Europe and Austria Waterless and Hybrid Urinals Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Technology (Liquid Sealant Cartridges, Membrane Traps, Biological Blocks, Mechanical Balls, Hybrid Urinals, and Others), By End Use Industry (Residential and Commercial), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

The Europe and Austria waterless and hybrid urinals market size was valued at USD 55.63 million in 2023. The market is projected to grow from USD 58.00 million in 2024 to USD 84.85 million by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.87% during the forecast period.

Compared to traditional flushing urinals, commercial settings increasingly prefer installing waterless and hybrid urinals to reduce the need for manual urinal flushing. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), WaterSense-labeled waterless flushing urinals save water up to 0.5 and 4.5 gallons per flush. Growing demand for residential and commercial infrastructural facilities and the continuous development of public transportation facilities are boosting the adoption of sophisticated, technology-driven waterless and hybrid urinals across Europe. In addition, governmental efforts to expand commercial infrastructure will increase the urinal installation rate, favoring market growth. 

• For instance, in July 2024, the European Commission invested USD 7.66 billion to develop 134 infrastructural projects across the European Union. In November 2023, the Climate Protection Ministry agreed on a framework plan with Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) to provide USD 22.35 billion in infrastructure funding for the 2024-2029 period.

EUROPE AND AUSTRIA WATERLESS AND HYBRID URINALS MARKET TRENDS

Rapid Construction of Green Buildings in Europe to Fuel Market Growth

Green building initiatives prioritize sustainability, resource conservation, and reduced environmental impact. Waterless urinals are integral to these goals as they eliminate water usage for flushing, thereby conserving significant amounts of water. This aligns with the objectives of various green certifications, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), making waterless urinals a preferred choice for new constructions in Europe and Austria. Additionally, increasing regulations across Europe and Austria mandate the implementation of water conservation measures in new buildings. As part of these regulations, many institutions and businesses are adopting waterless and hybrid urinals to comply with sustainability standards. This compliance helps meet legal requirements and enhances the building's overall sustainability profile.

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MARKET DYNAMICS

Market Drivers

Increasing Hotel Room Occupancy Rate to Propel Market Growth

Hospitality settings including hotels and restaurants increasingly prefer installing waterless urinals to minimize water usage costs and lower washroom maintenance needs. Increasing hotel room occupancy rates and rising number of international arrivals are driving the adoption of these products in European hospitality settings.  According to the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), in August 2024, the occupancy rate of the European upscale hotels reached 74.2%, a 3.7% increase over the previous year. In addition, government-implemented water-saving measures will increase demand for water-saving sanitary products, including waterless urinals, in European hotels.

Continual Innovation in Sanitary Ware to Uplift Product Demand

Increasing manufacturers' emphasis on the production of urinals requiring lesser water per flush and the rising number of households utilizing hybrid urinals for standing urination of men drive Europe’s market growth. In addition, the growing production of LCD screen-based urinals of hybrid and waterless formats, delivering just-in-time advertisements using wireless or cellular data is enhancing product revenues across Europe.

• For instance, URIMAT Schweiz AG offers touch-free, feature-based waterless urinals equipped with patented odor traps and microbiological cleaning agents, effectively managing odor removal and improving user experience.

Market Restraints

Lack of Product Awareness and Information to Hinder Market Growth

A lack of product awareness and information is a significant barrier to the Europe and Austria waterless and hybrid urinals market growth. Many potential users, including businesses and institutions, may not fully understand the advantages of waterless and hybrid urinals, such as substantial water savings, reduced maintenance requirements, and enhanced hygiene. This lack of awareness leads to reluctance to adopt these technologies, as decision-makers may prefer traditional flushing systems owing to its familiarity. As a result, this lack of awareness is anticipated to restrain the market growth of hybrid and waterless urinals in Europe.

Market Opportunities

Increasing Government Initiatives toward Water Conversation to Provide Growth Opportunities

European governments are implementing stricter regulations aimed at promoting water efficiency and sustainability. The increasing government initiatives toward water conservation in Europe presents significant opportunities for the hybrid and waterless urinals market. For instance, the upcoming Water Resilience Initiative, proposed by the European Commission, focuses on systemic transformations in water management, including the adoption of technologies such as waterless and hybrid urinals.

Market Challenges

Intellectual Property Rights for Innovative Designs and Technologies to Challenge Market Growth

Manufacturers often seek patent protection for innovative designs and technologies related to waterless and hybrid urinals. For instance, the European Patent Office (EPO) grants patents for specific mechanisms, such as liquid sealing systems or chemical treatment processes used in these urinals. The European Patent EP 3467216 B1, which describes a waterless urinal design incorporates advanced sealing techniques to prevent odors while minimizing water usage. Additionally, copyright laws protect original works of authorship, including technical manuals, marketing materials, and software used in the operation of smart urinals. Manufacturers need to ensure their promotional content does not infringe existing copyrights, as violations could lead to legal disputes. These aspects could pose challenges for manufacturers when launching new products in the European market.

IMPACT of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions, including shortages of shipping containers, delayed deliveries, and increased shipping costs. These challenges made it difficult for many companies to maintain just-in-time inventory systems, resulting in a decrease in demand for waterless urinals in various countries across Europe, including Austria.

SEGMENTATION ANALYSIS

By Technology

Liquid Sealant Cartridges Segment Led the Market Due to Its Ability to Reduce Water Usage in Washroom Blocks

Based on technology, the market is divided into liquid sealant cartridges, membrane traps, biological blocks, mechanical balls, hybrid urinals, and others.

The liquid sealant cartridges segment held the largest Europe and Austria waterless and hybrid urinals market share in 2023 and is slated to grow at the second-fastest rate during 2024-2032. Rising commercial buildings’ preference for liquid sealant cartridge-based waterless urinals to reduce the water usage in the washroom blocks drive liquid sealant cartridges segment across Europe. In addition, increasing production of WC-type bowls with liquid sealant cartridges suitable for women's use boosted product sales in the region.

The membrane trap segment is slated to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The shift in commercial facilities toward waterless urinals with lesser maintenance costs combined with rising demand from hotels, retail shops, and sports clubs for membrane trap-based urinals with multiple pinch points drives robust growth of the segment.

The biological blocks segment is slated to grow at the third-fastest rate during the forecast period. Advancements in the development of water-softening and cleaning agents in the formulations of the bio blocks significantly enable facilities to reduce water usage for the urinals, positively supporting the development of the biological blocks segment across Europe.

The mechanical balls segment is slated to grow at the fifth-fastest rate during the forecast period. Manufacturers increasingly produce urinal balls with active ingredients, bio-based enzymes, and bacteria that effectively break down odor-causing compounds. In addition, they implement sustainable practices, such as recycled plastics for packaging materials, further contributing to the growth of the segment. For instance, Kohler, a sanitary products brand, offers a case of 24 urinal maintenance balls packaged in recycled plastic.

The hybrid urinals segment is slated to grow at the fourth-fastest rate during the forecast period. Advancements in developing self-cleaning hybrid urinals equipped with velocity cartridges favor hybrid urinals segmental growth.

The others segment is slated to grow at a slower rate during the forecast period. The others segment includes products such as one-way valve waterless urinal systems, barrier-fluid waterless urinal systems, trough urinals, and squat urinals. The increasing number of manufacturers producing diverse shapes and sizes of hybrid urinals supports the growth of the segment across Europe.

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By End Use Industry

Commercial Segment Led the Market due to Rising Number of Sports Courts

Based on end-use industry, the market is bifurcated into residential and commercial. The commercial segment exhibited a leading market share in 2023. Growing commercial, infrastructural facilities such as schools, hospitals, hospitality settings, public toilets, and shopping malls, preferring sophisticated technology-based urinals mainly drive product sales among these settings across Europe. In addition, the rising number of sports courts and continual governmental support for developing green transportation hubs, preferring waterless urinals, further fuel product consumption in this segment.

• For instance, in July 2024, The European Investment Bank (EIB) partnered with Aeroportos de Portugal (ANA) under a USD 52.80 million agreement to introduce low-carbon infrastructure at nine airports across mainland Portugal and the Portuguese islands.

The residential segment is slated to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period (2024-2032). The growth is driven by the increasing demand from households for urinals with different shapes and technologies and a growing number of mobile homes.

Europe and Austria Waterless and Hybrid Urinals Market Country Outlook

Germany

The German market was valued at USD 10.08 million in 2023, accounting for a major market share. Growing infrastructural facilities in sectors such as hospitality, corporate settings, and entertainment venues such as pubs & bars, which increasingly prefer sophisticated technology-based sanitary ware, is a key driver of the German waterless and hybrid urinals market. In addition, increasing hotel occupancy rates will boost urinal installations in hotel settings, further driving product demand.

According to Statistics Austria, an Austria Federal Agency, in 2023, overnight stays of guests at hotel accommodation facilities in Germany reached USD 57.43 million, 7.5% up over the previous year.

Rest of European Countries

The shift in public facilities’ preference from traditional flushing urinals to hybrid urinals, driven by water conservation requirements, is supporting demand in the rest of European countries. Furthermore, the increasing tourist arrivals in Czech Republic, Croatia, and Hungary, along with increasing adoption of waterless urinals in restaurants to enhance water sanitation measures, are contributing to market growth in these countries.

According to Czech Tourism, a Czech Republic tourism authority, in the third quarter of 2024, accommodation facilities in Prague and South Moravian Region welcomed 2.2 million and 826,000 guests, respectively.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Key Market Players

Key Industry Participants Emphasize Partnerships with Distributors to Stay Competitive

WhiffAway Group, uridanwaterless solutions GmbH, Duravit AG, URIMAT SchweizAG, and Falcon Water Technologies are the leading market players. The industry is concentrated, with the top 5 players accounting for 55%-75% of the market share. Brands emphasize partnerships with prominent retailers to stay competitive. For instance, in November 2024, Geberit Gruppe, a Switzerland-based sanitary ware products company, partnered with Claygate Distribution, a Kent, U.K.-based distributor of bathroom and plumbing products, to approximately 4,000 retailers across England and Wales.

List of Key Waterless and Hybrid Urinals Companies Profiled in Europe and Austria:

• URIMAT SchweizAG (Switzerland)
• uridanwaterless solutions GmbH (Austria)
• Falcon Water Technologies (U.S.)
• UrinowaGmbH (Germany)
• WhiffAway Group (U.K.)
• KemmlerBaustoffeGmbH (KemTec) (Germany)
• Gentworks (U.K.)
• Geberit AG (Switzerland)
• TOTO Ltd. (Japan)
• Duravit AG (Germany)

Key Industry Developments

• November 2024: Geberit Gruppe partnered with Claygate Distribution, a Kent, U.K.-based distributor of bathroom and plumbing products, to supply products to around 4000 retailers across England and Wales. This partnership aims to expand the company’s reach for its urinal products in the U.K. Additionally, the company partnered with KB Bathrooms to increase the distribution network of its installation frames, cisterns, flush plates, and the full range of shower toilet products.
• February 2024: Falcon Water Technologies, a global provider of water-free urinals, joined Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) as a manufacturing member. This partnership aims to enhance collaboration within the plumbing industry and address water management challenges across various regions, including Europe. The company is utilizing its patented Falcon Waterfree Technologies to conserve freshwater supply used in sanitary washing activity.
• January 2022: TOTO Ltd. unveiled a range of innovative IoT-based products at the CES 2022 Event. The range of products includes TOTO's WASHLET bidet seat, TOTO's TOUCHLESS smart-sensor faucets, and flush valves for toilet and hybrid urinals. These products are equipped with IoT sensors that provide smart bathroom solutions to the users.
• August 2022: Volvo Group U.K. adopted waterless urinal technology at Felixstowe Renault Truck Commercials Depot and its UK HQ in Warwick, U.K. This installation would significantly save water consumption at the commercial depot facility.
• February 2022: ONE HUNDRED Restrooms, a Dutch scale-up, partnered with the Spanish tech start-up Kamleon to introduce a groundbreaking smart urinal that tracks users' hydration levels. The smart urinal analyzes urine to determine hydration levels, displaying results on a screen above the urinal shortly after use.

REPORT COVERAGE

The Europe and Austrian waterless and hybrid urinals market research report analyzes the market in-depth and highlights crucial aspects, such as prominent company profiles, product technologies, and end-use industry areas. Besides this, the report provides key trends and the competitive landscape and highlights significant industry developments. In addition to the aspects mentioned earlier, the report outlines several factors contributing to market growth.

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Report Scope & Segmentation