AVR, the Italian National Association of Valve and Tap Manufacturers and a member of Anima Confidustria, held its annual assembly Oct. 24-25 in Brescia, Italy, including hosting a thought leadership conference to discuss sustainable solutions for the plumbing sector. The next AVR Assembly is planned in Milan on Oct. 23-24, 2025.

The Italian association represents approximately 9.5 billion euro in annual sales, according to Anima 2024 research data, of which over 63% is exported. Data reported at the assembly stated that after a stable 2023, in the first six months of 2024, sector sales are expected to grow, with exports jumping 5.9%. The U.S. remains at the top of the list of the main export destination countries, followed by Germany and France. However, there has been a slight drop in shipments to these markets compared to the same period last year, reflecting global economic and commercial dynamics. The overall growth of the sector is instead driven by the notable increase in exports to Saudi Arabia, which recorded a growth of 61.5%. This increase demonstrates the growing demand for high-quality Italian products in new strategic markets, confirming the international nature of the sector.

“The valve and tap sector has once again demonstrated its solidity in the face of the current global challenges,” the association’s president, Sandro Bonomi, commented. “The past few years have been a complex phase for the industry, with difficulties linked to market uncertainty and economic and geopolitical turbulence, which have put businesses to the test. The weakening of the European economy weighs on the sector, in particular with the difficulties of the German market, which historically represents the most important destination for the sector. However, the strength of exports, combined with the excellence of Made in Italy, has allowed our sector to remain stable, although the coming months are expected to be complex for the sector. As an association, we look to the future aware that the Italian valve and tap sector remains a point of reference for quality, reliability and style throughout the world.”

AVR, a NKBA Global Connect Strategic Alliance Partner, invited the NKBA to share North American perspectives on sustainability and access to clean water around the world. One goal was to provide a wider and shared vision to find and propose sustainable solutions for industry, as well as offer politically acceptable solutions, especially concerning the “Green Deal” and circular economy approaches. Additionally, representatives of Italian, German, European, Japanese, and other international institutions, manufacturers, bodies and associations of the sector’s supply chain — which includes manufacturers of industrial and domestic valves, sanitary taps and fittings — also participated. These included CEIR, the European Association for the Taps and Valves Industry, and Federlegno/Assobagno, the Italian Association of Bathroom Manufacturers, which are both NKBA Global Connect Strategic Alliance Partners and UWLA, Unified Water Label Association which AVR joins.

Conference panels covered a wide range of topics, such as PFAS (long-lasting chemicals whose components break down very slowly over time), the Drinking Water Directive, Raw Materials, Hydrogen, and Sustainability.

AVR will be participating in Global Connect activations at KBIS 2025 in Las Vegas, Feb. 25 to 27, where there will be a meaningful exchange of ideas and information, extensive programming about issues of concern to the international kitchen and bath community, as well as numerous opportunities for networking with North American buyers, designers, manufacturers, dealers, and distributors.

For more information on activations and participation with NKBA Global Connect at KBIS, click here.