Impetus for international market development

‘Our international business accounts for almost two thirds of our turnover. We want to gradually increase this share in the medium term and return Hüppe to its former strength in our largest export markets – while at the same time growing in Germany, Austria and Switzerland,’ explains Julian Henco, CEO of the renowned shower specialist Hüppe (www.hueppe.com). To this end, the sanitaryware manufacturer from Bad Zwischenahn is restructuring its international sales organisation in terms of strategy, organisation and personnel.

Gregory Crouzeix will take over responsibility for business outside the German-speaking region from 1 September 2024. The 49-year-old Frenchman will also become Managing Director of the French Hüppe branch. He replaces Patrick Defour, Managing Director of Hüppe Belgium, who was also responsible for business in France on an interim basis.  ‘With Gregory, we were able to inspire an internationally very experienced sales professional and manager to join Hüppe. Gregory is very familiar with the European and Asian sanitary industry,’ says Hüppe boss Henco. ‘He has proven experience developing and successfully implementing growth strategies for international markets. With his comprehensive expertise and strategic skills, he will give us new impetus for international market development.’

At the same time, Julian Henco thanked Patrick Defour for his additional commitment as interim Managing Director in the French market. ‘Patrick has done a valuable job here and can now concentrate fully on market development in Belgium and Luxembourg again.’

At home in international sanitary markets

Crouzeix, who comes from Auvergne, joins Hüppe from the Nice Group, an Italian-based manufacturer of smart home solutions, which he has managed since 2023. Prior to this, he held management positions in sales at the mixer and shower manufacturer Hansgrohe, including as head of the Northern and Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific market regions. He also spent two and a half years as Managing Director of the Hansgrohe subsidiary for South East Asia, based in Singapore. The business administration graduate with a master’s degree in marketing and project management gained his first professional experience as a product and marketing manager in the French subsidiaries of TDK and Kärcher before switching to the sanitary industry in 2009.

‘I’m really looking forward to working with the respective country teams to prepare the market for a brand with so much potential and such a convincing product range, such as Hüppe has,’ explains Gregory Crouzeix ‘First of all, however, we need to lay a solid foundation by carefully analysing the market situation and customer needs and then strategically aligning of our international sales with this. This is what I have set myself for my first 100 days at Hüppe.’

Hüppe is represented by its own companies in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic and Turkey. In other markets with a focus on Europe and Asia, importers market and distribute Hüppe solutions for high-quality shower areas.