INDUSTRY NEWS V
VENT-AXIA CELEBRATES 90 YEARS OF BRITISH INNOVATION
ent-Axia celebrated 90 years of British manufacturing and innovation on Thursday 15 October 2026, marking the milestone with a commemorative tree planting at Crawter’s Brook People’s Park in
Manor Royal, Crawley, close to its headquarters. To honour the occasion, a Fastigiate Oak was planted by the Vice Lord- Lieutenant of West Sussex, John Barclay, DL, as part of the anniversary celebrations attended by the Mayor of Crawley, Councillor Marion Ayling, Peter Lamb MP for Crawley, Steve Sawyer, Executive Director of the Manor Royal BID, and representatives from the Crawley Museum. Founded in 1936 by Joe Akester, inventor of the world’s fi rst electrically-
operated window fan, Vent-Axia has a long history of British engineering and product innovation. Its heritage includes supplying ventilation to Sir Winston Churchill for his Chartwell home in 1945. Today, the company continues to build on its British manufacturing heritage, developing ventilation solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. To mark its 90th Anniversary, Vent-Axia also funded a new planting scheme at Crawter’s Brook, in collaboration with the Manor Royal BID, helping to enhance biodiversity and create a lasting legacy for the local community. Students from Crawley College also produced an engraved commemorative oak plaque to mark Vent-Axia’s 90th Anniversary tree planting at Crawter’s Brook People’s Park. The commemorative tree and new planting are located next to the park’s Green Lung sculpture, curated by the Manor Royal BID and created by sculptor Andrew McKeown. Graham Sanders, managing director at Vent-Axia, said: “We are delighted
to be celebrating our 90th anniversary at Vent-Axia. From Joe Akester’s invention of the world’s fi rst electrically-operated window fan in 1936 to the ventilation solutions we develop today, innovation has always been at the heart of our business. We are very proud of our British manufacturing heritage, and it is particularly fi tting to mark this milestone by supporting a project that will benefi t the local environment and community of Manor Royal that has been home to our HQ for nearly 70 years. As we celebrate 90 years of achievement, we look forward to continuing to innovate and develop ventilation solutions that improve the environments in which we live and work,” said Vent-Axia’s commitment to innovation continues today with a raft of
award-winning ventilation solutions building on nine decades of British engineering expertise. Most recently, the company’s Lo-Carbon PureAir Cleanse dMEV won ‘Domestic Ventilation Product of the Year’ at the HVR Awards. The industry’s fi rst dedicated continuous-running decentralised mechanical extract ventilation (dMEV) fan with an integral indoor air quality (IAQ) sensor, the Lo-Carbon PureAir Cleanse combines humidity control and advanced air-quality sensing to actively monitor and help improve indoor air quality.
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WORCESTER BOSCH ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES
N
ick Fothergill has been appointed as director of sales for Worcester Bosch after Paul Soper made a decision to leave following 32 years of service. Nick’s appointment extends his existing responsibilities
for residential & commercial projects business to now include the Private and Domestic business. Nick brings over 15 years of leadership within the
company and more than 20 years of HVAC sector expertise to the position. He has a proven track record of driving large-scale commercial success and delivering profi table growth across the entire value chain. His extensive commercial experience spans key market segments, including utilities, new build, social housing, and government-funded sectors, where he has successfully led major go-to-market initiatives for electrifi cation portfolios. A respected voice in industry policy, Nick holds an MSc in Engineering Project Management with distinction, serves as a non-executive board member of ICOM, and frequently contributes to national sector discussions, ensuring our customers receive market-leading expertise and strategic partnership. Commenting on the change, Jo Shepherd, chief executive at Worcester Bosch,
said: ‘We wish Paul all the best for the future and are proud of everything he achieved with us. Looking to the future, I am incredibly excited about what lies ahead for Worcester Bosch. Our business and Nick are fully equipped to drive our vision forward, maintaining our market leadership and reinforcing our reputation as the Trusted Home Comfort Expert.”
29/9/26 12:28
6 November 2026
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