Kohler closes its only factory in Brazil and ends Fiori brand

Kohler, the American manufacturer of sanitary ware and kitchen/bathroom metals, has ceased production at its only factory in Brazil. The facility, located in Andradas, Minas Gerais, closed its operations on Monday, October 31, a move expected to affect more than 400 direct employees.

As part of this restructuring, the company is also discontinuing the Fiori brand, which Kohler had acquired when it entered the Brazilian market in 2014. Since then, the Andradas plant had received over R$ 200 million in investments and once employed approximately 1,000 people.

According to Roberto Riolobos Sanchez, Kohler’s director for Latin America, the decision aligns with a global strategic shift toward the premium and luxury segments. The company aims to reduce exposure to the standard product market, which is characterized by intense price competition and commodity-like dynamics, in favor of higher value-added goods.