The European door intercom market is forecast to grow from €677.9 million in 2025 to €873.8 million by 2029, according to a new study by Interconnection Consulting covering Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Behind this overall growth trajectory, however, three forces are reshaping demand at very different speeds: video is overtaking audio-only technology, but unevenly across the region; new construction and renovation activity are moving at different paces from one country to the next; and IP-based technology is redrawing the competitive map far faster in some markets than in others. A market moving at two speeds IP-based systems are forecast to grow from 21.9% of installed units in 2025 to 31.0% by 2029 across the seven markets — but that average hides a sharp divide. The United Kingdom already leads with 31.1% IP penetration in 2025, more than double Italy's 11.7%. The study finds this gap holds steady all the way through 2029, rather than narrowing as the technology matures. Three factors help explain the difference. Specialised installers make up a far larger share of the trade in the UK than in Italy, and adapting to a more complex, less familiar technology depends heavily on having a base of installers who are skilled and genuinely comfortable working with it. Building type also plays a role: 51.4% of the UK market consists of detached houses, where a single owner can decide alone, compared with 30.1% in Italy, where multi-unit buildings dominate and replacing a shared system such as an entry panel requires the approval of the building's assembly. Furthermore, manufacturers focused specifically on IP systems already account for 31.6% of market volume in the UK, against just 1.5% in Italy. No single factor fully explains the divide; together, they show why the shift is playing out at different speeds market by market. This distinction between established local manufacturers and newer IP-focused entrants also helps explain the broader competitive landscape across Europe, not only the differences between the UK and Italy. Across all seven markets, the top ten manufacturers by volume hold 63.6% of the total market: concentrated at the top, certainly, but leaving more than a third of the field still up for grabs. The European market remains fragmented, leaving substantial market volume outside the top ten manufacturers. Competitive structures also differ significantly by country, with established local players remaining dominant in some markets while IP-focused entrants are gaining ground in others. Growth doesn't follow market size The latest market data reveal a more differentiated picture. Three of the seven markets contracted or remained broadly stagnant between 2024 and 2025, including two of Europe’s largest markets. Spain, by contrast, recorded value growth of 8.3% over the same period — the strongest performance among the seven countries analysed. The study indicates that Spain’s performance is not simply a one-off. Over the past several years, its construction activity has remained more stable than in the other six markets analysed, which experienced more pronounced fluctuations during the pandemic and again in 2024. Over the same period, Spain has also been one of the fastest markets shifting toward audio-plus-video systems, already close to half its installed base by 2025. A stable foundation and an upgrading product mix, in other words, are now showing up together in the numbers. The forecast presents a different picture. France — the market that declined between 2024 and 2025 — is expected to record the highest value growth among the seven countries through 2029, with a CAGR of 9.3%. The market that just went through a rough patch turns out to be the one re-stabilising fastest and pulling ahead over the long run. The lesson: a strong single year is not the same as a strong trajectory. Spain delivered the strongest performance in 2024–2025, but the current forecast suggests that the next phase of growth will favour markets recovering from a deeper correction rather than those that remained comparatively stable. A transition still far from complete The shift from audio-only to audio-plus-video systems is real, but it is far less uniform, and far less sudden, than commonly assumed. At the aggregate European level, audio-plus-video is not forecast to overtake audio-only in unit volume until 2029, and even then only four of the seven markets studied will have completed the shift to a video-majority installed base; the other three are expected to remain audio-majority through the end of the decade. Audio-only, in other words, is on its way out — but this is not a market that collapses overnight. It is a long, gradual fade, and for at least the next several years, audio-only systems will still represent a very real, sizeable part of the business, just unevenly distributed across the continent. That, in the end, is the central message: this is no longer one European market moving at one speed — and the companies still treating it that way are the ones already falling behind.

Interconnection Consulting’s 2026 online mystery shopping study, in which a total of 57 German prefabricated house manufacturers were evaluated between April and May 2026, reveals a remarkable contradiction: Never before have so many manufacturers responded to customer inquiries, yet many still fail to guide potential buyers effectively through the sales process. Significant weaknesses remain, particularly in answering specific questions, customer orientation, and proactive follow-up, leaving considerable sales potential untapped. Fast responses remain the exception With a final response rate of 97.2%, manufacturers achieved a new record. 64.2% of companies replied to the initial inquiry. Following a reminder email, the response rate increased to 86.2%, and after an additional telephone call, it reached 97.2%. At the same time, however, response speed deteriorated: only 56.0% of manufacturers replied within 24 hours (the timeframe customers typically expect). Companies that take longer risk losing potential customers before the sales process even begins. More than one in four manufacturers failed to answer a single question The quality of responses remains a major concern. Only 23.5% of manufacturers answered all questions completely, while 28.2% failed to address any of the questions asked. The evaluation covered topics including energy efficiency, heating systems, government subsidies, and photovoltaic solutions. Many manufacturers limited their responses to generic standard information or simply referred customers to future consultation appointments. "Customers who submit an inquiry expect clear answers to their specific questions. Our results show that there is often a significant gap between response speed and the actual quality of the consultation," says Allison Carranza. Follow-up remains the biggest weakness The most significant shortcomings were identified in proactive follow-up. Only 15.6% of manufacturers contacted the customer again after their initial response or followed up to determine whether further interest existed. Last year, this figure was still 30.6%. As a result, around 85% of inquiries are no longer actively pursued after the first reply. "A prefabricated house is rarely sold after a single email. The greatest sales opportunity is not lost during the initial contact, but afterward. This is exactly where many manufacturers are leaving significant potential untapped," explains Allison Carranza. The best-performing manufacturers of 2026 Overall, FingerHaus, Petershaus, Hanse Haus, and Haas Fertigbau rank among the top-performing companies in this year's study. These manufacturers demonstrate communication practices that significantly increase the likelihood of a successful sale. At the same time, the study continues to reveal substantial performance differences between the industry leaders and the market average. The results also indicate that manufacturers have recognized the importance of responding quickly but, in many cases, have forgotten how to keep the sales conversation alive throughout the customer journey. About the Study The study is based on a mystery shopping approach. Prefabricated house manufacturers were contacted via email using standardized inquiries regarding a residential construction project. Companies that did not respond within one week received a reminder email and, if necessary, were subsequently contacted by telephone. The evaluation assessed both hard skills (response times, completeness of answers, and provision of information materials) and soft skills (competence, unique selling propositions, empathy, customer orientation, and closing focus). The companies evaluated include leading German prefabricated house manufacturers such as WeberHaus, HUF HAUS, FingerHaus, SchwörerHaus, Bien-Zenker, OKAL, ELK, Hanse Haus, Regnauer Hausbau, and Danwood. Contact Information Interconnection Consulting Allison Carranza, Market Analyst Phone: +43 1 585 46 23 – 50 Email: carranza@interconnectionconsulting.com

Following a challenging year in 2025, the Austrian office furniture market is set to stabilise in 2026 as companies begin redesigning their work environments to create attractive alternatives to working from home. Height-adjustable sit-stand workstations alone are expected to grow at an annual rate of 6.8% through 2029 – significantly faster than the overall market. However, the real recovery is still ahead: for 2027, a marked acceleration in growth is anticipated, with the market projected to expand by 6.3% year-on-year. The Austrian market is expected to grow by a moderate 1.0% to EUR 262.3 million in 2026, following a decline of 7.9% in the previous year – a sign that confidence is returning, albeit cautiously. The slow start reflects the fact that, after a year of postponed investments, companies are still weighing whether to reinvest in office space, while construction activity is only gradually picking up. Central and Eastern Europe is recovering much faster: the CEE office furniture market is forecast to grow by 5.3% in 2026, reaching EUR 1.25 billion, supported by stronger underlying economic growth and a more active construction sector across the region. The two markets are also developing in different directions. Austria is the more ergonomics-focused market, where sit-stand workstations already account for 9.4% of sales, compared to just 2.5% in Central and Eastern Europe. This segment is experiencing the strongest growth in Austria, alongside lounge seating, which is designed to encourage informal interaction between colleagues. In contrast, the CEE market remains more traditional, with swivel chairs alone accounting for 31.7% of total sales. The sales structures highlight another divide between the two markets. In Austria, almost 59% of office furniture sales are made directly from manufacturers to customers, which is a distinctive feature of the Austrian market. In Central and Eastern Europe, direct sales account for only 39.7%. “In the medium term, the CEE region has very strong growth potential, as there is a trend towards higher-quality solutions. There is still plenty of room for growth,” says Frederik Lehner, Managing Director of InterConnection. In the coming years, competition will increasingly shift from products to workplace concepts. Manufacturers will need to offer solutions that combine ergonomics, flexibility and digital integration while also addressing growing customer price sensitivity. At the same time, the office is evolving into a place that fosters collaboration and corporate culture rather than simply providing desks and chairs. Looking ahead, both markets are expected to continue growing through 2029: Austria is projected to reach a market volume of EUR 303.1 million, while the CEE market is expected to approach EUR 1.46 billion, driven by ongoing investments in modern work environments and the continuing recovery of office construction activity.

The European thermal insulation market reaches €20.6 billion in 2026 and is pointing toward recovery — but with clear winners and losers depending on each country's energy policy. The great energy efficiency thermometer in Europe has two very different faces: while Turkey records growth of +16.2%in value in the thermal insulation sector, Italy falls -10.9% following the end of its Superbonus programme. The data reveals that regulation and public incentives are, today, the primary driver — or brake — of the market. This is the central finding of the IC Market Forecast – Thermal Insulation 2026, published by Interconnection Consulting. The report confirms that the sector has moved past its post-pandemic hangover and is poised for a steadier phase ahead, with market value expected to grow by 2.3% in 2026. This growth will be driven primarily by a renewed approach to energy efficiency in the residential sector, which is projected to account for 65% of total market demand. Mineral wool is forecast to lead on the product side with a 40.8% market share, while prices are expected to hold firm compared to previous years, even as high interest rates and weaker construction activity continue to create headwinds. The regional divergence is stark. Turkey leads European growth (16.2%) thanks to stricter insulation requirements and rigorous enforcement of energy efficiency regulations across both new builds and renovations. Bosnia follows with +10.0%, driven by rising energy and electricity costs alongside EU-backed subsidy programmes, while Portugal records +6.2% growth, benefiting from its national recovery plan and increasing demand tied to energy certification requirements in the property market. At the other end of the spectrum, Italy suffers the sharpest blow. The scaling back of the Superbonus — a fiscal incentive programme that had transformed the renovation sector — triggered a -10.9% contraction. The Nordic countries (-7.9%) and Slovenia (-6.6%) also retreated, weighed down by weakening residential construction and broader economic headwinds. The pattern across all underperforming markets is consistent: where policy incentives disappear or stall, so does demand. "Markets that successfully align regulation, energy costs, and renovation incentives will outperform the European average over the next growth cycle," says Robert Lukac, author of the study. Looking ahead, the outlook is cautiously optimistic. The European thermal insulation market is projected to reach €23.860 billion by 2029, sustained by renovation demand and long-term decarbonization targets. The shift toward high-performance and sustainable insulation materials is expected to shape both market dynamics and competitive positioning in the years ahead. The competitive landscape is shaped by major international players including Austrotherm, Bauder, Baumit, Ceresit, Etex, Kingspan, Knauf, Owens Corning, Rockwool, Ruukki, Saint-Gobain, Sto, Wacker and Xella, all playing a central role in driving innovation and defining the future of European insulation.