LIXIL’s manufacturing plant in Thailand

One of the most sustainable plants in Southeast Asia

Only a three hours’ drive away from Thailand’s busy capital Bangkok, Klaeng is home to one of LIXIL’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plants which exclusively produces for GROHE. Since 2017, LIXIL has invested heavily in modernizing and expanding the existing production site, turning it into one of the most sustainable manufacturing plants in Southeast Asia. 2,400 employees are working in the plant and produce around 15 million items, varying from basic levers to complex bodies and spouts. Green resting areas and courtyards available to the workforce foster a sustainable company culture.

With the implementation of a vast array of sustainability measures, the plant is setting new industry standards. Like each of LIXIL’s five plants exclusively producing for GROHE, the Klaeng facility runs on green electricity. Currently, 3.2 megawatts of solar panels installed on the roof of the building reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 2,400 tonnes per year. Furthermore, an additional 1 megawatt, recently was completed, further reducing CO2 by 700 tonnes per year.

Moreover, the plant features an ecological water system that allows wastewater to be recycled. In a tropical environment, air conditioning is a significant driver of energy consumption. In collaboration with an energy and climate consultancy, the Klaeng plant was designed to run completely without air conditioning: The smart use of thermal insulation on the roof as well as natural ventilation keep the production hall’s temperature at a comfortable level while minimizing the plant’s carbon footprint.

What Thomas Fuhr, Leader Fittings LIXIL International and Co-CEO Grohe AG, describes as “the successful balance between the high economical, ecological, socio-cultural and functional quality of a building” has clearly been achieved in Klaeng. The focus on environmentally sound solutions from the very beginning has paid off: The plant was the first in Southeast Asia to be awarded the silver certificate of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), Europe’s largest network for sustainable construction. This once again underlines that the pursuit of the highest possible level of sustainability is, indeed, an integral part of LIXIL’s DNA.