Ideal Heating has given Hull MP Dame Diana Johnson a tour of its flagship UK Technology Centre, as development of the facility enters its final stages.
The UKTC is a purpose-built centre, at Ideal’s headquarters site in National Avenue, Hull, focused on pioneering low carbon heating technologies.
The £19.2m facility is an integral part of Ideal’s pivot towards heating solutions which will help to decarbonise UK homes and business premises.
Backed by more than £2m of funding from Humber Freeport, the UKTC will house more than 100 Ideal specialists, in roles ranging from R&D and product management, to design engineering and software development.
Humber Freeport allocated a proportion of its £25m seed capital fund to Ideal Heating, recognising the UKTC as a key investment which aligns closely with the Freeport’s objectives to stimulate innovation, skills development and low carbon technology in the region.
Dame Diana Johnson MP, centre, with Ideal Heating’s Chief Operations Officer Jason Speedy, right, and Engineering Director Helen Villamuera, right.
Dame Diana, who is also Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions, said: “It’s fantastic to see such a significant investment being made right here in Hull. The UKTC is an impressive facility which reflects Ideal’s leading role in the heating industry.
“Ideal is one of Hull’s great business success stories, with a long and proud history of innovation and employment in the city. This R&D centre will not only safeguard jobs in Hull, it will create new opportunities and skills well into the future, and support the transition to clean energy.”
Dame Diana was shown state-of-the-art facilities, including climatic chambers, where heat pumps are tested in a range of temperatures and conditions, and anechoic chambers, designed to monitor acoustic levels.
The UKTC is a major statement of intent from Ideal, as the UK boiler market leader invests significantly in heat pumps and other low carbon technologies. It forms part of a £60m investment programme, spanning manufacturing, engineering, logistics, R&D and training.
Ideal Heating’s UK Technology Centre received more than £2m of Humber Freeport seed capital funding.
Ideal’s Chief Operations Officer, Jason Speedy, and Engineering Director Helen Villamuera, welcomed Dame Diana and briefed her on the significance of the UKTC.
Mr Speedy said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Dame Diana to our headquarters site in Hull and to give her a tour of the UKTC as the fit out enters its final stages.
“The UKTC represents an important investment for Hull, continuing well over a century of success and growth for Ideal in the city. We’re proud to make a significant further contribution to the local economy – one which support skills development, retention and innovation in our region.
“There’s a real buzz around the business about the building, especially among our product development and R&D teams who are really looking forward to the state-of-the-art facilities and exciting opportunities it offers.”
Other projects to receive seed capital funding from Humber Freeport include an expansion at industrial training organisation CATCH. Around £4.5m of Freeport funding is helping CATCH develop a new central atrium, lecture theatre, event and breakout space, an AR/VR suite and an investor suite.
The expansion, supported by public and private place-based investment, will lead and build on initiatives and projects to build academic partnerships, STEM careers and educational outreach.
