At a recent media event at Kew Gardens, Stelrad gave the heating industry an update on the radiator marketplace and the company’s plans for the immediate future. This as it heads into a future increasingly looking to be dominated by low temperature, renewable heating systems as the government strives for zero carbon and a greener future that is not reliant on fossil fuels for domestic or commercial heating or for transport.
Marketing Manager Chris Harvey (pictured below) began by highlighting the fact that Stelrad is now the number one radiator manufacturer in the UK and in mainland Europe (1). It is still predominantly a manufacturer and supplier of steel panel radiators but with its four strategic objectives – of growing market share still further, improving the product mix, optimising its routes to market and positioning itself effectively for decarbonisation in the industry – it is making huge strides as it plans for growing its share of the premium panel radiator marketplace, and to capture the structural growth opportunity driving demand for higher margins and higher value added products.
The UK radiator market saw a reduction of 9% in 2024 but the market for radiators is going to see sustained growth over the next four years. In 2024 Stelrad Group plc with its five brands – Stelrad, Henrad, Hudevad, Termotechnik and DL Radiators – saw 51.2% of the UK market share in a compact market where four manufacturers between them were responsible for 96.5% of all radiators sold in the UK. The remaining 3.5% were sold by a myriad of other companies with negligible market share each (2).
Research showed that there has been 242% growth in the designer radiator marketplace since 2015. Premium steel panel and designer radiator ranges offer a notable opportunity in the next few years as the demand for them grows year on year.
Proven technology
Steel panel radiators will remain the leading emitter technology regardless of heat source, being common to all countries across the UK and Europe for new build and RMI markets. They offer proven technology, they are easy to install, benefit from long life, offer a fast response time and are fully recyclable. They are heavy and you do need larger size radiators for low temperature heating systems – hence the growing popularity of K3 format radiators that offer increased metal surface areas from the same radiator footprint of a K1 or K2 radiator. Installation costs and running costs are low compared to competitor emitter types.
Importantly, Stelrad’s radiators are ‘fit for the future’ – designed for the decades ahead.
Product development strategy within the Stelrad Radiators Group positions Stelrad effectively for profitable growth however the market develops over the longer term.
The plans for the future include production of high output conventional radiators, the development of hybrid products for low temperature systems and the introduction of electric radiators into the markets, ready to respond when electricity prices drop making electric heating an even more attractive alternative.
Stelrad has been working closely with new build, social housing and commercial specifiers to find cost effective, high performance solutions for low temperature heating systems with the arrival of K3s, vertical radiator options, the new 900mm height, 200mm height and 1,200mm height radiator options. The average heat output per radiator has improved by 7% since by the first half of the year.
Exceeding expectations
Stelrad is a new entrant in the electric radiator marketplace but even so sales have exceeded expectations significantly since the launch in the UK and Ireland in 2023. There was a 309% increase in sales in the first half of 2025 when compared to the first half of 2024 – impressive by any standards. And significant growth is expected over and above these figures in 2025/26.
The company continues to introduce new products and improved services to the heating sector with the launch in the UK of the Hudevad P5 range of horizontal and vertical radiators in the past twelve months. They are available in K1, K2 and K3 horizontal and K2 vertical formats – 62 models in total. Robust and durable, the P5 has a 2mm thick steel pressed steel fascia.
The company has launched its new Green Compact Series manufactured using ArcelorMittal XCarb steel offering 66% reduction in embodied carbon compared to conventionally manufactured models, supported by an independently verified EPD.
With the rise and rise of coloured radiators, Stelrad has introduced a new service offering to provide many of its radiators in a range of up to 55 RAL colours delivered within 14 working days of an order being placed. It stocks a number of its most popular coloured radiators for immediate delivery but has this new flexible and rapid response coloured radiator service to meet the needs of customers unable to wait the standard eight weeks for delivery of specific sizes in exact colours.
Its recent release of 200mm high K3 and K4 Compacts and 1,200mm high Vertex radiators is just the latest example of Stelrad’s willingness to listen to requests from customers for products that have not made it onto Stelrad’s newly upgraded website.
The event at Kew Gardens was a great opportunity for members of the trade media in the heating, electrical and kitchen and bathroom sectors to meet members of the Stelrad team face-to-face and to be able to ask questions and get answers. The venue was selected to highlight the green nature of the Stelrad operation – its environmental policy can be found on the company’s website at www.stelradprofessional.com.
(1) Source BRG Building Solutions 10-2024
(2) Source BRG Building Solutions 05-2025
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