What Clade ES does

Clade Engineering Systems Ltd (trading as Clade ES) is a UK-based designer, manufacturer, installer, and maintainer of commercial and industrial heat pumps and refrigeration systems, founded in 1985 and headquartered at Bristol & Bath Science Park in Emersons Green with manufacturing operations at the Leeds Technology Centre (Gildersome Spur Industrial Estate). The company specialises in air, ground, and water source heat pumps using natural refrigerants — carbon dioxide (R744, GWP=1) and propane (R290, GWP=0.02–3) — spanning 50 kW to 1.4 MW capacity across an in-house product portfolio that includes the CO2-based Acer, Oak, Beech, and Maple ranges and the R290-based Birch, Birch ULN, Elm, Rowan, Rowan 2, Yew, and Aspen ranges, plus the Alder R290 propane chiller. Its systems integrate PLC controls, the proprietary Clade Cloud monitoring and analytics platform, the Clade Master Controller for cascading up to six heat pump modules, PICV control valves, and grid-flexibility / time-of-use tariff functionality for demand response.

The business model is vertically integrated and multi-stream: direct hardware sales of heat pumps, professional design and installation services, recurring maintenance and aftercare contracts (24/7 engineering support, extended warranties, technical helpdesk), and a managed-service "Heat as a Service" offering delivered in partnership with PlugMeIn that converts capex into an opex service charge. Go-to-market is sales-led via regional senior sales engineers covering England, Scotland, and Wales, supplemented by a certified partnership program with workshops for installers and consultants. Customer mix is dominated by enterprise and mid-market accounts across UK grocery retail (Co-operative Group, Wm. Morrison Supermarkets, Marks & Spencer, Trago Mills), facilities management (Trios Group), construction contractors (CTS Shopfitting, Key Property Solutions), public sector estates, industrial sites, multi-residential and social housing, and data centres.

Clade has deployed more than 500 natural refrigerant units across the UK, holds B Corp certification (2024), ISO 14001:2015 environmental management certification, CEEQUAL status and BREEAM Excellent standard for its Bristol headquarters, and is a member of the Heat Pump Association UK and Made in Britain. The company is privately held under founder/management ownership with no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific rather than publicly listed.

Name

Clade ES

Legal name

Clade Engineering Systems Ltd

Website

https://a1-es.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Clade ES designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains commercial and industrial heat pumps and refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants (CO2 and R290 propane), serving enterprise and mid-market clients across UK retail, public sector, industrial, residential, and agricultural sectors since 1985.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Heat Pumps and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Systems (IMAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE), Compressors, Refrigeration Components & Condensing Units (IMADANAG), Industrial Heat Pumps & Mechanical Vapor Recompression (Low–Mid Temp Heat) (EUABAJAB)

Keywords

• Commercial heat pumps
• Natural refrigerant systems
• CO2 refrigeration equipment
• Heat pump manufacturing
• Industrial cooling systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Heat Pump Sales: Direct sale of commercial and industrial air source heat pumps ranging from 50kW to 1.4MW capacity. Products include CO2 and R290 models for various applications.
2. Design Services: Heat pump system design services including initial assessment, Stage 3 design for PSDS applications, Stage 5 design for construction, and project specification.
3. Installation Services: M&E and refrigeration installation, project management, commissioning, and training services for heat pump systems.
4. Maintenance & Aftercare: Ongoing maintenance, repair services, extended warranties, and optimization services with 24/7 engineering support and technical helpdesk access.
5. Heat as a Service (HaaS): Financed heating system that converts capital expense to operational expense as a service charge, offered in partnership with PlugMeIn.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Clade ES designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains commercial air source heat pumps and refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants (CO2/R744 and R290 propane) with capacities ranging from 50kW to 1.4MW. The company delivers end-to-end project services covering system design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, and aftercare maintenance for commercial, industrial, public sector, residential, and agricultural customers across the UK. It also offers complementary control systems (Clade Cloud, Master Controller, BMS integration) and a Heat-as-a-Service financing arrangement via PlugMeIn.

Product overview

Clade ES offers a comprehensive portfolio of commercial heat pumps and refrigeration products using natural refrigerants (CO2 and R290 propane). The product range includes the Acer, Birch, Birch ULN, Maple, Elm, Rowan, Rowan 2, Yew, Oak, Beech, and Aspen heat pumps spanning from 50kW to 1.4MW capacity, plus the Alder R290 propane chiller. Products are designed and manufactured in the UK for commercial, industrial, residential, and agricultural applications. The company provides end-to-end services including design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, and maintenance. Control systems including BMS integration and the Clade Master Controller complement the product portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acer CO2 Heat Pump Compact, low-noise CO2 air source heat pump with 50kW–75kW capacity delivering flow temperatures up to 70°C using natural CO2 refrigerant (GWP=1). Available in Low Noise and Ultra Low Noise acoustic variants. Designed for commercial heating and hot water applications.
• Birch R290 Heat Pump Highly efficient R290 propane heat pump providing hot water up to 60°C, with low-noise options and a built-in BMS interface. Available in 85/53 and 120/80 models. Targeted at commercial buildings needing mid-capacity propane-based heating.
• Birch ULN R290 Heat Pump Ultra-low-noise R290 propane heat pump delivering up to 90kW at 80°C hot water with 33 dB at 10m — positioned as the quietest commercial heat pump on the market. Designed for noise-sensitive commercial environments with easy maintenance access.
• Maple CO2 Heat Pump Modular CO2 high-capacity heat pump for heating and hot water production, ranging from 200kW to 500kW heating capacity at -5°C ambient. Features PICV control and inverter-controlled compressors. Targeted at larger commercial and industrial buildings.
• Elm R290 Heat Pump R290 propane heat pump positioned as the UK's first direct boiler replacement heat pump, delivering up to 80°C flow temperature with 70°C return. Available in 50kW and 70kW wall-mountable models with leak detection and smart remote monitoring.
• Rowan R290 Heat Pump R290 propane heat pump ranging from 150kW to 375kW at -5°C ambient. Features Siemens controls with full connectivity for grid flex and monitoring. Available in SN/150, SN/225, SN/300, and SN/375 models for large commercial and industrial sites.
• Rowan 2 R290 Heat Pump Enhanced R290 heat pump with dual-mode heating and cooling capability, scalable up to 738 kW through cascading six modules. Features modular lift capability and improved temperature performance down to -10°C ambient. Available in heating-only and heating/cooling options for large commercial and industrial sites.
• Yew R290 Heat Pump R290 high-temperature heat pump for direct boiler replacement delivering 80/70 flow and return temperatures up to 650kW at +7°C ambient. Features inverter technology and PIC valve control. Targeted at large commercial buildings replacing fossil fuel boilers.
• Oak CO2 Heat Pump Mid-range CO2 air source heat pump for continuous operation, suitable for swimming pools, food production, district heating, and factories. Available from 50–500kW with flow temperatures up to 90°C. Targeted at commercial, industrial, and district heating applications.
• Beech CO2 Heat Pump Largest bespoke CO2 heat pump in the Clade range, designed per project up to 1.4MW in a single unit. Encompasses air, ground, and water source as well as heat reclaim configurations. Available from 600kW+ with flow temperatures up to 90°C. Targeted at very large industrial and district heating projects.
• Aspen R290 Heat Pump R290 propane heat pump for larger applications from 200kW and above, providing an affordable low-carbon solution for lower flow temperatures up to 65°C. Available in 100kW, 150kW, and 200kW models. Targeted at cost-sensitive commercial sites with lower temperature requirements.
• Alder R290 Propane Chiller R290 medium-temperature chiller delivering fluid temperature range from -10°C to +6°C with capacity from 10kW to 400kW. Configurable with one or two independent DX circuits. Suitable for commercial, industrial, and retail HVAC cooling applications.
• Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Systems Industrial and large commercial refrigeration equipment, including CO2 refrigeration systems for temperature-controlled storage, food and drink processing, and agriculture. Designed and manufactured in the UK for commercial, industrial, retail, supermarket, and agricultural applications.
• Heat Pump System Design Services Heat pump system design services including initial assessment, Stage 3 design for PSDS funding applications, Stage 5 design for construction, and project specification. Provided to commercial, industrial, and public sector clients as part of the end-to-end delivery model.
• Heat Pump Installation Services M&E and refrigeration installation, project management, commissioning, and training services for heat pump systems across England, Scotland, and Wales. Delivered by in-house engineering teams as part of the full lifecycle service.
• Heat Pump Maintenance and Aftercare Ongoing maintenance, repair services, extended warranties, and optimisation services for heat pump and refrigeration installations. Includes 24/7 engineering support and technical helpdesk access. Offered as recurring service contracts to commercial and industrial customers.
• Heat as a Service (HaaS) Financed heating system offering that converts capital expense to operational expense as a service charge. Offered in partnership with PlugMeIn to provide smart energy solutions for businesses, enabling capex-free adoption of Clade heat pump systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• SCOP of 3.7 achieved in first Co-op store heat pump installation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Groupe AtlanticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe Atlantic partnership mentioned on Clade website. Nature of partnership appears to be strategic/commercial collaboration in the heat pump and refrigeration market.
• PlugMeIncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PlugMeIn for commercial Heat as a Service (HaaS) financing model. Collaborates on smart energy landscape solutions for businesses.
• Heat Pump Association UKminorOthersIndustry association membership providing representation and advocacy for the heat pump industry in the UK.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Daikin: Global HVAC and heat pump leader with substantial UK commercial and industrial operations. Directly comparable as a manufacturer of air source and commercial heat pumps, though its portfolio includes a wider range of HFC-based systems rather than Clade's pure natural-refrigerant focus.
• Mitsubishi Electric: Major Japanese HVAC manufacturer with established UK commercial heat pump and chiller operations serving the same enterprise and public-sector customers. Competes directly in commercial air source heat pumps and refrigeration systems.
• Vaillant: Major European heating manufacturer with strong UK presence in commercial boilers and heat pumps. Competes for the same commercial decarbonization projects and public-sector framework agreements.
• Samsung Climate Solutions: Global HVAC manufacturer with growing UK commercial heat pump and chiller footprint. Comparable in commercial ASHP product range, though broader in scope including VRF and residential systems.
• Bosch Thermotechnology: Global HVAC/heating manufacturer with UK commercial heat pump portfolio. Overlaps directly with Clade on commercial ASHPs and on integrated heat pump + control systems.
• BDR Thermea Group: European heating group (Baxi, Remeha, De Dietrich) with significant UK commercial heating and heat pump activities. Comparable as a multi-brand commercial heating solutions provider competing in the same decarbonization tenders.
• Panasonic Heating and Cooling: Global heat pump manufacturer with UK commercial presence. Comparable product portfolio in air source heat pumps and chillers serving commercial and industrial applications, though with broader residential focus.

Direct peers

• NIBE Energy Systems: Swedish heat pump specialist with UK commercial and industrial operations. Highly comparable as a manufacturer of air source and ground source heat pumps targeting commercial decarbonization, with similar go-to-market in retrofit and new-build commercial heating.
• Kensa Heat Pumps: UK-based manufacturer specializing in ground source heat pumps for residential, commercial, and social housing. Highly comparable as a UK heat pump manufacturer targeting public-sector decarbonization funding streams (SHDF) and similar customer segments.
• Ideal Heating: Major UK-based commercial and industrial heating manufacturer (boilers, heat pumps). Direct peer as a UK manufacturer serving commercial and public-sector heating decarbonization with similar go-to-market through installers and contractors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 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 Clade ES