Thermal Insulation Contractors Association

What Thermal Insulation Contractors Association does

Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA), founded in 1957 and headquartered at TICA House in Darlington, is the sole UK trade association representing contractors involved in the application of hot and cold thermal insulation. The association operates two interlocking lines of business: a thermal insulation membership and apprenticeship body, and ACAD (Asbestos Control and Abatement Division), which promotes best practice across the licensed asbestos industry. TICA serves more than 100 member companies across diverse sectors ranging from engineering contractors to commercial heating and ventilation, and trains 80–120 apprentices annually via Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship programmes delivered at the National Training Centre in Darlington.

TICA's core offerings are CSCS-affiliated TICA Skill Cards and ACAD Skill Cards (physical cards priced at £36 incl. VAT, plus free digital Virtual Skill Cards), apprenticeship training at Levels 2 and 3 with End Point Assessment, an NVQ Centre for competence qualifications, a members-only Technical Hub, and ancillary services including HR advice, an apprentice recruitment service, a TICI National Agreement covering sector employment terms, short courses, competency assessments, and an Energy Efficiency Calculator tool. Underpinning technology is Smart Card / ACAD Skill Card infrastructure — photographic ID and qualification credentials integrated with the CSCS Smart Check app covering 2.1 million UK cards — backed by online application processing, members-area portals, and government-portal apprentice vacancy distribution.

Revenue is generated through three principal streams: voluntary membership fees and training levies from the 100+ member companies (recurring), skill card issuance fees of £36 per card (transactional), and apprenticeship training delivery partly funded via government apprenticeship funding bands administered through CITB-approved training organisation status. The organisation is supported by SQA awarding body status for Scotland, IETTL as on-site awarding organisation, and participation in the CSCS Alliance (37 card schemes). TICA is governed by a Council of member representatives, funded independently without external investment, and operates 18+ full-time staff at its Darlington headquarters.

Name

Thermal Insulation Contractors Association

Legal name

Thermal Insulation Contractors Association

Website

https://tica-acad.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TICA is the UK trade association representing thermal insulation contractors and, via its ACAD division, the licensed asbestos industry. Founded in 1957, it delivers apprenticeships, NVQs, and CSCS skill cards to 100+ member companies from its Darlington National Training Centre.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Trade Association Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513)

akta.pro primary industry

Skilled Trades, Safety & Compliance Certification Prep (OSHA, HAZMAT, welding, electrical, HVAC) (EDANAIAM)

Keywords

• Thermal insulation training
• Asbestos abatement services
• Construction skill cards
• Apprenticeship training programmes
• Trade association membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees and Voluntary Training Levies: Members pay voluntary membership fees and training levies which fund the National Training Centre operations and association activities.
2. Skill Card Fees: TICA Skill Cards priced at £36 including VAT. Fee applies to all cards administered directly by TICA/ACAD. Virtual cards provided free of charge with each card.
3. Apprenticeship Training Services: Training delivery at Level 2 and Level 3 for thermal insulation apprentices, with government funding support through apprenticeship funding bands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TICA operates as the sole UK trade association representing thermal insulation contractors and, through its ACAD division, the licensed asbestos industry. Its offerings centre on CSCS-affiliated TICA and ACAD Skill Cards (physical and Virtual), Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship training at the Darlington-based National Training Centre, NVQ competence qualifications, competency assessments, HR and compliance advisory, technical guidance, and a member recruitment, events, and regional-meeting programme.

Product overview

TICA operates as a trade association offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services for the thermal insulation and asbestos industries. The core offerings include CSCS-affiliated TICA Skill Cards and ACAD Skill Cards (digital and physical formats) for workforce competency verification, alongside formal apprenticeship training programmes at Levels 2 and 3 with End Point Assessment. Supporting services include an NVQ Centre for competence qualifications, a Technical Hub with guidance documentation, HR advisory services, competency assessments, short courses, and an apprentice recruitment service. The Energy Efficiency Calculator and Virtual Skill Cards provide digital tools for members. All services are coordinated through the National Training Centre in Darlington and delivered under the TICA and ACAD brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TICA Skill Card A CSCS-affiliated smart card providing photographic identification and evidence of training and qualifications for operatives working in the thermal insulation industry on UK construction sites. Available at £36 including VAT. Variants include Apprentice, Trainee Worker, Experienced Worker, Skilled Worker, Advanced Craft, Supervisor, and Replacement cards.
• ACAD Skill Card A CSCS-affiliated smart card administered since 2017 for the asbestos industry, providing photographic identification and evidence of qualifications and training for asbestos removal, analysis, and surveying professionals. Variants cover licensed asbestos, non-licensed asbestos, analysts, surveyors, managers, supervisors, and trained/experienced/skilled worker levels.
• Virtual Skill Cards Digital versions of physical TICA and ACAD skill cards, automatically provided free of charge to all skill card applicants and accessible via smartphone devices for on-site verification, including via the CSCS Smart Check app.
• Apprenticeship Training Programme Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship programmes for thermal insulation, including practical skills assessment, End Point Assessment, and NVQ competence qualifications delivered at the National Training Centre in Darlington, with residential training and on-the-job learning at member employer sites across the UK. 80–120 apprentices trained annually.
• NVQ Competence Qualifications (NVQ Centre) National Vocational Qualification centre operating for both the thermal insulation and asbestos industries, providing competence qualifications and assessments including NVQ competence qualifications for asbestos LARC/training providers.
• Competency Assessments Practical skills assessment services at Level 2 and Level 3 for apprentices and workers in the thermal insulation industry, including End Point Assessment for apprenticeship programmes.
• Short Courses Specialist upskilling programmes and short course offerings (including ACAD's Specialist Upskilling Programme) for thermal insulation and asbestos industry professionals.
• Apprentice Recruitment Service Recruitment assistance placing apprentice vacancies on National Apprenticeship Service (England) and equivalent Welsh/Scottish apprenticeship websites, including initial applicant screening and interview arrangement for member employers.
• HR Advice Service Human resources support and guidance for members, including employment law compliance, contract templates, and HR policy documentation, accessible via dedicated advice line ([email protected]).

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and core.

• Construction Leadership CouncilmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 December 2025CSCS Alliance launched the CSCS Smart Check app in partnership with the Construction Leadership Council as part of industry's response to Dame Judith Hackitt Review findings.
• CSCS AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2023CSCS Alliance represents 38 different card schemes across UK construction, acting as a collective voice on personnel registration and verification of skills, training, and qualifications. TICA/ACAD participates through the ACAD Skill Card scheme which carries the CSCS logo and integrates with the CSCS Smart Check app.
• Build UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTICA is a member of Build UK. The association works closely with Build UK contractor members who specify Common Assessment Standard for pre-qualification requirements. Build UK represents construction industry interests including card scheme adoption.
• IETTL (Insulation and Environment Training Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn-site Awarding Organisation for TICA/ACAD training programmes. Works closely with TICA on apprenticeship delivery and qualification frameworks.
• CITB (Construction Industry Training Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTICA is an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) under CITB requirements. Manages apprenticeship funding and training approval processes.
• SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarding body for TICA qualifications in Scotland. TICA won SQA's Outstanding Centre of the Year award in 2017.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Building Engineering Services Association (BESA): BESA is a UK trade association representing building engineering services contractors including HVAC, heating, and ventilation. It operates a near-identical membership, training, certification, and technical services model that overlaps with TICA's commercial heating and ventilation member segments.
• SELECT: SELECT is the trade association for the electrical industry in Scotland, operating a near-identical model to TICA with apprenticeship training, certification, regional meetings, and member services in a defined UK regional market.
• Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA): ARCA is the principal UK trade association for licensed asbestos removal contractors, directly competing with TICA's ACAD division for asbestos contractor membership, training, certification, and audit services in the same UK market.
• Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers' Federation (SNIPEF): SNIPEF is a UK trade association for plumbing employers, offering apprenticeship training, certification, technical guidance, and HR services. It shares the same trade association business model as TICA for a skilled construction trade.
• Federation of Master Builders (FMB): FMB is the UK's largest trade association for the building industry, representing general builders and contractors. While broader in scope than TICA, it operates a similar membership-based model with training, certification, and member support services.
• Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA): ECA is a UK trade association for electrical contractors with a structurally analogous model to TICA — membership fees, apprenticeship training, technical guidance, HR services, and CSCS-aligned certification for a specific skilled construction trade.
• National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC): NASC is a UK trade association for the scaffolding industry, operating with a similar structure to TICA — membership representation, training delivery, and CSCS-affiliated certification for a specific construction trade.

Others

• Construction Industry Training Board (CITB): CITB is the statutory training board for the UK construction industry; TICA is an Approved Training Organisation under CITB. CITB is an enabler/regulator in the same training ecosystem rather than a peer competitor.
• Build UK: Build UK is the representative body for the UK construction industry, of which TICA is a member. It is an ecosystem partner working on industry-wide pre-qualification standards rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE): CIBSE is the professional body for building services engineering covering heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. While broader and focused on chartered engineers, it overlaps with TICA's commercial heating and ventilation member base and adjacent technical guidance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ticaacad
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ACAD34
• Facebookfacebook.com/TICAACAD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Thermal Insulation Contractors Association