BAXI
Encyclopedia
Baxi Group is one of Europe's
biggest manufacturers and distributors of domestic and commercial water and space heating systems
.
It employs more than 5,000 people throughout Europe with a turnover exceeding €1.2 billion. The group has significant market share
s across all major continental territories and in the United Kingdom
. It is also expanding into new markets such as Romania
and Argentina
and already has a direct presence in Russia
, China
and the Czech Republic
, and joint venture partnerships in developing locations, like Turkey
.
Today, Baxi Group owns and sells some of the leading brands in the European market for heating products.
It is known under various pseudonyms worldwide, including Chappée and Ideal Standard in France
, Roca in Spain
and Broetje in Germany
.
Baxi Group operates five sites in the UK: Derby
, Warwick
, Preston, Norwich
and Erdington
.
Its investment is based on boiler products and renewable technologies
, including solar thermal hot water systems, ground source
heat pumps
, air source
heat pumps, biomass
and micro-combined heat and power.
founder, who began the Baxendale Company in 1866, based in Preston in Lancashire
. Since the company was founded, it has been responsible for many of the key engineering breakthroughs which have revolutionised the boiler market
.
The current Baxi Group was formed in November 2000 by the merger of the heating interests of Newmond plc (formerly the European Building Products Division of Williams Holding Plc) and Baxi Holdings plc.
The company's main shareholders are now private equity
investors, BC Partners
and Electra.
and after-sales activities in more than 70 countries across the world.
s since 2000 have included Baymak (Turkey joint venture), Baxi Belgium, SenerTec (combined heat and power), European Fuel Cell (fuel cell technology
) and Roca Heating, the market leader in residential
heating equipment in Spain
and Portugal
.
In October 2004, Baxi Holding Ltd sold the Aqualisa division, to a management buy-out backed by CBPE Capital for £82.5 million.
. Handling customer enquiries
relating to meter readings
, heating system breakdowns and the like, the contact centre also provides a technical helpdesk
and handles approximately 6,000 calls per day.
, the group agreed to merge with Netherlands
business rival De Dietrich Remeha
.
for the benefit of the Employees. The Trust required an act of parliament specially to set it up due to UK trust Laws placing restrictions on trust and the original intentions of the trust not being compatible. This resulted in the Baxi Partnership Limited Trusts Act 2000 being enacted.
The Baxi Group employs more than 5,400 people throughout Europe with a turnover of £850 million.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
biggest manufacturers and distributors of domestic and commercial water and space heating systems
Central heating
A central heating system provides warmth to the whole interior of a building from one point to multiple rooms. When combined with other systems in order to control the building climate, the whole system may be a HVAC system.Central heating differs from local heating in that the heat generation...
.
It employs more than 5,000 people throughout Europe with a turnover exceeding €1.2 billion. The group has significant market share
Market share
Market share is the percentage of a market accounted for by a specific entity. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 67 percent responded that they found the "dollar market share" metric very useful, while 61% found "unit market share" very useful.Marketers need to be able to...
s across all major continental territories and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is also expanding into new markets such as Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and already has a direct presence in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, and joint venture partnerships in developing locations, like Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Today, Baxi Group owns and sells some of the leading brands in the European market for heating products.
It is known under various pseudonyms worldwide, including Chappée and Ideal Standard in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Roca in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Broetje in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Baxi Group operates five sites in the UK: Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, Preston, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
.
Its investment is based on boiler products and renewable technologies
Energy security and renewable technology
The environmental benefits of renewable energy technologies are widely recognised, but the contribution thatthey can make to energy security is less well known. Renewable technologies can enhance energy security in electricity generation, heat supply, and transportation.-Energy security:Access to...
, including solar thermal hot water systems, ground source
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
heat pumps
Water Pump
Water Pump is one of the neighbourhoods of Gulberg Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is near main Water Pump that supplies fresh water to the city of Karachi....
, air source
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
heat pumps, biomass
Biomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
and micro-combined heat and power.
History
The group can trace its beginnings back over 140 years to Richard Baxendale, an ironIron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
founder, who began the Baxendale Company in 1866, based in Preston in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Since the company was founded, it has been responsible for many of the key engineering breakthroughs which have revolutionised the boiler market
Central heating
A central heating system provides warmth to the whole interior of a building from one point to multiple rooms. When combined with other systems in order to control the building climate, the whole system may be a HVAC system.Central heating differs from local heating in that the heat generation...
.
The current Baxi Group was formed in November 2000 by the merger of the heating interests of Newmond plc (formerly the European Building Products Division of Williams Holding Plc) and Baxi Holdings plc.
The company's main shareholders are now private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
investors, BC Partners
BC Partners
BC Partners is a private equity firm specialising in buyouts and acquisitions financing in Europe and the United States. The firm invests across all industries...
and Electra.
Baxi International
Baxi International, a division of the Baxi Group, was formed in 2002 to manage the group's international sales, marketingMarketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and after-sales activities in more than 70 countries across the world.
Joint Ventures
Strategic acquisitions and joint ventureJoint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
s since 2000 have included Baymak (Turkey joint venture), Baxi Belgium, SenerTec (combined heat and power), European Fuel Cell (fuel cell technology
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
) and Roca Heating, the market leader in residential
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
heating equipment in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
In October 2004, Baxi Holding Ltd sold the Aqualisa division, to a management buy-out backed by CBPE Capital for £82.5 million.
Preston
The company continues to be a major employer in Preston at the manufacturing and testing facility and is a former sponsor of Preston North End football club.Warwick
The company's contact centre currently employs some 100 call handlers working from offices based in WarwickWarwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
. Handling customer enquiries
Customer support
Customer support is a range of customer services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use of a product. It includes assistance in planning, installation, training, trouble shooting, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of a product....
relating to meter readings
Electricity meter
An electricity meter or energy meter is a device that measures the amount of electric energy consumed by a residence, business, or an electrically powered device....
, heating system breakdowns and the like, the contact centre also provides a technical helpdesk
Technical support
Technical support or tech support refers to a range of services by which enterprises provide assistance to users of technology products such as mobile phones, televisions, computers, software products or other electronic or mechanical goods...
and handles approximately 6,000 calls per day.
Merge
In July 2009, heavily laden with debtDebt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
, the group agreed to merge with Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
business rival De Dietrich Remeha
De Dietrich Remeha
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...
.
Baxi partnership
It is Britain's largest employee owned manufacturing company. The Original company was left in a TrustTrust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
for the benefit of the Employees. The Trust required an act of parliament specially to set it up due to UK trust Laws placing restrictions on trust and the original intentions of the trust not being compatible. This resulted in the Baxi Partnership Limited Trusts Act 2000 being enacted.
The Baxi Group employs more than 5,400 people throughout Europe with a turnover of £850 million.
UK subsidiaries and locations
- Andrews Water Heaters - BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
- Baxi - Preston
- Elson - Tyne & WearTyne and WearTyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
- Heateam (Servicing) - WarwickWarwickWarwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
- Heatrae Sadia - NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
- Main - Warwick
- Potterton - Warwick
- Potterton Commercial - Birmingham
- Santon - Norwich
- ValorYale & ValorYale & Valor was a company in Birmingham that manufactured locks and gas fires. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:In 1890, the Valor Company Ltd. was formed in Birmingham for manufacturing oil-storage cabinets. Later it diversified into paraffin and subsequently gas heaters...
- Birmingham
Overseas subsidiaries
Strategic acquisitions and joint ventures included:- Baymak (Turkey joint venture),
- CSE (now renamed Baxi Belgium),
- SenerTec(Combined Heat and PowerCombined Heat and PowerCombined Heat and Power may refer to:* Cogeneration* Combined Heat and Power Solar...
specialists), - European Fuel Cell
- Roca Heating (2005), in Spain and Portugal.