Ideal Heating hosted guests from the worlds of business, education and training at its headquarters site in Hull.
The “Inside The Factory” event was part of Humber Business Week, an annual celebration of business across the region.
The event involved tours of both Ideal’s boiler manufacturing facilities and the company’s UK Technology Centre (UKTC), a facility aimed at the development and testing of heat pumps and low-carbon heating technologies.
Guests also took on a “commission a heat pump in 90 seconds” challenge. This was led by Andrew Johnson, training and design services director, and members of Ideal’s Expert Academy training team.
Ideal stated that the Humber Business Week delegates were among the first guests to visit the UKTC, which is set to be fully operational later this year.
When fully staffed and operational, the company said the UKTC will bring together more than 100 Ideal specialists currently spread out across the Hull site.
Jason Speedy, Ideal’s chief operating officer, welcomed the guests to the National Avenue site.
He said: “It’s been a pleasure to open our doors to guests as part of Humber Business Week.
“We’re proud to be one of the region’s largest and longest-established businesses, with our roots in Hull stretching back well over 100 years. We’re also excited to showcase the huge investments we’re making to remain at the forefront of our industry as heating technologies evolve.
“On this site we have both advanced manufacturing systems and processes supporting the production of up to half a million gas boilers each year, and industry-leading skills and capabilities to pioneer the heating technologies of the future.”
Helen Villamuera, engineering director, was among senior executives hosting site tours.
She added: “This event has enabled us to demonstrate the scale of the transformation across our Hull site, as we decarbonise both our products and our operations.
“It’s also been great to highlight the many exciting and rewarding career opportunities we offer, including in engineering, research, product testing and software development.
“These opportunities have increased in range and diversity as we have embraced the transition to low-carbon heating systems and invested in both our facilities and our people.”
One of the guests, Alan Brattan, Yorkshire committee member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), said the event demonstrated Ideal’s commitment to continually investing in its operations and products.
He said: “The production of boilers is very advanced and it’s really impressive to see so much investment in low-carbon technologies in an industry that is so important in terms of climate change.
“It’s especially exciting to see such a strong focus on developing heat pumps specifically designed for the UK market and climate.
“It’s all great news for Hull, the wider region and the UK.”
Ideal is part of Groupe Atlantic UK and Republic of Ireland, which employs around 1,500 people in the UK, with 800 at the Hull site.