Bathroom Brand Roundup: Hansgrohe, Grohe, INAX

TL;DR: A quick roundup of what the big bathroom brands are up to right now. Grohe is pairing with a musical theater production in Shanghai. INAX is running a free maintenance program for smart toilets. Hansgrohe just threw a massive 125th anniversary party at its German headquarters. And Huayi just wrapped up its acquisition of the British brand FRANCIS.

Hansgrohe Turns 125

On June 12-13, Hansgrohe hosted a 125th anniversary celebration at its headquarters in Schiltach, Germany. The event ran two days: an evening gala for partners and clients, followed by a massive employee carnival. Around 350 industry guests attended, along with over 5,000 employees and their families. For a brand that’s been around since 1901 and has a solid foothold in the U.S. premium shower and faucet market, this is the kind of milestone that signals stability — which matters when you’re specifying products for multi-year projects.

Hansgrohe Group’s 125th anniversary celebration at the headquarters in Schiltach, Germany — over 5,000 employees and their families attended the festival.
Image courtesy of Hansgrohe Group.

Grohe Gets Theatrical in Shanghai

Grohe signed on as the exclusive bathroom partner for the musical The Secret Garden at Shanghai’s Jasmine Flower Theater. The show is a quiet, healing piece — and Grohe’s angle is that their “water life” philosophy fits the same mood. It’s not your typical sponsorship, but for a brand that competes heavily in the U.S. design-conscious consumer space, it’s a reminder that they’re thinking beyond just faucets and into lifestyle branding.

GROHE partnered with the musical “The Secret Garden“ as the exclusive bathroom partner at Shanghai‘s Jasmine Flower Theater.

INAX Runs a Smart Toilet Service Campaign

INAX just wrapped up a two-month free maintenance program for smart toilets in Shenzhen. The service was offered exclusively to residents of key China Resources projects in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Maintenance teams did deep cleaning, live demonstrations, and walked homeowners through proper care techniques. INAX has been quietly building a reputation in the U.S. for blending Japanese craftsmanship with smart tech — and service campaigns like this are how they build brand loyalty at the project level.

Huayi Completes FRANCIS Acquisition

Huayi just completed its acquisition of the British brand FRANCIS — a deal that started back in 2020 when they bought the UK-based PEGLER HOLDINGS’ Chinese manufacturing facility. The integration is now complete, with FRANCIS fully under Huayi’s umbrella. For U.S. buyers sourcing from China, this is worth noting: a major Chinese manufacturer now owns a century-old European brand, which could mean shifts in quality control, supply chain, and brand positioning down the line.

FRANCIS — the 125-year-old British bathroom brand acquired by Huayi Plumbing in June 2026.