Who are we?

The Ideal Standard Group works across urban development, architecture and residential design to provide inspirational bathroom solutions across Europe and MENA.

To Serve Professionals with Water Expertise

For more than 100 years, Ideal Standard has shaped the sanitary industry with leading innovation. Products like the single-lever tap, the rimless toilet or the ultra-flat shower tray were pioneered by us. We are uniquely positioned with deep-rooted engineering and manufacturing expertise in the Ceramic as well as in the Taps & Fittings product categories, providing high-quality residential, commercial and healthcare bathroom solutions.

Professionals are at the heart of the sanitary industry. If you're an architect, contractor or plumber, in a company big or small, you want solutions to meet your needs. Your clients ask you for better sustainability and enhanced experience; great design with great functionality. That's why we're making it our mission to Serve Professionals with Water Expertise. And we're investing heavily in new products and ways of working with a full pipeline of innovation ahead.

Our Heritage

From humble beginnings in 1872 when US businessman John Pierce opened a tinware shop in Massachusetts, Ideal Standard has deep and rich history that brings this iconic business to where it stands today.

Opening offices in London and Paris in 1896, the American Radiator Company (as it was then), rapidly grew to become the world’s largest supplier of heating equipment. Following more impressive mergers in the late 1890s, Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Co. was born.

By the early 1900s, the company evolved to become the largest supplier of plumbing goods in the world. By 1929, Standard Sanitary had factory units across North America and Europe, and was one of the first bathroom manufacturing companies to lead the pioneering trend of bringing both practicality and stunning aesthetics to indoor bathroom spaces, to include manufacturing in Hull from 1936.

Standard Sanitary and America Radiator Co merged in 1929 to form the American Radiator and Standard Sanitary Corporation. Surviving the great depression of the 1930s, and dedicating most of its resources to the war effort from 1939 – 1945, the company suffered a few stormy years. By 1946,however, American Standard celebrated its first 50 years in business.

By 1957, due to the rise of the EU common market, Europe became the most profitable segment of the American Standard business. For these overseas markets, in 1961 American Standard began to trade under the name that we know and love today: Ideal Standard.

In the late 1980s came the acquisition of Sottini, then in the 1990s, American Standard made its biggest single acquisition of the century; the UK’s Armitage Shanks and the Italian brand Ceramica Dolomite from Blue Circle. In 2007, American Standard sold its three main worldwide businesses to a global private equity firm and in that same year, Ideal Standard International was formed.

By 2012, Ideal Standard International operated in 20 countries with more than 11,000 employees, and continues to produce the highest quality products. Using the most innovative design methods, highly skilled craftsmanship and continuously seeking out the next new adventure in production of the finest sanitary ware, Ideal Standard will continue to grow its presence across the UK, Europe, Middle East and North Africa.

Now primed to embrace the next phase of growth and innovation, this world-leading business is dedicated to developing and manufacturing superior quality products that meet the demands of architects,designers and installers alike..