Launch of the new global market leader

Luxembourg, April 1, 2015 –LIXIL Water Technology (LWT) commences operations today. It is headquartered in Luxembourg and led by David J. Haines, the Chairman and CEO of the Board of GROHE Group S.à r.l. LWT operates across 150 countries, manages two R&D centers of excellence – in Germany and Japan – and manufactures products across 50 production facilities worldwide.

LIXIL Water Technology is part of the LIXIL Corporation that has now received all relevant regulatory clearances to commence global operations as four core businesses. The businesses are LIXIL Water Technology, which has the widest global reach; as well as LIXIL Housing Technology; LIXIL Building Technology; and LIXIL Kitchen Technology. This reorganization will accelerate LIXIL’s globalization and growth efforts.

With its global brands GROHE, American Standard, JOYOU and LIXIL/INAX, LWT commands leading market positions in the most important core markets. It covers the four sales regions of Japan, EMEA , the Americas and Asia. Each region has prime responsibility for one of the four LWT brands. LWT’s global sales structure is notably characterised by its diversity, encompassing a variety of brands and product categories offered in multiple markets and sales channels. This means LIXIL Water Technology can provide its customers with unique, professional complete bathroom solutions. LWT already boasts impressive figures and substantial growth potential.

“One of LIXIL Water Technology’s special strengths lies in pooling our broad-based, proven expertise,” said David J. Haines. “All of the brands in our global business will benefit from this cumulative know-how, giving them the ideal springboard for successful development and growth going forward. At the same time, each brand value will continue to prevail, and the brands themselves will remain independent within LWT.”

The American Standard Brands leadership remains unchanged, with Steve Delarge as acting CEO. “This new model will be enhancing our relationship with customers as the benefits of our global scale and leadership improve our ability to meet their expectations,” Delarge said.

About LIXIL

Corporation Headquartered in Tokyo, LIXIL Corporation is a global leader in housing and building materials, products and services business. The foundation of LIXIL’s success is our constant investment in technological innovation to improve people’s lives. Drawing on a heritage of over 100 years of technological innovation, LIXIL is grouped into four technology businesses, LIXIL Water Technology (brands include: LIXIL, INAX, GROHE, American Standard, JOYOU, and JAXSON), LIXIL Housing Technology (includes Tostem, Shinnikkei, and TOEX brands, etc.), LIXIL Building Technology (including the Permasteelisa Group) and LIXIL Kitchen Technology. LIXIL Japan Company is the fifth business of the LIXIL Corporation and operates as a customer-focused sales organization with the most comprehensive range of products and services from all four technologies to customers and business partners in Japan. LIXIL produces some of the world’s most fundamental and innovative products and services, and our solutions are an integral part of some of the world’s most iconic and cutting-edge living and working spaces LIXIL brands are present in 150 countries and our businesses employ more than 80,000 people worldwide. LIXIL brings together technology, quality, design and sustainability to enhance people’s lives around the world.

About LIXIL Group Corporation

LIXIL Group Corporation (TSE Code: 5938) is the listed holding company containing LIXIL Corporation, LIXIL VIVA CORPORATION and LIXIL Housing Research Institute, Ltd. The Group is involved in a broad spectrum of housing-related businesses, ranging from the manufacture and sales of building materials and housing equipment to the operation of home centers and a network of homebuilding franchises, and a comprehensive real estate service. Led by President and CEO Yoshiaki Fujimori, the Group posted 1.6 trillion JPY in consolidated sales in FY March 2014.

For more information about LIXIL Group and LIXIL, please visit: http://www.lixil-group.co.jp/e/

About the GROHE Group

The GROHE Group comprises Grohe AG, Hemer; Joyou AG, Hamburg and other GROHE subsidiaries in foreign markets. The GROHE Group is the world’s leading provider of sanitary fittings. With its global GROHE brand, the GROHE Group has relied on its brand values of technology, quality, design and responsibility for decades to deliver “Pure Freude an Wasser”. With the JOYOU brand, the Group covers the fast-growing Chinese market. Spearheaded by GROHE Group S.à r.l., Luxembourg, the GROHE Group has a global workforce of around 10,000 people (including some 4,000 at JOYOU). There are about 2,400 employees working at GROHE in Germany. With three production plants in Germany as well as several plants in other markets, the GROHE Group generated consolidated sales of €1.58 billion in 2014 according to preliminary figures. The GROHE Group, which was taken over by the LIXIL Group and the Development Bank of Japan in January 2014, currently generates some 85 percent of its sales outside Germany. The LIXIL Group is the global leader in the building materials and housing equipment industries.

For further information, please visit: http://www.grohe-group.com

About American Standard

American Standard make life healthier, safer and more beautiful at home, at work, in the community and throughout the world. Offering total project solutions for residential and commercial customers around the world with respected brands such as American Standard®, DXV™, Safety Tubs®, Crane Plumbing®, Eljer®, Fiat® and Decorative Panels International®. American Standard Brands is owned by LIXIL Corporation (TSE Code 5938), a global building products company.

Learn more at www.americanstandard.com, or follow us at twitter.com/AmStandard, https://www.facebook.com/AmericanStandardPlumbing. 

Media Contact:

American Standard Brands Nora DePalma

Phone: 770.772.4726

Email: nora.depalma@oreilly-depalma.com

GROHE Group S.à r.l.

1B, Heienhaff L-1736 Luxembourg-Sennigerberg

Dr. Ulrike Heuser-Greipl Senior Vice President Public & Investor Relations

E-mail: ulrike.heuser-greipl@grohe.com

Media contact for GROHE: HERING SCHUPPENER 

Unternehmensberatung für Kommunikation GmbH Berliner Allee 44 D-40212 Düsseldorf

Phone: +49.(0)211.430 79-266/-289

E-mail: grohe@heringschuppener.com

Media contact for JOYOU: KIRCHHOFF Consult AG

Herrengraben 1 D-20459 Hamburg

Phone: +49 (0)40 60 91 86 0

E-mail: jens.hecht@kirchhoff.de