International Thermal Research

What International Thermal Research does

International Thermal Research (ITR), founded in 1984 and headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, designs and manufactures diesel-fired burner systems, with its primary technological differentiator being a patented low-pressure burner architecture that delivers high BTU output while eliminating the smoke and odor typically associated with diesel combustion. The company operates four distinct product lines: the OASIS hydronic heating system for recreational vehicles (including models ranging from 25,000 to 85,000 BTU), the HURRICANE hydronic heating system for marine vessels, a portfolio of military heating products (Space Heater Small, Space Heater Arctic, Barracks Heater, and Modern Burner Unit) used by the U.S. Army worldwide, and the PIONEER line of non-powered portable vaporizing-burner heaters (Trekker, Expedition, Prospector) for mining camps, tents, and temporary structures. ITR also produces special-application units such as The WindowWasher, Polar, and The WaterHeater, alongside a touch-screen accessory interface (ITRTouch).

All ITR products are designed, tested, and manufactured in-house at the Richmond facility, with stainless-steel burner and water-jacket construction intended to support modular, field-serviceable installations. The company holds over 40 patents in diesel-fired burner technology, maintains ISO 9001 certification, and key products carry UL and CSA certifications. Its commercial model is hardware sales executed almost entirely through a channel of more than 250 authorized distributors, dealerships, and service centers spanning North America and the United Kingdom, with additional exclusive distribution in Australia and New Zealand through Tools and Associated Sales. ITR serves five primary customer verticals — RV and trailer manufacturers, marine/vessel builders, the U.S. military, mining and remote operations, and special applications — with a US distribution and service base in Vancouver, Washington supporting the Canadian manufacturing operation.

Name

International Thermal Research

Legal name

International Thermal Research

Website

https://itrheat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Thermal Research (ITR) designs and manufactures patented diesel-fired hydronic heating systems for recreational vehicles, marine vessels, the U.S. military, and remote/temporary structures, distributing through 250-plus dealers across North America, the UK, and Australia/New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diesel Heating Systems

NAICS

Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (33241), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433), Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Boiler & Hydronic Heating System Installation (HSAOAGAF), Boiler & Hydronic Heating Repair & Service (HSAOAHAG), Hydronic/Baseboard Radiant Heating Service (HSAOACAE)

Keywords

• Diesel heating systems
• Hydronic heating equipment
• RV heating solutions
• Marine heating systems
• Military portable heaters

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Diesel Heating Equipment Sales: ITR generates revenue primarily through the sale of diesel heating systems and components, including hydronic heaters (OASIS, HURRICANE lines), non-powered portable heaters (PIONEER line), military heaters (SHS, SHA, BARRACKS, MBU), and accessories. Equipment is sold through distributors, dealerships, and direct service centers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

International Thermal Research designs, manufactures, and distributes diesel-fired hydronic and portable heating systems for four verticals: recreational vehicles (OASIS line), marine vessels (HURRICANE line), mining camps and temporary structures (PIONEER line of non-powered portable heaters), and military/defense applications (Space Heater Small, Space Heater Arctic, Barracks Heater, MBU Diesel Kitchen Burner). Its systems use patented low-pressure and vaporizing burner technology to deliver high-BTU diesel combustion without smoke or odor, with optional integration of vehicle engine waste heat and shore-power electric elements for combined space heating and on-demand hot water.

Product overview

International Thermal Research (ITR) manufactures advanced diesel heating and hot water solutions. The product portfolio includes four main product lines: (1) OASIS Hydronic Heating Systems for the RV market, featuring the Oasis NE (50,000 BTU), Oasis NE-S (85,000 BTU), Oasis Chinook, Oasis CH50/DM12 (33,000 BTU), Oasis Zephyr, and Oasis SCH33; (2) HURRICANE Hydronic Heating Systems for the marine market, including Hurricane Chinook (35,000 BTU), Hurricane 2, Hurricane 2L, Hurricane Zephyr, Hurricane SCH33, and Hurricane SCH25 (25,000 BTU); (3) Military products including Space Heater Small (12,000 BTU), Barracks Heater (60,000 BTU), Space Heater Arctic (28,000 BTU), and MBU Diesel Kitchen Burner; (4) PIONEER line of portable non-powered heaters (Trekker, Expedition, Prospector) for mining camps, tents and temporary structures; and (5) Special Applications including The WindowWasher, Polar heater, and The WaterHeater. All products feature ITR's patented low-pressure diesel burner technology and are designed, tested, and manufactured in-house in Richmond, British Columbia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OASIS: Hydronic Heating System for the RV market
• HURRICANE
• PIONEER
• SPACE HEATER SMALL (SHS)
• SPACE HEATER ARCTIC (SHA)
• BARRACKS HEATER
• MODERN BURNER UNIT (MBU)

Products and services

• Oasis NE Hydronic Heating System All-in-one hydronic heating system providing 50,000 BTU of heating with on-demand continuous 120°F potable water at 1.5 GPM flow rates, dual-loop circulation for up to five thermostatically controlled zones, engine waste heat management, and UL/CSA certification. Designed for RV and trailer OEMs and aftermarket buyers.
• Oasis Chinook Hydronic Heating System Hydronic heating system with 85,000 BTU output featuring dual-loop circulation for space heating in RVs and trailers. Designed for larger recreational vehicles requiring higher heating capacity.
• Oasis CH50 & DM12 Hydronic Heating Module Hydronic heating module providing 33,000 BTU for RV and trailer applications, paired with the DM12 distribution module for space heating and hot water delivery. Designed for compact RV platforms.
• Oasis Zephyr Hydronic Heating System RV hydronic heating system with compact design and efficient heating for trailers and mobile homes where installation space is constrained.
• Oasis SCH33 Hydronic Heating System Advanced 33,000 BTU RV hydronic heating system with on-demand hot water capabilities, designed as a replacement/alternative for legacy hydronic heaters in motorhomes.
• Oasis NE-S Hydronic Heating System Enhanced version of the Oasis NE with 85,000 BTU output for larger RV applications requiring higher heating capacity.
• Hurricane Chinook Marine Heating System Hydronic heating system designed for marine applications, providing 35,000 BTU of heating with on-demand hot water for boats and vessels.
• Hurricane 2 Marine Heating System Marine hydronic heating system for boats and marine vessels with efficient diesel burner technology, designed for compact marine installations.
• Hurricane 2L Marine Heating System Marine hydronic heating system variant of the Hurricane 2 for boats and marine vessels with installation flexibility for different boat layouts.
• Hurricane Zephyr Marine Heating System Compact marine hydronic heating system for smaller boat applications where space is constrained.
• Hurricane SCH33 Marine Heating System 33,000 BTU marine hydronic heating system for boats with continuous hot water heating capability, adapted from the RV SCH33 platform.
• Hurricane SCH25 Marine Heating System 25,000 BTU marine hydronic heating system for compact marine heating applications on smaller boats and vessels.
• Space Heater Small (SHS) 12,000 BTU compact portable heater used by the U.S. Army worldwide for military applications including barracks and temporary structures.
• Barracks Heater 60,000 BTU barracks heating system designed for military housing and tent heating applications, used by the U.S. Army.
• Space Heater Arctic (SHA) 28,000 BTU arctic-rated military space heater for extreme cold weather military operations in arctic and sub-arctic environments.
• MBU Diesel Kitchen Burner Diesel kitchen burner unit for military applications, providing cooking and heating capabilities for mobile field kitchens.
• PIONEER Trekker Portable Diesel Heater 30,000 BTU portable non-powered diesel heater for mining camps, tents, and temporary structures. Features patented vaporizing burner design that burns diesel vapors cleanly without smoke or diesel smell, with safety shut-off when flame extinguishes.
• PIONEER Expedition Portable Diesel Heater Portable non-powered diesel heater for expedition and field operations with patented vaporizing burner safety features. Runs without electricity, suitable for remote and off-grid use.
• PIONEER Prospector Portable Diesel Heater Portable non-powered diesel heater for mining and drilling applications with high BTU output, designed for harsh field conditions.
• The WindowWasher 55,000 BTU diesel-powered window washer system for cleaning windows in various commercial and industrial applications.
• Polar Diesel-Powered Portable Heater Diesel-powered portable heater for polar and extreme cold weather applications, used in mobile and remote deployments.
• The WaterHeater Diesel-powered water heater for on-demand hot water in mobile and remote applications where conventional water heating is unavailable.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NewmarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNewmar Corporation is a leading manufacturer of luxury motorhomes that uses ITR's OASIS hydronic heating systems. ITR received Newmar's Top 10 Supplier Award for 2021, indicating a strong strategic relationship as a key heating system supplier.
• ShowhaulerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShowhauler introduced a new Oasis NE Hydronic Heating System, indicating they integrate ITR heating solutions into their products.
• Tools and Associated SalescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive dealer for Pioneer heaters in Australia and New Zealand. Contact through http://www.dieselheat.com.au/

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Truma: Specialist in heating, air conditioning, and hot water systems for caravans, motorhomes, and marine applications. Directly comparable to ITR's Oasis and Hurricane product lines in function and end market.
• Dickinson Marine: Marine-focused manufacturer of diesel, solid-fuel, and electric heaters and stoves for boats. Directly comparable to ITR's Hurricane line in marine heating, with similar fuel and form-factor design constraints.
• Propex: Manufacturer of gas-fired (LPG) blown-air and water heaters for RVs, marine, and outdoor applications. Overlaps with ITR in mobile heating for RV/marine, though differentiated by fuel (gas vs. diesel).
• Aqua-Hot Heating Systems: Direct competitor in diesel-fired hydronic heating for RVs and motorhomes. Aqua-Hot's 450D is the incumbent product ITR is explicitly targeting with the new Oasis NE, making the two firms head-to-head in the RV OEM heating category.
• Planar (Autotherm): Russian manufacturer of diesel air heaters (Webasto-type) widely used in vehicles, marine, and remote applications. Directly comparable to ITR's Pioneer portable non-powered heaters in function and end use.
• Suburban Manufacturing: Long-established supplier of RV furnaces, water heaters, and cooking appliances. Competes with ITR in the RV heating category with gas-fired products; comparable in OEM customer base and dealer distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Webasto: Global automotive and marine HVAC incumbent with diesel and electric heating solutions for RVs, marine, and OEM vehicle applications. Comparable in target markets (RV, marine) and product function (diesel and hydronic heating), but operates at far greater scale and product breadth.
• Eberspächer: Major automotive and marine supplier of fuel-operated heaters, hydronic systems, and HVAC. Competes with ITR in diesel-fired cabin and process heating for vehicles and vessels, and has a significantly larger R&D and manufacturing footprint.

Regional players

• Camco Manufacturing: North American RV parts and accessories supplier with a broader portfolio (plumbing, electrical, maintenance). Overlaps with ITR indirectly through RV aftermarket distribution channels and dealer relationships, but does not directly compete in heating systems.

Others

• Newmar Corporation: Luxury motorhome OEM and a key customer/strategic partner of ITR (Top 10 Supplier Award 2021). Included as a customer rather than a direct competitor; relevant for understanding ITR's anchor RV OEM relationship and design-in durability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-thermal-research-ltd.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 International Thermal Research