Sanitaryware

The European ceramic sanitaryware industry directly employs approximately 22,000 people and has an annual turnover of € 4.5 billion. The industry is characterised on the one side by the concentration of big multinational groups and on the other side by the vertical integration of SMEs. Its performance is strictly related to the development of the building and renovation markets.

In the European political debate the industry is particularly active on product standardisation and on environmental legislation, like energy saving and eco-sustainability. Indeed, the industry has largely invested in technologies for waste recovery and energy saving, as energy consumption represents a relevant part of the total production costs.

The European ceramic sanitaryware industry is focused on high quality products which are tailored to the specific requirements of the end consumers and are accompanied by excellent pre- and post- sales services. A particular effort is also devoted to the promotion of brand policies at European and international level. In the last years the European industry is facing the growing competition of emerging countries, which are characterised by lower production costs and less stringent environmental rules.

FECS - Fédération Européenne des Fabricants de Céramiques Sanitaires - promotes the interests of the ceramic sanitaryware industry at European level. The association was established in Geneva in 1954 and moved to Brussels in 2009. Today it represents six national trade associations and companies of the European Union, Turkey and Switzerland.