Ideal Heating has been manufacturing boilers for over a century at its headquarters in Hull. Now the business is undergoing a major transformation as it engineers green heating solutions to support the UK’s drive to net zero.
Lord Callanan, minister for energy efficiency and green finance, visited Ideal Heating’s Hull factory to mark the start of heat pump production by the company in the UK.
The new heat pump production line forms part of a £60m investment programme at the Hull site. This includes an expanded distribution hub, a research and development centre to pioneer future heating technologies and a heat pump manufacturing facility.
Flagship training centre
Ideal Heating has also invested more than £2m in its flagship training centre, one of the heating industry’s largest and best-equipped facilities, where up to 5,000 installers can gain the skills to install and service heat pumps every year.
Ideal Heating is working towards a greener future, supported by its parent company, Groupe Atlantic, a global heating industry leader.
Shaun Edwards, CEO of Groupe Atlantic UK, Republic of Ireland and North America, said: “The transition to low carbon heating solutions including heat pumps is the biggest transformation in the business since we moved from coal to gas-fired boilers in the 1930s. The major investments we’re making at our Hull site send out a very clear signal about our commitment to the net zero transition and to re-modelling our business to meet the needs of our customers today and into the future.”
Ideal Heating’s transition to renewable heating solutions will play a key role in the UK’s green industrial revolution. A huge decarbonisation of housing stock must occur for the UK to achieve net zero status by 2050, as homes account for more than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Ideal Heating has an 800-strong workforce in Hull, with around 1,500 employed across the UK by the company and its sister businesses.
State-of-the-art learning environment
The Government has set a target for 600,000 heat pumps to be installed in the UK annually by 2028. This will require thousands more skilled and qualified low carbon engineers. Ideal Heating has invested in its new National Training and Technology Centre, providing a state-of-the-art learning environment for both existing installers and new entrants to the industry.
Jason Speedy, COO at Ideal Heating, said: “Backed by our parent company Groupe Atlantic, we’re excited to be investing massively in our site in Hull, and to establish our new training centre, as we diversify our product portfolio and continue to innovate new technologies.”