Radiators still make up around 90% of all heating systems in the UK, and Stelrad continues to see its share of the UK marketplace grow year on year. PBM reports.
For Stelrad to achieve this, it is said to have invested heavily in its logistics organisation so that it can maintain and improve upon its promises to merchants up and down the country. The company’s National Distribution Centre offers a total of 160,000sqft of warehousing, which houses 17,000 pallet locations. The NDC and its team of 65 people, complete 50,000 customer deliveries a year to more than 2,000 different customer locations around the UK.
The total weight of radiators moved in the NDC in a year is 54 million kilograms — that is 239 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty! This comes from 195,000 pallets delivered a year and if all those pallets were stacked on top of each other, would be 24.2 times the height of Mount Everest.
Expanding offering
With more than a 50% market share in the UK, Stelrad continues to expand its offerings with more than 55 radiator ranges and more than 3,165 different product codes. The company manufactures and distributes a wide range of radiators for domestic and commercial heating systems, from standard steel panel radiators to premium panel radiators, low surface temperature radiators, designer radiators decorative radiators and towel rails.
“The Stelrad brand is recognised across the heating sector as a name that says high quality product, delivered anywhere in the UK at short notice — the majority within 72 hours of order — with arguably the best manufacturing set up and the most impressive logistics organisation in the heating sector,” says Chris Harvey, Head of Marketing at the South Yorkshire-based business.
“Add to that the best customer service team in the industry and our ability to deliver a great value for money range of products that are designed to be easy to install — and you get the picture as to where Stelrad is coming from. Stelrad is a strong brand with strong brand values and these are recognised and valued by our merchant partners and by the people who specify and select our products. Our success is down to our ability to deliver what we promise, when we promise it and always providing quality service.”
Trend tracking
Best known perhaps for its best-selling Compact radiators, and its Vita and Softline ranges, the trends in recent years have seen the steady move away from standard panel radiators towards the specification and installation of decorative and designer radiators, and the provision of several special application radiators.
Homeowners in particular, and builders of new homes, have reportedly seen the benefit of upgrading the radiators in their properties. This is said to be in response to the increase in TV programmes that allow viewers into the homes of celebrities and promote the desire to replicate the quality and aesthetic appeal of the radiators that they see adorning the walls of these properties.
Virtually every home, and certainly every new home, now has a special bathroom radiator — usually a towel drying radiator — with more and more people also looking to have ‘feature radiators’ in their kitchens, the main living room and in entrance halls and corridors. This has reportedly caused an increase in demand for vertical radiators, capable of providing the necessary heat from a smaller radiator footprint.
Safety first
Stelrad also offers a range of low surface temperature radiators, designed to ensure that the casing of the radiator never exceeds 43°C where there is a need to meet NHS Guidance for ‘Safe Hot Water and surface temperature’. These are now common features in nursing and care homes, in hospitals, nurseries and schools and anywhere where vulnerable people live or congregate.
In addition, Stelrad has added a number of other special application radiators, such as the Planar-HD — a heavy duty version of its flat fronted radiator, designed for uses where the radiators need to withstand especially robust treatment. The company has also introduced Xtra-Protection versions of radiators for rooms that will experience increased humidity such as showers, wet rooms and the like.
The latest trend, that Stelrad is also aiming to take a lead on, is the introduction of coloured radiators. The business now offers radiators in up to 36 different colours and offers some of the more popular choices available from stock within the usual 72 hours deliver time.
To find out more about Stelrad and its range of radiators, visit www.stelrad.com/radiators. There is also the opportunity to meet members of the Stelrad team for face to face support and training opportunities at merchant branches regularly during the year.
