INDUSTRY NEWS
CELEBRATING APPRENTICESHIP SUCCESSES AT THE ICOM ANNUAL LUNCH
S
t Ermin’s Hotel in Westminster was the setting for this year’s ICOM (Industrial and Commercial Heating Equipment Association) annual lunch
which took place on Thursday 5th June. The glittering event, held in the Crystal Ballroom, began
with pre-lunch drinks, sponsored by Fernox, during which members of ICOM had time to network and catch up with industry news. Following a welcome address by ICOM Director, Steve McConnell, and a delicious lunch, the finalists of the ICOM Apprentice/Trainee of the Year Award, sponsored by Adey Commercial, were announced. This year’s finalists were: Connor Clewes, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Apprentice at Worcester Bosch Daniels Manfelds, Electrical Engineering and Control
Systems Trainee at Cochran Ltd Hayden Openshaw, Maintenance and Operations Engineering Apprentice at Fulton Boiler Works GB Ltd The apprentices were judged by Ian McCluskey CEng FIMechE FIGEM, head of technical and policy at the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM). He said: “The standard of the applicants was extremely high this year and it was not an easy task to distinguish between them when looking at the three criteria used for judging. “However, Hayden’s entry in particular impressed
me for a number of reasons: his aptitude for continuous learning; his commitment to excellence and a clear demonstration of honesty, integrity and respect for his colleagues and his workplace. “The Fulton apprenticeship programme has developed
Hayden from a young apprentice into a competent engineer showing all the qualities for meeting the standard of a professionally registered engineer. It is for these reasons that I am delighted to select Hayden as a very worthy winner of the ICOM apprentice of the year award 2025.”
Inbrief
Midea Cooling & Heating (UK & Ireland) has partnered with City Plumbing. This collaboration is expected to strengthen Midea’s reach across the UK while giving installers and homeowners greater access to the brand’s renewable heating solutions.
www.midea.com
Sureserve and Kensa have announced a new partnership to help social housing providers and public bodies across the UK accelerate the decarbonisation of heating and reduce residents’ energy bills.
www.sureserve.co.uk https://kensa.co.uk
The after dinner speaker, sponsored by Elco Heating Solutions UK, was Alun Cochrane, who entertained guests with his sharp one-liners and off-the-cuff wit. Steve McConnell reflected on another successful
event: “The annual lunch is one of the few events where all our members can meet in person, catch up with old acquaintances, make new connections and discuss industry issues and developments. “It is also always a pleasure to meet the apprentices,
who, after all, will be taking our industry into the future. Congratulations to all three, and particularly to Hayden, our ICOM Apprentice of the Year 2025. It is vital that we encourage young people to join our businesses as apprentices and learn the skills they’ll need for the future. Connor, Daniels and Hayden are a credit to their employers and we wish them every success for the future. “Finally, I’d like to thank our sponsors and ICOM
colleagues for helping us to make our annual lunch such a success. Most of our time is spent working with governments, professional bodies and associations to influence regulation and promote best practice throughout the non-domestic heating sector, so this event is a great opportunity to celebrate everyone’s hard work.”
Greenmeadow Community Farm is one of the latest projects in Wales to complete the installation of a ground source heat pump, reducing fossil fuel use on site. greenmeadowcommunityfarm.
org.uk
BSRIA released its refreshed Air Quality Hub. This enhanced resource centre is a vital toolkit, providing building and facilities managers with comprehensive guidance, testing protocols and practical solutions to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in commercial and public buildings.
www.bsria.com
Hive has announced that Samsung is now part of the Works With Hive network. Samsung Wi-Fi enabled heat pump owners will be able to control their devices and gain insights through the Hive App, alongside any other Hive or Works With Hive devices.
www.hivehome.com
A collaboration between Solarwatt and Steibel Eltron has seen a completely integrated heat pump and solar energy system in a home has been unveiled, showing how multiple renewable technologies can maximise efficiency and deliver sustainable dwellings across the country.
www.solarwatt.com
West Lothian College has joined forces with Mitsubishi Electric in a new partnership aimed at tackling a shortage of workers trained to install heat pumps - a key technology in the move toward a greener future.
les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk
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July 2025 7
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