Clivet and Midea: ten years of partnership and the evolution into MBT Climate – the industrial strategy to lead the smart buildings market

A decade on from the start of the strategic alliance between the Italian excellence and the global industrial giant, the launch of the MBT Climate (Midea Building Technology Climate) ‘house of brands’ marks a further strategic acceleration. An integration model that consolidates a high-growth hub, capable of combining international competitiveness, financial strength and the ability to capitalise on major investments in the energy transition.

The figures and vision behind a strategic alliance

Clivet was founded in 1989 by Bruno Bellò with a pioneering vision and the foresight to focus on heat pumps when this technology was still in the early stages. Ten years ago, the union between Clivet’s Italian engineering expertise and Midea’s industrial capabilities charted a winning development model in the HVAC sector: a decade-long journey characterised by steady growth in turnover, the expansion of production capacity and substantial operational investments. This synergy has demonstrated how the flexibility and innovation typical of ‘Made in Italy’ can be amplified on a global scale by a multinational group, positioning the company at the forefront of international markets.

In 2016, Clivet recorded a turnover of 113.4 million euros, of which 57.9 million was generated in Italy and 55.5 million abroad. By 2025, total turnover had reached 381.7 million euros (+237 per cent), more than triple the figure of ten years earlier. Over the course of 10 years, turnover in Italy rose to €215.5 million, marking an increase of 272 per cent, whilst exports reached €166.2 million (+200 per cent).

Stefano Bellò, CEO of Clivet and MBT Climate, comments: “The results of these ten years tell the story of a successful convergence of strategies and expertise. The strategic alliance with Midea has been a decisive turning point, enabling us to expand our HVAC offering with the introduction of direct expansion VRF and split systems. At the same time, it has allowed us to continue exploring new technological frontiers, such as our strategic entry into the data centre sector, where we have begun to invest and operate in order to meet the challenges of the digital transition.

The need for a local presence and the success of this industrial strategy have found their natural evolution in the creation of the ‘MBT Climate’ House of Brands, an entity that harnesses the combined technological and industrial excellence of companies such as Sabiana and Kermi. By integrating Midea’s reliability, solutions and global innovation with the engineering quality and know-how of Clivet and its European sister companies, we now offer the market one of the most comprehensive and advanced product portfolios to support the electrification and digitalisation of comfort in buildings and industrial processes.

This is complemented by our strategy to strengthen our commercial presence in Italy, where we are integrating the Clivet and Sabiana sales networks to enhance our ability to support the market in terms of expertise, reach and effectiveness. It is thanks to this solid positioning that we look to the future with great determination, with the concrete aim of maintaining a continuous growth trend and achieving a 10 per cent increase in annual turnover over the next 3–5 years.”

To round off the analysis of market dynamics and the sector’s prospects, Carlo Alberto Carnevale Maffè – an economist, lecturer in Business Strategy at SDA Bocconi and moderator of the press conference – comments on the strategic importance of industrial developments in the HVAC and smart buildings sectors: “Energy security and the decarbonisation of buildings – made all even more urgent by this year’s geopolitical shocks – have transformed the heat pump from a mere heating and plumbing product eligible for incentives into a technological infrastructure of strategic importance. Europe recognises this too: the July Action Plan for Electrification places it at the heart of the transition, with a target of four million installations per year by 2030 and a commitment to no longer tax electricity more heavily than gas. In this race, the supply chains capable of combining Asian industrial scale with European expertise in design, regulations and natural refrigerants will come out on top. The new plant in Feltre demonstrates that integration between Europe and Asia, if well managed, does not drive value elsewhere: it multiplies it here.”

This economic growth has been matched by an equally significant rise in employment: the number of employees rose from 592 in 2016 (462 in Italy and 130 abroad) to 974 in 2025 (807 in Italy and 167 abroad), an increase of over 64 per cent, even during the years when the market was undergoing international localization. In 2026, the company surpassed the 1,000-employee mark, a milestone that reflects genuine confidence in the industrial project and the central role of human capital.

Over the past ten years, Clivet has implemented a coherent investment plan, which has strengthened its manufacturing presence, research and international network:

• 2018: opening of the new company canteen
• 2020: opening of the new Innovation Centre in Feltre and establishment of the Digital Business Unit;
• 2022–2023: international expansion with the establishment of two new subsidiaries, Clivet France and Clivet South East Europe; refurbishment of Clivet University in Feltre and opening of the new Clivet European Hub headquarters in Milan, at the Superlab Bicocca;
• 2025: establishment of the MBT Climate Innovation Centre in Padua;
• 2026: launch of the new Plant 800 in Feltre, covering 14,000 m² and representing an investment of approximately 29 million euros.

This growth has been accompanied by a constant focus on the wellbeing of staff and their families, through the introduction of welfare schemes, staff training courses, health prevention programmes and initiatives to support parents, such as the ‘Io sono papà’ parenting leave scheme, nursery bonuses, the ‘Mum at Work’ project, the ‘Starred Children’s Bonus’ and Open Days for children during school holidays.

The new corporate structure and the MBT Climate vision

The evolution of MBT Climate (Midea Building Technology) represents a crucial step for the group’s industrial structure. Thanks to the synergies between the companies that comprise the ‘house of brands’, the group is now able to deliver excellence in every component of a complete air-conditioning system. Through a unique offering that encompasses energy management, heating, cooling, air renewal, domestic hot water, terminal units and distribution, the group positions itself as a preferred partner for major property developers, investment funds and general contractors involved in European building refurbishment schemes.