A look back
The world of Geberit in 2017.

New Managing Director at the production plant in Pune (IN)

Bruno Rubino, who was born in the city of Gaeta on the southern coast of Italy, worked for 21 years as Head of Production at the Italian ceramics brand Pozzi-Ginori. Everything is going to be different this year, with the decisive Italian embarking on a new adventure that will see him take over as Managing Director of the Geberit production plant in the Indian city of Pune – a whole 7,845 km away from his family.

Impressive VIP lounge at Frankfurt Airport (DE)

The new VIP lounge at Frankfurt Airport is perfect for anyone looking for relaxation and privacy before or after their flight or when waiting for their connection. Away from the hustle and bustle, passengers can enjoy a spacious lounge area and eight individually designed private suites. The sanitary facilities are also designed to a high luxury standard, with custom-made marble floors and shelf surfaces as well as AquaClean Mera shower toilets from Geberit a standard feature in the bathrooms in the VIP lounge and in the suites.

A moving campaign film for markets outside Europe

In a heart-warming story that forms the basis of the successful campaign film, a bathroom is shown over the decades. The focus here is on the quality and durability of the Geberit products. The film proves popular, with markets such as Turkey and South Africa as well as sales staff in the Gulf region, Israel, India, China and Singapore showing interest in the film.

Duofix installation element installed at a lofty height

The self-employed sanitary expert Dejan Jelusics from Radovljica (SI) manages to easily combine work and recreation. With a Duofix installation element on his back, he heads off for the top of Begunjscica, where a new toilet is going to be installed in the Roblek Hut. Despite the long ascent, the view makes up for everything, explains the plumber.

The new Geberit tap system put to the test

With the new tap system from Geberit, it is possible to install wall-mounted taps without any errors at the first attempt. As part of a practical trial, Geberit invited a dozen plumbers from Germany and Switzerland to attempt to install the tap system without any flaws. They received prototypes of all the required products as well as a draft of the installation manual. The work went smoothly, with all the participants successfully installing the system without any errors. Conclusion: the tap system delivers on its promise.

A look back at a successful partnership

Geberit has been working together with the industrial designer Christoph Behling for around ten years – and with great success. Exceptional products that met the highest design standards were created during this time. The designer stepped in front of the camera in order to take a look back at this long-standing partnership. The result is a series of short films in which he talks about selected products, such as the new tap system, the premium shower toilet AquaClean Mera and the actuator plate Sigma70.

The chemist Roland Widler also has solutions to complex issues

Issues that arise in the area of applied chemistry often land on Roland Widler’s desk. Instead of occasionally pulling a couple of plausible-sounding guesses out of a hat, the qualified chemist always proceeds with the methodology and thoroughness that characterise a scientist. And that’s a good thing too. After all, solutions and recommendations that meet Geberit’s quality standards can only be developed using substantiated results.

Friends, Munich (DE)

"Smart sharing" is a core feature of the luxury residential building Friends. The residents share roof terraces and event kitchens, both of which can also be rented by other parties. The 260 spacious residential units, on the other hand, are geared towards private luxury. The building’s technical installations were also carefully planned, as aptly demonstrated by their low-noise design. This is largely down to Geberit Silent-db20, an acoustically and hydraulically optimised drainage system that carries out its work both quietly and effectively.

Geberit products win over customers and jury

Outstanding technological know-how coupled with top-class design doesn’t just go down well with customers, with Geberit products once again winning over the jurors at renowned design awards this year thanks to their design and functionality.

Expansion of the logistics centre in Pfullendorf (DE)

When a wholesaler in Europe places an order with Geberit, the consignment will in all probability be handled in the central logistics centre. Given the increasing sales volume and against the backdrop of rapid technological changes in logistics, Geberit expanded its infrastructure, adding 20,000 m² of usable floor space, a completely new storage area for long goods, another high-bay warehouse and an automatic small-parts warehouse as well as new picking stations.

Geberit posts excellent annual results

The 2016 financial year was shaped by a positive environment in the construction industry and the integration of the ceramics business. The excellent results allowed Geberit to further consolidate its position as the leading supplier of sanitary products in Europe. Net sales increased by 8.3% to CHF 2,809.0 million. Operating profit (EBIT) adjusted for special effects in connection with the Sanitec acquisition increased by 16.2% to CHF 686.5 million. Adjusted net income rose by 18.4% to CHF 584.0 million.

Strong showing at the ISH in Frankfurt (DE)

Geberit takes advantage of its appearance at the ISH – the sanitary industry’s leading international trade fair – to get an overview of the developments and trends in the market. After all, trends play an important role in the world of bathroom design. At the same time, Geberit also presents its new positioning with the claims "Design Meets Function" and "Know-How Installed". The Geberit and Keramag brands appearing together at the booths for the first time represents an important step.

Geberit South Africa opens a training centre in Johannesburg (ZA)

Geberit inaugurates its first training centre in South Africa with musical and acrobatic performances. The centrepiece of the training centre is an impressive, three-storey drainage tower – the first of its kind in Africa. The tower was designed exactly like the one at the Geberit Information Centre in Jona (CH). The training centre also features a modern exhibition space, in which Geberit’s world of ceramics will be presented.

Geberit presents its new products for 2017

This year, numerous innovative products and sophisticated solutions once again succeeded in generating excitement in the markets. Discover our new products in the picture gallery.

18th General Meeting of Geberit AG

At the 18th General Meeting of Geberit AG, Chairman of the Board of Directors Albert M. Baehny welcomes the shareholders and summarises the very good results. CEO Christian Buhl then gives an overview of the 2016 financial year and provides an outlook for 2017. The shareholders appreciate the fact that the integration of the ceramics business is proceeding according to plan and acknowledge the results achieved, approving all the proposals submitted by the Board of Directors.

The new shower toilet AquaClean Tuma presented in style

Twenty-one journalists take up the Nordic sales company’s invitation and attend the presentation of the AquaClean Tuma at the Embassy of Switzerland in Copenhagen. Outside on a bathing jetty, the Tuma poses with the skill of a catwalk model, with the unusual presentation captivating the journalists attending the evening event. Anyone wanting to fully convince themselves of the benefits of a shower toilet can do so in the guest toilet.

The new version of the Pluvia roof drainage system gets a new market image

A more compact design and an innovative rotating lock bar promise easier installation and maintenance. Geberit highlighted these benefits when announcing the changes to the redesigned Pluvia roof outlets and simultaneously introduced a new Pluvia campaign with the claim “Let it rain”. The campaign was headed up by Product Manager Heidi Owegeser and Marketing Campaign Manager Lamya Kabbesch.

Swedish advisors increase awareness

While virtually everyone in Sweden knows the toilets and washbasins from the ceramics brand Ifö, the sanitary technology from Geberit is an almost unknown quantity for many. In order to change this situation as quickly as possible, the local advisors are currently trying to convince customers of the benefits of this technology – and successfully so. With building owners now opting for a combination of Geberit technology and Ifö ceramic sanitary appliances in several current construction projects, this work is really paying off.

Benefits and functionality explained in a flash thanks to animated cartoons

In addition to the computer-generated installation and functionality videos, animated cartoons have also been created at Geberit for the past two years in close cooperation between communication, training and product specialists. The comic style helps to simplify the complexity of a topic. In these cartoons, the narrator guides the viewer from the problem to the solution in logical steps. The extremely positive feedback we have received from the markets shows that this approach is working. But don’t just take our word for it – check it out for yourself.

Official launch of the Geberit AquaClean in Russia

Special events, such as the launch of the shower toilet on the Russian market, simply have to be celebrated. The Russian sales team couldn’t agree more and – without further ado – organised two Swiss-style events. Over 200 designers and architects gather on the red carpet rolled out in the company’s own showroom, with designer Christoph Behling – who co-designed the Geberit AquaClean Mera – travelling all the way from London to present the new shower toilet on site.

The AquaClean test toilets are welcome guests at events

Geberit AquaClean is once again at numerous events this year in order to familiarise a wide audience with hygienic cleaning with water. At the events, at which the AquaClean Mera and Sela models never fail to impress, interested parties can take a close look at the shower toilets and form their own impression by trying them out for themselves – an opportunity that is always actively made use of.

Continuation of a successful cooperation

In cooperation with the German magazine "Wohnidee", Geberit equipped two special suites owned by the hotel chain Radisson Blu with beautiful bathroom oases: the Bohemian Loft in Cologne and the Classic Monochrome in Frankfurt. Following the conversion, it is not just the bathrooms in the exclusive suites that boast a top-class interior.

Geberit India announces the sale of millionth concealed cistern

The concealed cistern is an unparalleled success story at Geberit. A version that has been tailored to suit local conditions has also caught on in the Indian market. However, a lot of persuading had to be done before arriving at this point. With the sale of the millionth concealed cistern, it would be fair to say that these efforts at persuasion have certainly paid off!

The Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design, Bergen (NO)

The new Faculty of Fine Art at the University of Bergen is the city’s second-largest cultural institution. A 19,000 m³ project hall is at the heart of this new faculty. Around it, 32 modern workshops house the whole range of art disciplines, from woodwork and ceramic design right through to a recording studio. The rain is efficiently drained from the roof using the Geberit Pluvia roof drainage system, collected in a tank and then supplied to the green spaces.

Effective AquaClean campaign in Belgium

In Belgium, the local sales team devised a special AquaClean campaign. Since 2014, selected restaurants and hotels – such as the gourmet temple The Jane in Antwerp, the four-star hotel Harmony in Ghent as well as the one-Michelin-starred restaurant La Truffe Noire and the Hilton Grand Place in Brussels – have been fitted with shower toilets. Thanks to this campaign, thousands upon thousands of people have since had the opportunity to try out a Geberit shower toilet.

Geberit – an exciting training organisation

In Switzerland, Germany and Austria, several youths and young adults successfully complete their apprenticeship at Geberit each year. During their training period, the apprentices and students participating in dual programmes spend time in different departments, thus getting to know the finer points of their professional field. In the picture gallery, three apprentices give an insight into their field of activity.

Sale of Geberit AquaClean shower toilets to begin in Sweden from 2018

The launch of AquaClean shower toilets in Sweden was kicked off with a shower of golden confetti. The AquaClean Mera, Sela and Tuma models starred at the sparkling employee event. Ronnie Persson, Managing Director of Geberit Sweden, got the employees excited about the campaign launch. While he spoke about the tremendous opportunities that the product family offers, Jeanette Smårs, responsible for the AquaClean sales in Sweden, described how Geberit will help the AquaClean brand succeed in Sweden.

The Geberit Group in the first half of 2017

Overall, net sales fell by 0.7% to CHF 1,469.3 million in the first six months of the year. However, currency-adjusted net sales in organic terms improved by 2.8%. Adjusted operating profit (adj. EBIT) was down 2.7% to CHF 379.7 million, while adjusted net income declined by 4.0% to CHF 319.9 million.

Bürgenstock Resort, Obbürgen (CH)

With the Bürgenstock Resort, a piece of tourism history is now shining in new splendour. The flagship of the new resort – the Bürgenstock Hotel with its dark limestone facade – was built in the most prominent position, overlooking Lake Lucerne. The Bürgenstock Resort has something for everyone – whether congress participants, those looking to relax or those looking to engage in more active pursuits. One common denominator is the Geberit AquaClean Sela shower toilet, which can be found in all the bathrooms in the three main buildings – the Palace, the Bürgenstock Hotel and the Medical Wellness Waldhotel.

Special assignment at a vocational school in Odessa (UA)

The vocational school in Odessa, Ukraine, is urgently in need of renovation. As part of this year’s social project, nine apprentices from Geberit renovate the school’s sanitary facilities. Under professional guidance, the Geberit team and students from the vocational school spend two weeks tearing down walls, laying feed and discharge pipes, and installing new concealed cisterns and toilets.

Ground-breaking ceremony for new production and administration building

Geberit is investing around 35 million euros in the modernisation of its German production site in Langenfeld (DE). If everything goes according to plan, most of the some 600 employees will be able to move into new workplaces in the spring of 2019. A modern building concept and the switch from job shop production to line production will then enable shorter paths and more efficient processes.

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa and "The Silo", Cape Town (ZA)

Grain was stored in silo number 5 until 1990. However, the old silo has now been revived. Several of the 42 compactly arranged tube chambers have been carved out to form an imposing hollow space that serves as an atrium. Around two-thirds of the total useful floor area of 9,500 m² is reserved for various art exhibitions. The upper floors are home to the five-star hotel "The Silo". For structural reasons, lightweight prewall systems were the best solution when it came to planning and designing the sanitary facilities in the 28 suites. The perfect solution was soon found in Geberit Duofix.

Award for Switzerland’s best annual report in 2016

As part of the Swiss Annual Report Rating, over 230 annual reports from listed companies are analysed and evaluated each year by a jury of experts based on content-related and formal criteria. At this year’s event, the final jury chose Geberit’s 2016 annual report as the winner from a shortlist of the twelve best reports. The online report is supplemented by a printed and bound Annual Chronicle that gives readers a look behind the scenes, a printed Summary Report and a Facts & Figures brochure.

20th anniversary of the Building Technology and Acoustics Laboratory in Rapperswil-Jona (CH)

In October 1997, Geberit opened its Building Technology and Acoustics Laboratory, a unique competence centre for realistic tests and measurements in the area of statics and acoustics. Most of the laboratory building is acoustically decoupled from the surroundings so that neither noise from traffic nor other noises from outside can interfere with the sound measurements. In addition to sound measurements, statics tests and standardised load tests are also carried out in the Building Technology and Acoustics Laboratory.

New training facilities for Italian customers

The Italian sales team opens new training facilities at the ceramics plant in Gaeta; these comprise a theory room and twelve sample bathrooms. The new facilities, where the sales team presents the entire range of solutions from Geberit and Pozzi-Ginori, are designed to appeal to architects and showroom staff who work at wholesalers. When designing the bathrooms, special care was therefore taken to highlight the technical and functional innovations.

International House, Sydney (AU)

A refreshing example of sustainable office architecture was recently built in Sydney. An impressive 2,000 m³ of cross-laminated timber and 950 m³ of glued laminated timber are used in the seven-floor building. The roof is drained by Geberit Pluvia. The reliable system, which is based on the principle of negative pressure, enables a maximum discharge capacity with a comparably low number of roof outlets and small pipe diameters.

Top architect Wolf D. Prix visits Geberit in Turkey

In cooperation with the YEM – Turkey’s Building Information Centre – Geberit Turkey convinced the famous Austrian architect Wolf D. Prix from Coop Himmelb(l)au to appear as a guest speaker in Istanbul. At the event, Mr Prix gave the 650 architects in attendance his opinion on how robotics and 3D printing technology will radically change the industry by massively reducing building times.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (AE)

Lovers of art and architecture are guaranteed to get their money’s worth at the newly opened Louvre Abu Dhabi. The exhibition spaces and areas designated for other uses are located in 55 individual cubes of different sizes. Only a few scattered rays of sunshine find their way into the interior through the steel dome’s ornately perforated shell, creating a cleverly orchestrated play of light and shade. When it came to the sanitary facilities, the owners banked on the strengths of various Geberit products, including the company’s characteristic blue Duofix installation elements.

Geberit and Pozzi-Ginori fund restoration of the Comodo di Cosimo

The "Palazzo Vecchio" in Florence (IT) is one of the most famous buildings of the Renaissance. A part of the spacious palace is currently being renovated. This section is also home to the "Comodo" – said to have been the personal bathroom of the influential banker Cosimo de’ Medici. The long overdue restoration of the "Comodo di Cosimo", which is adorned with numerous frescoes from famous artists such as Giorgio Vasari and Marco da Faenza, is being carried out by a specialist company. The restoration is being sponsored by Geberit and Pozzi-Ginori.

A new corporate design for Geberit

With the acquisition of Sanitec in 2014, Geberit had considerably expanded its product range in front of the wall in one fell swoop. In addition to plumbers and sanitary engineers, the company’s customers now also include end users, interior designers and showroom operators. It was therefore only a matter of time before the corporate design was adapted. The introduction of the slogan "Design Meets Function" also ensures that the brand will also become considerably more attractive to the new customer segments.

Change in the Group Executive Board of Geberit AG

Michael Reinhard is retiring after 13 years at Geberit. He joined Geberit in 2005 as a member of the Group Executive Board with responsibility for the Group Division Sales. From 2006 until 2016, he was Head of Group Division Products. Since then, he has been Head of Group Division Operations. The Board of Directors of Geberit AG has appointed Martin Ziegler as his successor. Martin Ziegler was most recently responsible for 13 of the Group’s production plants.