Eight golden tickets took a group of installers to ESBE’s Reftele factory in Sweden for a two-day course, where they were able to familiarise themselves with a selection of pumps and valves, which have been specifically developed to improve heat pump performance in domestic and commercial projects.

The group had all attended an industry training seminar last September in Birmingham, organised by iNstallD, where ESBE’s Nigel Raper had discussed the importance of a valve’s Kvs rating to get the best from heat pumps. Eves said: “ESBE likes to get installer feedback on new products so that ideas can be incorporated into the final designs.”

Nigel Raper, Technical Manager at ESBE’s Rossendale headquarters, added: “The products we concentrated on over the two days in Sweden were our rotary valves and circulation units – often referred to as pump groups – while also discussing about how the new anti-freeze valve could be fine-tuned to suit UK conditions. The engagement was such that it turned out to be our longest ever factory tour ever at some 2.5 hours: because as well as giving visitors a tour of the production and research areas, where they can see the conditions our components are manufactured under, we also have a museum which charts the development of different products as well as that of the business.”