Heating homes for generations: How Ideal became a household name

We’ve been keeping homes warm for generations.

Our business has come a long way since it was founded in Hull, East Yorkshire, well over a century ago.

In that time, our products have changed dramatically, but our core values of quality, innovation and value remain the same.

We have now embarked on the next exciting chapter, led by low carbon heating solutions, as we drive the industry towards a greener future.

But where did our story begin?

Rooted in Hull since 1906

We were founded in 1906, in Hull, as The National Radiator Company.

In our very early years, boiler and radiator production was limited by the First World War, with a large part of our site used to make shells and munitions.

By the 1920s, though, the business was growing quickly, and we launched what is widely recognised as one of the first British boilers – the Ideal Cookanheat.

The freestanding stove combined an open fire, central heating boiler, cooking oven and hot cupboard all in one, and played a significant role in taking central heating into lower cost, affordable homes.

Gas fuels further business growth

In the 1930s, fashions in fuels were changing. Gas was proving increasingly popular in home heating, and we embarked on a major re-designing programme to introduce new products.

Our ‘O Series’ boiler was closely followed by the launch of the No. 3 – a model which not only produced a direct hot water supply, but also contained a gas relay control valve and thermostat.

In 1935, we opened the largest mechanised grey iron foundry in England, standing at 1,000 feet long – a statement of intent for the heating industry.

However, the arrival of the 1940s brought fresh challenges for our business.

A lucky escape from Luftwaffe bombing

By 1940, the company had become the market leader in heating appliances in England.

As with the First World War, the outbreak of WWII saw a large section of the factory used to produce 20 million pieces of munitions over a six-year period.

This activity made the site a target for the Luftwaffe, and despite heavy bombings across Hull, the site emerged virtually unscathed.

Stories have even been told about the site being camouflaged by painting gravestones on rooftops to blend in with the nearby cemetery.

An Ideal new name

The National Radiator Company became Ideal Standard in 1953, complete with its heating division, Ideal Boilers.

Our latest product was the Autocrat – a compact boiler which was innovative in the way it was assembled ready for installation.

As our company grew, so did our site. By 1960, the Ideal site covered 90 acres, as discoveries of natural gas in the North Sea contributed to an increase in sales of gas-fired domestic boilers.

Our product portfolio continued to evolve with the Elite boiler, specifically designed for the larger home and available in five sizes.

One in a million!

The 1970s saw us reach a significant manufacturing milestone – one million appliances produced.

It was also the decade when Ideal Boilers was purchased by Stelrad, who were attracted by our famous name in boilers and reputation for manufacturing excellence.

The Concord, by this point, had become one of our best-selling and award-winning models. Even today, it is synonymous with quality, reliability and excellence in engineering.

Major investment in product development

The arrival of the 1980s brought with it significant investment at National Avenue, centred on a £6m ultra-modern boiler foundry.

Accompanying that investment was the launch of our Sprint boiler – a fan-assisted gas combination boiler.

The controls were more advanced than ever before, allowing homeowners to choose a combination of functions which provided warmth and hot water all year round.

Further investment was made at our site in the 1990s, including a £1m product development laboratory which was hailed as one of Europe’s best facilities.

Entering a new millennium

Our commitment to high efficiency products was recognised in 2004, when we achieved Environmental Standard, becoming ISO 14001 accredited.

Fast forward to 1906 and – exactly 100 years after it was built – our old foundry was demolished to make way for a new development … a state-of-the-art distribution centre.

In 2006, we acquired Keston Boilers, bringing a well-known and respected brand into our portfolio.

A very logical launch!

Our Logic range was launched in 2009, boasting high performance, over 90% efficient boilers which guaranteed quality, reliability and exceptional value.

For the last 25 years, the Logic boiler has underpinned our business growth and success.

We recently celebrated a major milestone, when the five millionth Logic rolled off our production line, and the boiler also played a key role in us receiving three prestigious Queen’s Awards for Enterprise – one in 2013 for innovation, and two in 2019 for innovation and international trade.

Alongside the Logic range, our Vogue boilers utilise modern technology combined with premium parts and components to offer a next step in domestic heating intelligence.

Shaping the future of green home heating

Today, we remain at the forefront of the domestic and commercial heating markets, leading the industry in setting new standards and challenging technological boundaries.

We’re investing £60m at our National Avenue site as our business embarks on the most dramatic transformation since the move from coal to gas.

From the products we manufacture to our UK-wide training facilities which are providing installers with the skills and knowledge to work with low carbon heating solutions like heat pumps, we’re at the heart of an exciting transition.

Our £19m UK Technology Centre will pave the way for further innovation in green technologies. It represents our company’s present, and our future.

Throughout all of this, our company remains true to its founding principles of quality, innovation and value – building on our rich heritage as we look to the future.