, toilets and bidets characterised by soft, rounded ceramics and accessible design, i.life is both practical and beautiful, creating a serene environment and guaranteeing that even small spaces like guest bathrooms feel complete.

Speaking of the contemporary collection, Ideal Standard’s chief design officer, Roberto Palomba, said: “The i.life bathroom collection is a true example of design that creates a backdrop to good living; design that fosters a safe space for life and love to happen. It’s a smart, versatile collection where design, comfort and hygiene come together beautifully and we can’t wait for our customers to experience it in their homes.”

Ideal Standard also took the opportunity that the backdrop of Paris presented to showcase new products from its award-winning Atelier Collections – Extra, Linda-X and Tipo-Z.

Roberto continued: “Atelier is Ideal Standard’s very own version of haute couture – a beautifully crafted and curated project embodied in the eternal value of good design. With these products, we’ve been able to grasp the essence of time and translate it into designs that complement the evolution of society. Just as the greats that hail from Paris have proven, the foundation for timeless design is grounded in values, rather than trends, and that’s exactly what inspired our flagship Atelier Collections.”

The next event on the Together World Tour will take place in Dubai – the city of the future – on 22 November 2021. This event will take a journey into the evolution of modern architecture in Dubai and how the city’s diversity, young spirit, ambitious minds and vision are informing its future.

To register for future events, catch up on previous ones and access exclusive additional content, visit www.togetherworldtour.com.

Ideal Standard has proudly announced that Joy and Conca, two products from its Atelier Collections, have been recognised by internationally renowned design awards. Joy, a clean and modern tap fitting, has won an iF DESIGN AWARD, while the Conca washbasin has received both an iF DESIGN AWARD and a Red Dot Design Award.

The Atelier Collections are the result of Ideal Standard’s exclusive partnership with renowned Italian design studio Palomba Serafini Associati and represent the brand’s commitment to shaping the future of modern living through design. Co-founder of PS+A Roberto Palomba, who has been re-appointed as chief design officer of Ideal Standard, took inspiration from the manufacturer’s rich heritage when developing the collections, including the Joy tap fitting and Conca ceramic basin, aiming to bring together innovation and beauty for a timeless result.

Aesthetically, Joy draws from botanical grafts, with a single cast design ensuring a clean and modern piece that is easy to clean and available in four striking finishes: chrome, silver storm, brushed gold and magnetic grey. The sheer simplicity of Joy makes it extremely versatile, complementing both square and round ceramics and suiting a variety of bathroom styles. A sustainable option, it also reduces water consumption to 5L/min, while Ideal Standard’s pioneering FirmaFlow ceramic disc cartridge enables the finest temperature adjustments for a more comfortable user experience.

The Conca Ceramics range is part of the wider Conca collection, which includes brassware, furniture and bathtubs.

Organic curves and sensual details are central to Conca, with advanced technologies enabling not only new levels of purity in design due to the basin’s thin lines, but also an optimised and environmental conscious use of raw materials. Despite being designed for contemporary living, Conca is also rooted in Ideal Standard’s rich design history, having taken inspiration from the brand’s classic collection of the same name, designed by Paolo Tilche in 1972.

It was the two products’ unique and innovative design approaches that saw the independent panel of judges at the iF DESIGN AWARD bestow Joy and Conca with the sought-after accolade. The stunning, minimalistic design of Conca also impressed the Red Dot Design Award judges, who presented it with the revered seal of design quality.

Roberto Palomba, co-founder of PS+A and chief design officer at Ideal Standard, said: “We are delighted to have won these very important awards, which recognise the hard work and dedication that has gone into cementing Ideal Standard’s position as a leader in design. These awards encourage us to continue along this path.”

For more information on Joy and Conca, visit: Joy and Conca

For more information about the Atelier Collections, visit: Atelier Collections

Ideal Standard’s Intellimix® – a smart, sustainable solution for superior hygiene in shared spaces – has won two coveted international design awards, the Red Dot Award for Product Design 2021 and the iF DESIGN AWARD 2021. Both awards recognise the highest standards of quality, innovation and functionality from product manufacturers across the globe.

Designed to dispense both soap and water with every use, Intellimix is 100 per cent touch-free, guaranteeing improved hygiene standards in public washrooms. Ideal for offices, leisure facilities and other high-traffic environments, such as shopping centres, hotels and restaurants, the fitting has a clean, modern design and is also environmentally friendly, saving on resources and reducing waste.

Intellimix delivers an optimised digital wash cycle including soap and water every time, with the in-built TFT screen displaying clear instructions to enhance the handwashing experience. It can also be set to display a company logo or advertising image during idle times, while offering enhanced design freedom, with the fitting available in Chrome and Black Onyx versions.

Despite delivering an optimum volume of soap with every wash for improved hygiene, Intellimix actually reduces the overall amount of soap and water typically used in washrooms with traditional fittings, minimising waste and generating cost savings of up to 80 per cent on soap and 85 per cent on water.

It was this revolutionary take on handwashing and the product’s innovative design features that led the independent panel of judges at both awards to grant Intellimix the prestigious accolades.

With more than 18,000 entries, the Red Dot Award is one of the world's largest design competitions. Since its inception in 1955, the sought-after distinction Red Dot’ has been the revered international seal of outstanding design quality. Meanwhile, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been recognised as an arbiter of quality for exceptional design for 67 years and is one of the most important design prizes in the world, receiving more than 10,000 entries this year alone.

Bert Depiere, vice president of fittings at Ideal Standard, said: “We are delighted that Intellimix has been recognised by awarding bodies so revered in the design community. For years, these awards have shone a light on the very best in design and we’re proud to be amongst their recipients this year. Now, more than ever, shared spaces need to be designed to protect users' health and wellbeing. Winning these awards is a clear acknowledgement that Intellimix represents an important step forward when it comes to raising hygiene standards in public washrooms, while of course improving sustainability and enriching the handwashing experience for end users.”

From 22 June 2021, Intellimix will be showcased in the exhibition ’Design on Stage’ in the Red Dot Design Museum Essen.

For more information about Intellimix, visit: https://intellimix.co

Brussels, 7 May 2021 – Ideal Standard International, the leading provider of high-quality residential, commercial and healthcare bathroom solutions, announces today that it intends to appoint Jonas Nilsson and Jan Peter Tewes jointly to lead the Group in the position of Chief Executive Officers following the departure of Torsten Türling.

Jan Peter Tewes joined Ideal Standard International in October 2018 as Chief Commercial Officer and Jonas Nilsson joined in January 2019 as Chief Operating Officer. Consequent to a reorganization of the company into Business Segments back in September 2020, Jonas Nilsson was appointed as President Sanitary Ware, and Jan Peter Tewes as President Fittings in addition to his role as Chief Commercial Officer.

The organization into Segments marks the successful completion of a major transformation. Both Jonas Nilsson and Jan Peter Tewes have been instrumental in leading the change. Today, the company's operations footprint is technologically upgraded, the business as a whole is more streamlined, stronger and better aligned to meet its customers' needs, and its brands are recognised for their leadership in Innovation & Design. The new ring logo, first introduced in 2017, has become an established trademark as a symbol for the company's ‘Together for Better’ culture.

Before joining Ideal Standard, Jan Peter Tewes served as Executive Vice President Building Europe at Uponor, where he was a member of the Group’s Executive Committee. Prior to that he spent over 10 years at Grohe in various leadership roles. In 2012 he was appointed Chief Marketing Officer and member of Grohe’s Global Management Team.

Key assignments of Jonas Nilsson prior to Ideal Standard include President Europe, Africa and South America at the automotive supplier IAC Group, President Europe & Africa at Autoliv AB, Chief Operating Officer at Franke Kitchen Systems Group and various Operational and Divisional roles at Visteon Corporation and Lear Corporation.

Graham Oldroyd, Chairman of the Board commented: ‘On behalf of the Board, I would like to congratulate Jan Peter Tewes and Jonas Nilsson on their future new roles. Individually, each is already an accomplished leader with a successful track record. Together, they bring a wealth of experience to the direction of Ideal Standard.’

togetherworldtour.com

The Together World Tour will address the international community of Architecture & Design through an innovative fusion of digital content and physical interactions, across six world capitals: Milan, Berlin, London, Paris, Dubai and Shanghai. The event will unveil exclusive world-premiere product launches, dwell deeply into the design culture of each of these cities and offer a series of “unforgettable moments”. It aims at combining the best of the two worlds, digital and personal, with the ambition to inspire and entertain.

“The Together World Tour begins on April 21 in Milan, the capital of design and home of the Global Design Centre of Ideal Standard. This city for so long has been the source of our inspiration. The event will be an energetic story bringing to life the fashion and lifestyle inherent to Milan” says Ideal Standard’s Chief Design Officer, Roberto Palomba. Torsten Türling, Chief Executive Officer of Ideal Standard, explains why he believes this approach is the future for the brand and for the industry: “New times require new solutions: rather than simply offer an online showroom, we have invented a new way to connect with our customer base all around the world, digital and personal, a dynamic experience enabling us to explore the values of our brand and resulting in what we believe will be a journey of unforgettable moments of inspiration and delight.”

The first event of the Together World Tour will be held on April 21st, 2021. It begins in Milan and will then continue throughout 2021 and into 2022 visiting 6 global capitals.

togetherworldtour.com

Brussels, March 18, 2021

The Ideal Standard Board of Directors has terminated discussions with Villeroy & Boch regarding a potential business combination. Ideal Standard has strong prospects and will continue to execute its strategy.

About Ideal Standard International

Ideal Standard International is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality residential, commercial and healthcare bathroom solutions. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the privately-owned company employs almost 9,500 people and operates 17 manufacturing sites, serving over 60 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Using the latest technologies and working with world class designers, the company is focused on developing innovative bathroom solutions across multiple product categories including bathroom Ceramics, Taps & Fittings, Bathing & Wellness and Furniture & Accessories. Its products are sold under strong international and local brands such as Ideal Standard, Armitage Shanks (UK), Porcher (France), Ceramica Dolomite (Italy) and Vidima (Eastern Europe).

Contact

Mr Wolfgang Schiller
Vice-President Human Resources & Communication
Corporate Village – Gent Building Da Vincilaan 2
B-1935 Zaventem
Belgium
Email: media@idealstandard.com

In 2019, Ideal Standard, one of the leading manufacturers of Ceramic sanitary ware and bathroom faucets in Europe, with annual sales of approximately €730m, successfully completed its 3-year transformation program.

Significant investment, for example in new manufacturing technology, as well as the launch of new products including the highly-acclaimed Atelier design collection and the innovative WC pre-wall system ProSys, were instrumental in achieving the 20% earnings improvement versus the prior year.

Ideal Standard is privately owned by Anchorage Capital and CVC Credit Partners. The shareholders always explore all potential options to best secure the future strategic development of Ideal Standard, either as a stand-alone business or in synergetic combination with other marketing leading players, especially given the company’s successful turnaround, and in the context of the continued consolidation of the bathroom industry.