LIXIL’s manufacturing plant in Porta Westfalica

Product innovation meets technological progress

Porta Westfalica, a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, east of the river Weser, has been home to the LIXIL Group's competence centre for installation and flushing systems since 1994. The 475 employees at the Porta Westfalica site are dedicated, among other products, to the manufacture of concealed installation systems, the hidden champions in the bathroom.

The manufacturing set-up is key to success for the site’s growth story. Without physical expansion of the shopfloor, production capacity has quadrupled over the last 11 years. One of the Porta site’s unique features is clever automation combined lean production principles along the entire manufacturing process. Besides delivering the highest quality, this has enabled a capacity increase with high production speed.

The Assembly Line AV 1, a modern production line that includes eight interlinked spraying machines and an intelligent rail system for material supply, is a great example of the site’s expertise. It is also part of the secret of how the site manages the increasing demand for installation and flushing systems. A decisive advantage of production at the Porta site is its efficiency. From granules to finished product, it takes a mere 15 minutes.

However, Porta Westfalica’s core technology is plastic injection molding, which is used for key components of its renowned installation systems, such as the Rapid SLX.

Rapid SLX is the most prominent product manufactured in Porta Westfalica. The easy handling of the Rapid SLX makes it a safe bet for installers. A particularly practical feature of the Rapid SLX installation system is its integrated flush flow restrictor: Even after the frame has been installed and completed, it is possible to regulate the flush flow rate without having to remove the drain valve.

GROHE product development is always thinking one step ahead to ensure optimal customer satisfaction. That is why the Rapid SLX features integrated empty pipes for water and electrical lines, which offer GROHE customers the flexibility to easily retrofit a shower toilet in the future.