Don’t be fooled by the modern-sounding name, Glow-Worm was actually founded back in 1934!
Known for their innovation and for bringing a wealth of ‘firsts’ to the boiler industry, the Glow-Worm Boiler manufacturers are a bit of a legend in the heating world!
The Glow-Worm Boiler and Fireplace Company Ltd began manufacturing boilers and fireplaces at their factory next to the River Derwent at the Derwent Foundry in Derbyshire. The 1960’s were a busy decade for Glow-Worm in terms of innovation. In 1963 they produced the ‘balanced flue’. This new design meant that there was both an outlet and inlet, close to each other, and any draughts or gusts of wind could be equalled or cancelled and did not affect the pilot light in the appliance. The design also allowed for boilers to be room sealed meaning a boiler could be sited safely anywhere in the home – something we take for granted now!
Three years later, and with the increased demand for gas central heating, Glow-Worm built another facility in Belper, for producing boilers – this would later become the headquarters for the Valliant Group (Glow-Worm became part of the Valliant group in 2001). Glow-Worm also introduced a product that consisted of back-boilers for heating and water with a fire front space-heater facing – giving it the name ‘Majorca’ to give it more appeal to the British consumer. The ‘Majorca’ can still be found fully functional in households today!
The company then turned its attention to producing boilers that will not take up much space in the home or could concealed, launching the ‘Spacesaver in the 1970s. This boiler could be hung on the wall, allowing for more floor space in a room. This continued into the 1980’s when Glow-Worm developed the Fuelsaver, a lightweight appliance, and for those that were unable to put their boiler on the wall – the Hideaway was a perfect choice. A free-standing boiler that could fit underneath the worktops and disguised by a cupboard door that matches the rest of the room. These products were so popular, that they even had celebrity endorsements, with Ronnie Barker and Les Dawson – the latter of whom was the face of a nationwide advertising campaign!
Innovation is in the blood at Glow-Worm, and the company is no stranger to developing firsts, and in the last decade of the 20th century, Glow-Worm developed the first condensing boiler. A few short years later the ‘Micron’ heating appliance was unveiled – the smallest heating system in the world. In 2008, they introduced an even smaller boiler; the Betacom C.
Glow-Worm has continued to adapt their products to meet the demands of the current market. It’s no surprise that their current focus is on the environment and fuel efficiency. To meet these needs Glow-Worm have produced boilers with incredible A+ energy ratings; boilers that can run on LPG without the need for conversion kits; and have expanded into renewable energy. In 2005, Secretary of State Margaret Beckett, launched the changeover of high-efficiency boilers – Glow-Worm were the leading manufacturers of this. To honour this launch, the company unveiled the ‘Flexicom’ – a boiler that can fit into your cupboard and has a direct flue at the rear.
Glow-Worm has proven to be a trusted brand with both homeowners and installers. With a wide range of boilers to suit any home of any size.