Senior leaders at boiler and heat pump manufacturer Ideal Heating have toured the firm's new Hull research and development centre as it nears completion.
Work is under way at Ideal's £19.2m Ƶ Technology Centre located at its National Avenue headquarters. The site is expected to be completed in September and will accommodate the Groupe Atlantic-owned firm's growing product development and research and development team, which is said to have than doubled in recent year.
The facility includes six climatic chambers, with temperature and humidity controlled from-20°C to 50°C so that Ideal can stress-test products in extreme environments. A series of test chambers will help the firm gauge noise levels from boilers and heat pumps, while EMC chambers will be used to test products for electromagnetic interference from other “smart” appliances found in the home.
Stephen Patton, Ideal Heating’s R&D director (Thermodynamics), toured the facilities as they take shape with colleagues, said: “The ƵTC represents a step change in our in-house R&D and testing capabilities. Bringing world-class equipment and testing facilities to our site in Hull will accelerate and advance the development of our products. The ƵTC brings with it significant benefits in time, cost and efficiency of R&D processes.
"The ƵTC will be, quite simply, the leading facility of its kind in the Ƶ. Work on the centre is progressing well and we look forward to opening the building later this year."
The Ideal research and development team will relocate from locations around the existing site to the ƵTC in stages. Alongside testing facilities, the space includes a training room and 3D printing equipment to be used for prototype components and parts. It is part of a wider £60m transformation of the site, including new manufacturing, distribution and research and development facilities focused on heat pumps and other green heating technologies.
Jason Speedy, chief operations officer at Ideal Heating, said: "The ƵTC is a major statement of intent. It reaffirms our commitment to the energy transition and investing in the technologies which will heat our homes for decades to come. For more than century, the name Ideal has been synonymous with quality and innovation, as we continually work to meet the ever-changing needs of the heating sector.
"The ƵTC will enable us to continue to push boundaries, set new standards in heating technology and develop the next generation of products."
The ƵTC development has been principally delivered by Yorkshire contractor Henry Boot Construction. It is backed by more than £2m of seed capital funding from Humber Freeport, having been identified as a significant project which will help the Humber region decarbonise its industries and transition to a net zero economy.
