LACROIX is accelerating its development
in the heating network segment.
This historically growing niche market is an integral part
of France’s energy policy.
5 times more renewable heat by 2030
LACROIX plans to accelerate its development in the remote management of heating networks (“Smart HVAC”) segment, where the Group has recorded growth of over 50% since 2020. This very positive dynamic is fuelled by the long-term trends in this market, which LACROIX is addressing with a new generation of products and solutions that perfectly meet the concerns and requirements for remote management and optimization of the operation of local authorities or major operators of this type of network (DALKIA, ENGIE, IDEX…).
Covering today 10% of the heating needs in Europe, heating networks are set up to heat both public and private buildings from a collective boiler room. They include one or more heat production units, a primary distribution network where heat is transported by a heat transfer fluid, and a set of exchange substations, from which buildings are served by a secondary distribution network.
These networks are experiencing a historic increase in popularity thanks to their outstanding efficiency in heating public or collective buildings, while ensuring the growing use of renewable energy sources that are sometimes distant from the buildings to be heated (wood energy, but also geothermal energy, recovered heat, etc.).
In France, as in several other European countries, heating networks are considered as an integral component of energy policy. The law on energy transition for green growth has set a target of a five-fold increase in the amount of renewable and recovered heat and cold delivered by these networks by 2030.
“The creation, extension or densification of heating networks offers the possibility of significantly increasing the delivery of renewable heat in our regions; this opens up a huge development potential for this market“, underlines Yann Roland, General Delegate of Engie Solutions. LACROIX and the Engie Solutions are working together on the heating networks of the cities of Rennes, Nantes and Chalon-sur-Saône, which are all three of the largest networks in France.
Strong growth momentum thanks to the success of a new generation of solutions
Through its Environment activity, LACROIX has been present for many years in the remote management of heating networks, where the Group has recently deployed new solutions.
The success of the new generation of S4TH products (the old one was definitively discontinued at the beginning of 2022) is based first and foremost on the ease of implementation and use for the operator, as well as on key assets such as cybersecurity and integrated regulation, compactness, communication technologies compatible with customers’ businesses and architectures, and robust electronics.
These new features make a difference and help operators optimize the management of their networks. LACROIX also addresses their high expectations in terms of digitalization with its new LXConnect platform, launched in 2022, which provides real support in the secure remote management of a fleet of equipment.
Building on its success in France, LACROIX has started offering this solution internationally where the sales networks already established for the “Smart Water” and “Smart Electrical Grids” sectors will undoubtedly help accelerate the internationalization of the “Smart HVAC” solution.
“The success of LACROIX in this market shows the relevance and quality of our latest innovations in terms of equipment and services,” says Ronald Vrancken, Executive General Manager of LACROIX’s Environment activity. “This is proof that the technology we provide contributes to making heating networks more sustainable.”
The “Smart HVAC” segment of LACROIX’s Environment activity represents approximately 10 million euros in revenue. In 2023 and beyond, the Group intends to maintain a sustained growth dynamic in this niche market.
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About LACROIX
Convinced that technology should contribute to making our living environments simpler, more sustainable and safer, LACROIX supports its customers in the construction and management of intelligent living ecosystems, thanks to connected equipment and technologies.
As a publicly-listed family-owned mid-cap, with a turnover of €708 million in 2022, LACROIX combines the essential agility required to innovate in an ever-changing technological sector with the ability to industrialize robust and secure equipment, cutting-edge know-how in industrial IoT solutions and electronic equipment for critical applications and the long-term vision to invest and build for the future.
LACROIX designs and manufactures its customers’ electronic equipment, in particular in the automotive, home automation, aerospace, industrial and health sectors. LACROIX also provides safe, connected equipment for the management of critical infrastructures such as smart roads (street lighting, traffic signs, traffic management, V2X) and the management and operation of water and energy systems.
Drawing on its extensive experience and expertise, the Group works with its customers and partners to build the connection between the world of today and the world of tomorrow. It helps them to create the industry of the future and to make the most of the opportunities for innovation that surround them, supplying them with the equipment for a smarter world.
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