Worcester, Bosch Group

Last updated

Worcester Bosch
IndustryHeating
FoundedSeptember 1962
Headquarters,
Area served
United Kingdom and Ireland
Key people
Cecil Duckworth (founder)
Products Boilers, solar panels, heat pumps
Number of employees
2,000+
Parent Robert Bosch GmbH
Website www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

Worcester Bosch (commonly referred to as Worcester) is a United Kingdom based heating and hot water products manufacturer. [1]

Contents

The company was founded in 1962 by Cecil Duckworth as Worcester Engineering Co Ltd in Worcester, England. After changing its name to Worcester Heat Systems Ltd, in 1992 the company was acquired by Robert Bosch GmbH, adopting the new name of Worcester Bosch.

Headquartered in Warndon, the company employs more than 2,000 people across the headquarters and manufacturing plants in Worcester and Clay Cross, Derbyshire, including a network of over 300 service engineers and over 80 technically trained field sales managers. [2]

History

The company was founded by Cecil Duckworth in 1962 as Worcester Engineering Co Ltd, based at the Old Vinegar works in Worcester. Worcester's early success is attributed to the pioneering of combination boilers in the UK, [3] further successful performance in the UK heating market led to the expansion and relocation of the factory to its current headquarters in Warndon in 1990. [4]

Continued growth was followed by the acquisition by Robert Bosch GmbH in 1992, with the company changing its name to 'Worcester, Bosch Group'. As part of Bosch's heating technology subsidiary, Worcester is a brand of Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd, the collective name that refers to Worcester, Bosch Group and Buderus (acquired by Bosch in 2003). [5]

Whilst Worcester's origins lie in oil and gas boilers, recent years have seen the company champion renewable technologies such as solar water heating, ground source and air source heat pumps. The company runs schemes such as the Environment 2020 awards to reward and promote energy efficiency and reinforce their commitment to being an "environmentally responsible manufacturer". [6]

Worcester has been awarded the royal warrant by the Queen for supplying hot water products to the royal family. [7]

Worcester Bosch Group were a founding sponsor of the Upton Blues Festival, but in 2009 reluctantly pulled out. [8]

The company has strong connections to the Worcester Warriors Rugby club through Chairman and founder Cecil Duckworth CBE, and that was renewed in 2010 when Worcester, Bosch Group was named as the Warriors new shirt sponsor up to the 2012-13 season. [9]

Product portfolio

Worcester's product portfolio covers seven technologies:

Worcester's gas, oil and LPG ranges consist of regular boilers, combination boilers and system boilers; these are wall-hung, floor-standing or externally sited.

Worcester's solar water heating range was released in 2005, with the ground source heat pump range being released in 2007 and the air source heat pump range being released in 2008. [10]

Installation

Worcester operates a loyalty scheme known as the Worcester Accredited Installer scheme. Worcester Accredited Installers "specialise in Worcester products and can offer extended warranties" and benefit from features such as the online 'Find an Installer' search. [11] Worcester Accredited Installers are experienced in fitting Worcester products but are not employed by Worcester. [12] Worcester specifies that all members of the Worcester Accredited Installer scheme are Gas Safe Registered.

Relocation plans

It has been announced in the local and national press that the company has applied for planning permission to relocate its Warndon headquarters to a new site near junction 6 of the M5. [13] This land is part of the Green Belt.

An interview with Paul Middlebrough, leader of the Wychavon District Council in the Worcester News provided some support for the proposed move; "Strategically, Wychavon recognises the absolute necessity to retain Bosch and formulate its expansion in the Worcester area. In this difficult and probably deteriorating time, the fact that Bosch are going to expand is good for everybody. The proposal will provide opportunities for more employees to move into a prime location, which places us in a good position to promote jobs for local people as the economy recovers." [14]

Data breach

In May 2018, a serious data breach inadvertently revealed the home addresses of “tens of thousands” of Worcester customers. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heat pump</span> System that transfers heat from one space to another

A heat pump is a device that uses work to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space by transferring thermal energy using a refrigeration cycle, cooling the cool space and warming the warm space. In cold weather a heat pump can move heat from the cool outdoors to warm a house; the pump may also be designed to move heat from the house to the warmer outdoors in warm weather. As they transfer heat rather than generating heat, they are more energy-efficient than other ways of heating a home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water heating</span> Thermodynamic process that uses energy sources to heat water

Water heating is a heat transfer process that uses an energy source to heat water above its initial temperature. Typical domestic uses of hot water include cooking, cleaning, bathing, and space heating. In industry, hot water and water heated to steam have many uses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cogeneration</span> Simultaneous generation of electricity and useful heat

Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) is the use of a heat engine or power station to generate electricity and useful heat at the same time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central heating</span> Type of heating system

A central heating system provides warmth to a number of spaces within a building from one main source of heat. It is a component of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, which can both cool and warm interior spaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District heating</span> Centralized heat distribution system

District heating is a system for distributing heat generated in a centralized location through a system of insulated pipes for residential and commercial heating requirements such as space heating and water heating. The heat is often obtained from a cogeneration plant burning fossil fuels or biomass, but heat-only boiler stations, geothermal heating, heat pumps and central solar heating are also used, as well as heat waste from factories and nuclear power electricity generation. District heating plants can provide higher efficiencies and better pollution control than localized boilers. According to some research, district heating with combined heat and power (CHPDH) is the cheapest method of cutting carbon emissions, and has one of the lowest carbon footprints of all fossil generation plants.

Micro combined heat and power, micro-CHP, µCHP or mCHP is an extension of the idea of cogeneration to the single/multi family home or small office building in the range of up to 50 kW. Usual technologies for the production of heat and power in one common process are e.g. internal combustion engines, micro gas turbines, stirling engines or fuel cells.

Condensing boilers are water heaters typically used for heating systems that are fueled by gas or oil. When operated in the correct circumstances, a heating system can achieve high efficiency by condensing water vapour found in the exhaust gases in a heat exchanger to preheat the circulating water. This recovers the latent heat of vaporisation, which would otherwise have been wasted. The condensate is sent to a drain. In many countries, the use of condensing boilers is compulsory or encouraged with financial incentives.

Renewable heat is an application of renewable energy referring to the generation of heat from renewable sources; for example, feeding radiators with water warmed by focused solar radiation rather than by a fossil fuel boiler. Renewable heat technologies include renewable biofuels, solar heating, geothermal heating, heat pumps and heat exchangers. Insulation is almost always an important factor in how renewable heating is implemented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ground source heat pump</span> System to transfer heat to/from the ground

A ground source heat pump is a heating/cooling system for buildings that uses a type of heat pump to transfer heat to or from the ground, taking advantage of the relative constancy of temperatures of the earth through the seasons. Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) – or geothermal heat pumps (GHP) as they are commonly termed in North America – are among the most energy-efficient technologies for providing HVAC and water heating, using far less energy than can be achieved by burning a fuel in a boiler/furnace or by use of resistive electric heaters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geothermal power in the United Kingdom</span>

The potential for exploiting geothermal energy in the United Kingdom on a commercial basis was initially examined by the Department of Energy in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. Several regions of the country were identified, but interest in developing them was lost as petroleum prices fell. Although the UK is not actively volcanic, a large heat resource is potentially available via shallow geothermal ground source heat pumps, shallow aquifers and deep saline aquifers in the mesozoic basins of the UK. Geothermal energy is plentiful beneath the UK, although it is not readily accessible currently except in specific locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baxi</span> British heating systems manufacturer

Baxi is part of BDR Thermea, one of Europe's largest manufacturers and distributors of domestic and commercial water and space heating systems.

De Dietrich Remeha is one of Europe's biggest manufacturers and distributors of domestic and commercial water and space heating systems. Headquartered in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, it was founded in July 2004 after a merger between the Dutch firm Remeha, and the French firm De Dietrich Thermique. In July 2009, the heavily laden with debt British Baxi group agreed to merge with De Dietrich Remeha, creating the BDR Thermea Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viessmann</span> German company

The Viessmann Group is a German manufacturer of heating and refrigeration systems headquartered in Allendorf (Eder), Germany. With 22 production companies in 12 countries, distribution companies and representative offices in 74 countries and 120 sales offices throughout the world, Viessmann is international in its orientation. More than 54 percent of turnover is generated abroad. Since January 2022, the company is led by Martin Vießmann, Maximilian Viessmann (Group-CEO) and Ulrich Hüllmann (CFO). In April 2023, Viessmann announced that it would sell its heat pump division to its US competitor Carrier Global for €12 billion.

The BDR Thermea Group is a European manufacturer and distributor of domestic and commercial water and space heating systems. Its brands include Baxi, De Dietrich Remeha, Brötje, Chappée and Baymak.

The Vaillant Group is a company that develops products for heating, cooling and hot water.

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF), also known as variable refrigerant volume (VRV), is an HVAC technology invented by Daikin Industries, Ltd. in 1982. Similar to ductless mini-split systems, VRFs use refrigerant as the primary cooling and heating medium, and is usually less complex than conventional chiller-based systems. This refrigerant is conditioned by one or more condensing units, and is circulated within the building to multiple indoor units. VRF systems, unlike conventional chiller-based systems, allow for varying degrees of cooling in more specific areas, may supply hot water in a heat recovery configuration without affecting efficiency, and switch to heating mode during winter without additional equipment, all of which may allow for reduced energy consumption. Also, air handlers and large ducts are not used which can reduce the height above a dropped ceiling as well as structural impact as VRF uses smaller penetrations for refrigerant pipes instead of ducts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in Denmark</span>

Solar power in Denmark is at 2,339 MW (grid-connected) by mid-2022, and contributes to a goal to use 100% renewable energy by 2050 and 100% renewable electricity by 2030. Solar power met 6.1% of Danish electricity demand in 2022, the highest share in the Nordic countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rheem Manufacturing Company</span> American HVAC manufacturer

Rheem Manufacturing Company is an American privately held manufacturer that produces residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, as well as heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. The company also produces and sells products under the Ruud brand name. It is an independent subsidiary of Paloma Industries.What became Rheem started in 1925 as a supplier of packaging to the petroleum industry, and is currently headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. The company is one of the largest manufacturers of both water heating and HVAC equipment in the United States, and also produces and markets products in Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, China, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Iraq, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Perú, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, and Ukraine.

Cecil Duckworth CBE was an English businessman and the founder of Worcester Bosch and executive chairman of Rugby Union team Worcester Warriors. He also founded the Worcestershire Duckworth Trust, a Worcestershire charity that helps to relieve poverty and promote environmental conservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariston Thermo</span> Italian thermal comfort manufacturing company

Ariston Holding NV is an Italian corporation that produces heating systems and related products, marketed mainly under the Ariston, Chaffoteaux, Elco, Racold, Régent, Atag, NTI, HTP, Cuenod, Ecoflam and Thermowatt brands.

References

  1. "SBGI". Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  2. "About Our Company - Worcester, Bosch Group". Worcester-bosch.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  3. "Worcester - Bosch Group - Careers". Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  4. "Central heating boilers, solar water heating and heat pumps - Worcester, Bosch Group". Worcester-bosch.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  5. "Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd". Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  6. "About Our Company - Worcester, Bosch Group". Worcester-bosch.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  7. "Worcester Bosch Group T/A Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd - Royal Warrant Holders Association". Royalwarrant.org. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  8. "Music festival in funding crisis". News.bbc.co.uk. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  9. "Joint press release from Worcester, Bosch Group and Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club: Worcester, Bosch Group named as Warriors new shirt sponsor". Worcester-bosch.co.uk. 15 May 2010. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  10. "Boilers For Your Home - Worcester, Bosch Group". Worcester-bosch.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  11. "Boilers For Your Home - Worcester, Bosch Group". Worcester-bosch.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  12. "Boilers For Your Home - Worcester, Bosch Group". Worcester-bosch.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  13. "Firm hopes to create 1,000 jobs". News.bbc.co.uk. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  14. "Bosch bid wins support". Worcester News . Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  15. Murphy, Margi. "Worcester Bosch admits data breach affecting 'tens of thousands'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 January 2019.