Museum announces major partnership with heating tech giant

Derby Museums has announced a new partnership with heating technology giant Vaillant which will boost future engineering skills in the region.

Having invested more than £50 million into the region, the firm, which is a leading manufacturer of heat pumps, boilers and other heating products, has partnered with Derby Museums on a new suite of educational programmes designed to inspire apprentices, engineers and makers of the future.

Vaillant is the largest employer in Belper with additional sites across Derbyshire, including St. Modwen Park Derby, a brand-new city business park being created by St. Modwen Logistics.

Henrik Hansen, managing director of Vaillant in the UK & Ireland, said: “Our partnership with Derby Museums is a great way for us to celebrate our local manufacturing heritage.

“We’ve been in Derby for 90 years with Glow-worm and this year we are proud to celebrate 150 years with Vaillant.

“We are a major employer in the area and are looking to promote engineering and manufacturing in the region and to continue investing in Derby, making the city attractive for current and future generations.”

Cathy Putz, director of programmes at Derby Museums, said: “We are delighted to have secured the support of Vaillant through this multi-year partnership to support Derby Museums’ ambitions to grow, develop and inspire a community of makers and engineers in the area.

For the next three years, Vaillant will collaborate with Derby Museums on special workshops for visitors to get involved and understand low carbon alternatives in heating and new initiatives in education and skills development for the region.

Visitors to the Museum of Making will be able to learn more about a low carbon future through its new Power Pod display.

The display showcases the innovations from both Vaillant and its sister brand Glow-worm, looking at heritage boilers from the past and heat pump technology for the future, alongside other industrial artefacts from Derby Museums’ collections.

The partnership between Derby Museums and Vaillant, which was initially brokered by Marketing Derby, will also see the creation of a ‘Launch into Engineering’ project – where secondary school pupils will be invited to spend time in the Museum of Making’s Workshop, visit the Vaillant manufacturing plant and get a taste of life in the heating industry

And Vaillant will also be the exclusive sponsor of Assemble: Derby’s Making Festival, which will take place on Saturday 26 October.

Produced by Derby Museums and taking place at the Museum of Making, on what is widely regarded as the site of the world’s first modern factory, the festival is a family-friendly event celebrating makers and making in all its forms.

Henrik said: “We value the opportunity to support Derby Museums through educating the public on manufacturing engineering skills.

“We are especially excited to link the partnership to our apprenticeship programme with Derby College Group.

“As a major manufacturer in the region it is our responsibility to support and invest in our young people to secure the future of low carbon home heating.”

Cathy said: “The Museum of Making is committed to exploring Derbyshire’s making past, present and future and we are excited to be partnering with Vaillant to build on successful existing industry partnerships.

“In a world where sustainability and climate consciousness are paramount, through this partnership Vaillant is continuing this legacy of innovation and invention and aligns well with Derby Museums’ goals to empower makers and engineers of the future and facilitate discussions on how we might live in a more environmentally conscious way considering lower carbon alternatives.”