Ideal Standard

Ideal Standard International S. A. (Abbreviation Ideal Standard ) is a Belgian corporation in the legal form of a Société anonyme with registered office in Brussels. The company manufactures plumbing equipment, bathroom furniture, fittings and baths and shower trays. It employs over 17,000 people in 40 plants and 39 sales offices and is active in more than 30 countries. The main brands are: Ideal Standard, Armitage Shanks, JADO, Porcher, Ceramica Dolomite and Vidima. The company is divided into three divisions: Ideal Standard International - EMEA, Asia and Ideal Standard International Ideal Standard Incesa.

• 2.1 JADO
• 2.2 Porcher

History

The History of Ideal Standard is closely linked to the history of American Standard Companies. With the expansion of American Standard through acquisitions and mergers, these were followed accordingly by regional subsidiaries. As an independent company Ideal Standard is present on the market since late 2007.

2006, approximately 13,000 people are employed at 29 locations in Europe at Ideal Standard. In July 2007, American Standard announced and Bain Capital, that Bain Capital will take over the bath and kitchen product division of American Standard for $ 1.745 billion. The acquisition was completed by December 2007. On the fifth November 2007, the new company name of Ideal Standard International, Bain Capital was announced. Three weeks later, found the presentation of the new corporate identity, a brand design and the aim to guide the bathroom into the digital age, instead.

Since the first of January 2010, David Hamill CEO of Ideal Standard International. At the beginning of 2011, Ideal Standard International announced that three plants, two in France and one in the UK, will be closed. Coupled with the closure of the establishments is the loss of 560 jobs. The reason for this was the sharp decline in the construction of almost 19 % by the ongoing financial crisis since 2007.

Germany

The Ideal Standard Germany GmbH is the German subsidiary of Ideal Standard International. It was founded on April 30, 1901 under the name National Radiator mbH in Berlin as a subsidiary of the American Radiator Corporation of New York. The production of radiators and boilers of cast iron for housing began in 1902 in Beautiful Beck on the Elbe. As early as 1903 went managing Beautiful Beck to Berlin, where the company operated under the symbol Narag ever since.

A second production facility was established in 1904 in the Rhine Neuss. The entry into the German plumbing business was a result of the merger of parent company American Radiator Corporation New York with the Standard Sanitary Corporation for American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation in 1929., The German subsidiary of the Standard Sanitary Corporation was incorporated into the Narag. The new company produced and is now also sold enameled bathtubs, brass fittings and sanitary ware made ​​of crystal porcelain.

In 1950, the name was changed to Ideal Standard GmbH. The headquarters of Ideal Standard Germany is located since 1956 in Bonn.

In addition to the headquarters in Bonn, the valve manufacturer's plant in Wittlich belongs to the Moselle to Ideal Standard Germany. The plant was put into operation on June 2, 1964 and today employs around 650 people. By 1969, more radiators were manufactured in the factory. At the beginning of the acquisition of the new JADO participation was assigned to the plant Wittlich.

United Kingdom and Ireland

On the second February 1999 Ideal Standard UK announced the acquisition of Armitage Shanks Ltd.. known. Thus, the position in the UK increased. Revenue rose to over £ 200 million and the number of employees increased to 3300, working at 15 locations, including Ireland, in production and sales. As part of the restructuring of the company, as a result of the merger in February, it was announced in June that four plants were closed and 580 jobs will be deleted.

With the purchase of four subsidiary of Ireland-based company torment Ceram Shire plc in July 2009, the market position in the UK and Ireland has been strengthened. The acquired companies are: Shires Ireland Limited, Quay Bathroom Limited, Quality Ceramics ( Arklow ) Limited and Quality Ceramics ( Sales) Limited. These are active with the brands torment Ceram, Shires, Selecta and Trent Bathrooms in the Irish and UK market.

Brands

Ideal Standard is the core brand of the company. In the international market, the JADO and American Standard (Asia, Pacific and Latin America) brand is present. For the local markets are the trademarks Incesa Standard ( Latin America), Armitage Shanks and Sottini, spoiled Ceram, Shires, Selecta and Trent Bathrooms ( UK), borma (Denmark), Ceramica Dolomite (Italy ), Porcher (France and Latin America), Sangra (Spain ), Venlo (Netherlands) and Vidima ( Eastern Europe).

In product development, the combination of functionality and design plays a central role. For this reason, standard works ideal together with internationally renowned designers and architects such as Jasper Morrison, Marc Sadler, Ronen Joseph, Franco Bertoli, ArteFakt and Studio Levien.

JADO

Since 2000, Ideal Standard in the European brand JADO is involved. JADO develops and manufactures designer faucets, showers and accessories for the bathroom and kitchen. JADO works with internationally renowned designers such as ArteFakt, Matteo Thun, Jean Nouvel and Christian Bjørn Design.

In 1890 JADO was founded as Jans & Roth as a manufacturer of luggage fittings and accessories for leather goods in Offenbach. Fifty-nine years later, the company changed its name to Jans & Heinsdorf GmbH and produced furniture fittings. In the 1970s, a new brand identity was developed. With the introduction of the brand JADO this development was completed in 1975. The 1980s are characterized by expansion and the acquisition of Wils & Co. In 1992, the business units and sanitary fittings are brought together under JADO and the company converted into a public limited company. The year 2000 is marked by the majority stake of Ideal Standard GmbH JADO. Two years later, the Danish manufacturer borma, a valve manufacturer, accepted. The conversion of a public company into a GmbH is carried out in 2005. The years 2006 and 2007 are characterized by the complete takeover of JADO by Ideal Standard.

Porcher

With the acquisition of the French company Porcher in 1992 strengthened its position in the Ideal Standard French market. Porcher is located in Roissy -en -France, which also has a training center is operated, the trains about 800 installers annually.

Antitrust investigations

Counter seventeen European sanitary manufacturers, the European Commission established from 2004 for operating a cartel and antitrust violations. The highest amount had to pay for Ideal Standard International, with 326.1 million euros. The investigation was completed in 2010. Through such agreements in the course of the spin-off from American Standard in Trane Inc. and WABCO and the sale to Bain Capital undertaking by have been submitted for Ideal Standard International that Trane Inc. and WABCO take the appropriate fines.

Awards (selection)

Over the more than one hundred year history, a variety of awards for products from Ideal Standard has been awarded, among other things:

• 2011: Design Plus Award for the fitting E-Vision
• 2009: red dot design award and iF Design Award for the ceramic series Celebrated SimplyU.
• 2006: European Product Award, awarded by EDT for the thermostat technology m-tech and red dot design award for the kitchen faucet CeraLuna