What VES does

VES Andover Ltd (trading as VES) is a privately held UK manufacturer of energy-efficient commercial ventilation and air handling products, headquartered in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, with a manufacturing heritage dating to 1968. The company designs, develops and produces heat recovery air handling units (AHUs), supply and extract units, high-temperature kitchen extract units, bespoke AHUs, duct-mounted heaters, utility fans, and active air barriers (AirDoor), unified by its proprietary BlueSense intelligent controls system that enables demand-controlled ventilation based on CO2, temperature and humidity inputs. Its product range — including the ecovent (Counterflow, Wheel, Hybrid, Mini, Midi, Healthcare), Colourfan, T-Line, Max and Dome Roof Extract families — is engineered to comply with UK-specific building regulations including BB101, BB93, HTM 03-01, Part L (L2) and ErP.

The company's primary customer segments are UK schools, healthcare facilities (NHS trusts and private hospitals), retail and supermarket chains, leisure and swimming pool venues, data centres, and commercial/industrial buildings. VES generates revenue through three streams: (1) hardware sales of its manufactured AHU and ventilation products via direct sales engineers with nationwide UK coverage and regional offices; (2) site services including AHU refurbishment, installation, energy audits, and flat-pack AHU solutions for sites with access constraints (marketed under 'Ventilation Doctors'); and (3) B2C/SMB hardware sales through the VES Direct online channel, offering direct-from-factory prices with nationwide delivery. Pricing is quote-based, not publicly disclosed, and projects typically span multi-year contract horizons given the bespoke nature of larger installations.

VES's go-to-market relies on specification pull from consulting engineers and M&E contractors, supported by CPD seminars, industry events (e.g., CIBSE Building Performance Awards), extensive case study documentation, and industry accreditations (BESA, BSRIA, CHAS, Safe Contractor, Construction Line, ISO 9001:2015 via BSI). Named customers include Tesco, British Airways, NHS COVID-19 test laboratories, Torbay Hospital, Vodafone, Bournemouth University, Aberdeen Business School, and Windrush Leisure Centre. The company was founded by David Peters and is currently undergoing a third-generation leadership transition, continuing to operate as a private limited company with no external institutional investors disclosed.

Name

VES

Legal name

VES Andover Ltd

Website

https://ves.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

VES is a UK manufacturer of energy-efficient commercial heat recovery air handling units and ventilation products, serving schools, healthcare facilities, retail, leisure pools, and industrial buildings across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial HVAC and Heat Recovery Ventilation

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)

akta.pro primary industry

Air Handling Units (AHUs) & Rooftop Units (RTUs) (IMADANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling) (IMAHAKAB), Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG), HVAC Controls & Optimization (Smart Thermostats, VAV, Chillers/Boilers Controls) (BPABAGAB)

Keywords

• Commercial HVAC ventilation
• Heat recovery units
• Air handling units
• Energy efficient ventilation
• AHU refurbishment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Eastleigh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. HVAC Equipment Manufacturing and Sales: Design, development, manufacture and installation of heat recovery products and air handling fan technology. Products include air handling units, extract units, supply units, roof units, and bespoke ventilation solutions. Revenue generated from equipment sales, installation services, and refurbishment projects.
2. Site Services and Specialist Services: On-site HVAC solutions including AHU refurbishment, installation, and flat pack units for restrictive access. 'VES Specialist Site Services' act as 'Ventilation Doctors' providing repair, refurbishment and energy saving solutions.
3. VES Direct (Online Sales): E-commerce platform offering direct from factory prices with rapid nationwide delivery for standard product range.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VES designs, manufactures, and supplies commercial heat recovery air handling units (AHUs), extract, supply, and roof ventilation units, plus active air barriers (AirDoor), backed by on-site HVAC services including AHU refurbishment, flat-pack installation, and indoor air quality surveys. The company's products are engineered for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and regulatory compliance in public, commercial, and industrial buildings across the UK.

Product overview

VES is a UK-based manufacturer of energy efficient commercial ventilation products, primarily serving public, commercial, and industrial buildings. The product portfolio centers on air handling units (AHUs) and heat recovery ventilation systems. The core ecovent product family includes counterflow, wheel, hybrid, mini, and midi variants offering heat recovery capabilities, while the Colourfan range provides acoustic-optimized supply and extract units. Bespoke Max units offer customer-driven configurations. The ecosystem is unified through VES's proprietary BlueSense intelligent controls system, which enables demand ventilation, CO2 monitoring, and humidity control. Supporting products include high-temperature T-Line extract units for kitchens, dome roof extract units for external installations, heater batteries (Heatline), and utility fans. The AirDoor active air barrier product rounds out the offering. Beyond equipment, VES provides HVAC solutions including AHU refurbishment, installation services, flat-pack units for restricted access sites, and technical survey services. The company operates in sectors including schools, healthcare, leisure (swimming pools), retail, and data centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ecovent: Premium efficiency heat recovery air handling units including Counterflow, Wheel, Hybrid, Midi, Mini, and Healthcare variants.
• Colourfan
• T-Line
• Max
• Heatline
• Roundfan
• AirDoor
• BlueSense
• Dome Roof Extract

Products and services

• Heat recovery air handling units Premium efficiency heat recovery units designed to recover thermal energy from exhaust air and precondition incoming fresh air, achieving L2 building regulations compliance with low specific fan power ratings. Targeted at commercial and industrial buildings across the UK.
• ecovent Counterflow heat recovery unit Counterflow heat recovery unit transferring heat between exhaust and supply air streams for energy-efficient ventilation in commercial buildings. Part of the ecovent premium efficiency range.
• ecovent Wheel heat recovery unit Heat recovery unit with rotating heat wheel technology to recover thermal energy from exhaust air streams for commercial building ventilation.
• ecovent Midi heat recovery AHU Most sustainable heat recovery AHU in the ecovent range, targeting enhanced energy efficiency for commercial buildings.
• ecovent classroom fan coil unit (EVFC353) Specialized fan coil unit for classrooms up to 500 l/s, designed for low-grade heating and cooling and meeting BB101, OS overheat, and BB93 acoustic requirements. For schools and educational settings.
• ecovent Hybrid Extract ventilation unit Extract-only hybrid ventilation unit for science and practical spaces in educational settings, combining automatic mechanical ventilation with manually operated windows and using CO2 and temperature sensors for demand-controlled ventilation.
• ecovent Hybrid Roof ventilation unit Roof-level hybrid ventilation unit enhanced by low power fans, combining natural and mechanical ventilation to meet BB101, OS overheat, and BB93 requirements.
• ecovent Healthcare heat recovery unit HTM 03-01 compliant heat recovery unit specifically designed for healthcare facility ventilation requirements.
• Colourfan Supply Acoustic unit Premium efficiency, low noise supply unit with EC fans, acoustic testing to BS EN ISO 3744:2010, BlueSense intelligent controls, and quick-charge Plug and Play connectors.
• Colourfan Extract Acoustic unit High efficiency, low noise small extract unit with EC fans tested to BS EN ISO 3744:2010, featuring Plug and Play connectors, BlueSense intelligent controls, and L2 building regulations compliance.
• Colourfan Twin Extract Acoustic unit Premium efficiency, low noise twin extract unit with duty share for continuous ventilation, featuring EC fans with low specific fan powers and BlueSense intelligent controls.
• T-Line high temperature extract unit High temperature extract unit with premium efficiency fans, duty range 0.15 m3/s to 11.0 m3/s, operating up to 120°C, with motor-out-of-airstream design for kitchen and demanding applications.
• Dome Roof Extract unit Low profile roof extract unit with EC energy efficient ErP-compliant fans, designed for roofs and external locations with demand ventilation via BlueSense controls.
• Max bespoke air handling unit Customer-driven bespoke air handling units offering supply, extract, and heat recovery permutations with variable sizes, 50mm construction, low energy fans, and L2 building regulations compliance.
• Utility Fans Low energy, high efficiency utility fans for various ventilation applications including Roundfan units.
• AirDoor active air barrier Active air barriers for building entrances, designed to improve energy efficiency by preventing air infiltration while allowing pedestrian access. Award-winning product at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards 2026.
• BlueSense Intelligent Controls Proprietary intelligent control system for VES air handling units, enabling demand ventilation, temperature and humidity control, duty sharing, and energy optimization across the product range.
• HVAC Solutions services On-site ventilation services for schools, healthcare, supermarkets, pools, and commercial sectors, including system refurbishment, energy efficiency improvements, and indoor air quality optimization.
• AHU Refurbishment Services Fan and component replacement services to improve reliability and performance of existing air handling units, including EC fan upgrades and BlueSense control system retrofit.
• Flat Pack AHU installation Prefabricated flat-pack air handling units designed to overcome on-site restrictive access, assembled in situ. Targeted at sites where conventional AHU delivery is not feasible.
• HVAC Survey Services Technical surveying and consultation services for existing HVAC equipment providing tailored proposals for energy savings and indoor air quality improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Windrush Leisure Centre achieved £12,400 annual energy saving (£9,500 gas + £2,900 electrical) with less than 3 year payback
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BESA (Building Engineering Services Association)coreOthersBESA membership demonstrates industry recognition and compliance with building engineering services standards. VES holds and displays BESA certificate on website footer.
• BSRIAcoreTechnology or IntegrationBSRIA membership for compliance, advice, investigations and product testing. VES holds and displays BSRIA membership certificate.
• Construction LinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConstruction Line membership connecting buyers and suppliers in the construction industry. VES holds Construction Line certificate demonstrating pre-qualification for public sector contracts.
• CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme)coreOthersCHAS accreditation demonstrating health and safety compliance. VES displays CHAS logo indicating adherence to health and safety standards.
• Safe ContractorcoreOthersSafe Contractor accreditation for health and safety assessment scheme. VES holds Safe Contractor certificate.
• BSI (British Standards Institute)coreTechnology or IntegrationBSI certification demonstrating ISO 9001:2015 quality management system registration. VES holds and displays BSI Certificate of Registration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swegon: Swedish-headquartered manufacturer of energy-efficient ventilation, air handling units, and indoor climate solutions serving commercial buildings across Europe. Closely comparable to VES in product range, customer vertical focus (schools, hospitals, offices), and heat recovery technology orientation.
• Volution Group: UK-listed ventilation products manufacturer (including Vent-Axia and Nuaire brands) supplying residential, commercial, and industrial ventilation. Direct peer in the UK market with overlapping AHU, extract fan, and indoor air quality product portfolios.
• FläktGroup: European HVAC manufacturer specialising in air handling units, fans, and indoor air quality solutions for commercial and industrial buildings. Comparable product portfolio to VES including bespoke AHUs, heat recovery, and demand-controlled ventilation.
• Systemair: Swedish-listed manufacturer of ventilation products including air handling units, fans, and air distribution equipment for the European commercial and industrial market. Directly comparable to VES on AHU manufacturing, heat recovery focus, and European commercial building customer base.
• Nuaire: UK-based ventilation equipment manufacturer (part of Volution Group) producing AHUs, extract systems, and indoor air quality solutions for schools, healthcare, and commercial buildings. Highly comparable to VES on UK geographic focus, vertical segmentation, and product range.
• Greenheck Group: US-headquartered manufacturer of commercial air movement, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment including AHUs and energy recovery ventilators. Comparable in product range and commercial/industrial customer focus; relevant for cross-regional benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• Daikin Applied: Global HVAC manufacturer with major UK presence producing chillers, air handling units, and commercial HVAC systems. Broad incumbent operating across multiple HVAC categories; competes with VES on large commercial AHU tenders but offers a much wider product portfolio.
• Trane Technologies: Global manufacturer of HVAC equipment and building automation systems serving commercial and industrial customers. Competitor in the commercial AHU space with substantially broader geographic reach, larger scale, and wider product portfolio than VES.
• Carrier Global: Global HVAC manufacturer with UK commercial presence producing chillers, air handling units, and complete building climate solutions. Overlaps with VES on commercial AHU market but operates across broader HVAC and refrigeration categories at much larger scale.
• Lennox International: Global HVAC manufacturer producing commercial rooftop units, air handlers, and building climate solutions. Competes with VES in the commercial ventilation segment with broader product portfolio and substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ves-ventilation
• Xx.com/veslive

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VES