Celebrating our UK Technology Centre with the partners who made it possible
Our UK Technology Centre is one of the most important investments we’ve ever made … and we’re extremely proud of it!
The UKTC, as it’s known, is now home to more than 100 of our experts in R&D and product development, all working together to accelerate the development of our heating solutions.
Inside the UKTC, at our headquarters site in Hull, are testing facilities and technologies which put us at the forefront of R&D in UK heating.
None of this would have been possible without the support of a number of key partners. To thank them all for their significant contribution, we invited guests for a special tour of our Hull site.
Staying ahead in the energy transition
We were delighted to welcome VIP guests from Humber Freeport, which provided funding support for the UKTC, and Hull City Council, which supported the development of the UKTC through planning approval, and is a key strategic partner for us.
We were also joined by representatives from HBC (Henry Boot Construction), the principal contractor for the facility and other important partners involved in the development and construction phases.
Our Chief Operations Officer, Jason Speedy, said: “The UKTC is crucial to the future of our business, and the investments we have made in our people, expertise and facilities ensures we have the capability to stay ahead of the curve as the energy transition continues to evolve.
“I’d like to thank all of our partners for their support for the project, and for helping us deliver this facility, securing a significant investment for Hull and a huge vote of confidence in British manufacturing, research and development.”
State-of-the-art specialist chambers
During the tour, our VIP visitors saw inside some of our state-of-the-art testing chambers, and spoke to members of our R&D and product teams.
Our UKTC is home to specialist facilities designed to test our heating products in a wide range of ways.
Our climatic chambers can test products in conditions and temperatures from as low as -30 degrees Celsius, up to 50 degrees Celsius, and our hemi-anechoic chamber monitors the acoustic performance of our heat pumps.
We also have an EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) Chamber inside our UKTC, which tests products for both the signals they produce, and how they react to interference from other devices in the home.
What our partners have to say
We’re hugely excited by the opportunities the UKTC is opening up for our business and our people.
And we’re delighted that our project partners are so impressed by the state-of-the-art technology and heating industry expertise within it. Here’s what they had to say:
“Ideal Heating’s UK Technology Centre is a beacon of innovation, both supporting and creating highly-skilled jobs in UK, research and development, product innovation and manufacturing.
“We’re proud to have played a significant part in the development of a facility which positions one of the region’s largest and longest-established businesses for a strong and successful future.”
Humber Freeport CEO Simon Green
“The UK Technology Centre represents a significant investment in Hull, from a business which has made a remarkable contribution to the city for generations.
“Hull has a long and proud history of product innovation and manufacturing excellence, and what Ideal is doing in the city really is helping to shape the future of the UK heating industry.”
Hull City Council Leader Cllr Mike Ross
