LIXIL becomes WorldSkills Global Industry Partner

After more than three years of successful collaboration, LIXIL will now take on the role as WorldSkills Global Industry Partner, elevating the partnership from its brand, Grohe. The agreement was made earlier this year and the official signing ceremony took place on the second day of WorldSkills General Assembly 2025 in Dubrovnik.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, LIXIL is one of the world’s largest producers and suppliers of water and housing technology. It currently has approximately 53,000 employees across more than 150 markets. The organization was founded in 2011 after the merger of five of Japan’s most successful building materials and housing companies. Grohe sits within a successful portfolio of brands, some of which are over 100 years old.

Building on the successful three-year collaboration initiated through its Grohe brand, LIXIL pledged to continue this great work as it officially becomes the Global Industry Partner. LIXIL will continue to support the Plumbing and Heating skill competition and promises to have a strong presence at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.

Troy Benavidez, Leader of Strategic Partnerships at LIXIL, believes the new agreement will open up many more opportunities for both partners. He said, “At LIXIL we are working hard to improve sanitation and hygiene and tackle increasingly urgent global water challenges and we need new skills, and skilled young people, to do this. Working with WorldSkills as LIXIL will allow us to take a more holistic approach to skills development and offer Members the benefit of our broader industry insights and expertise.”

David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International, welcomed LIXIL’s ongoing commitment and its intention to build on the successful three-year collaboration with Grohe. He said, “LIXIL is a fantastic partner and a great believer in skills development. Through its Grohe brand, it will continue to support the Plumbing and Heating skill competition, provide training for our Experts and Competitors, and be a driving force behind new valuable community initiatives.”

David concluded, “LIXIL has unparalleled insights into water and housing technology and the skills that are needed to deliver more sustainable water and sanitation solutions. As we look towards WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, we can’t wait to unlock many new opportunities together.”

Learn more about WorldSkills Global Partners and visit LIXIL’s website to find out more about their brands and programmes.