VES is investing in its plant, product, and people to build a company ready for the next decade
While much of British manufacturing is concerned about energy costs, skills gaps and holding back on spending, family-owned ventilation manufacturer VES has spent the last 18 months doing the opposite – investing. In fact, Lead Director Andy Reade describes it as the most progressive period he’s seen in his 18 years with the company.
“We’ve had a fantastic 12 months in almost every measurable metric,” Andy begins. “Financially, we’ve had a lot of sustainable growth. We’ve gained market share in some of the key sectors we target, including education and refurbishment, but it’s also been a period of significant investment, especially in smart automation and our people.
“We’ve invested heavily in manufacturing technology and automation, starting from the mindset of how we can do things better rather than how can we do more of the same.”
The showstopper is a Salvagnini L3 Gen 4 laser system with automated material storage and handling and robotic part picking device (MCU). This allows the entire process from raw materials storage through cutting, processing and folding to be seamlessly linked through one intelligent platform.
Importantly, the MCU is also Salvagnini’s first installation of its kind in the UK, bringing the latest generation of smart automation technology to VES’s manufacturing operation as part of a £1.35m investment program over the last 18 months.
Together, the technologies reduce the need for manual intervention throughout the production process, improving consistency and safety while enabling VES to increase production capacity and maintain its high-quality standards.
Product development also reflects VES’ ethos of building for the future. Ecovent Synergy, for instance, combines a best-in-class heat recovery unit with fan coil technology, integrated into a classroom system that works with window opening to maximize natural ventilation.
“Ecovent was developed to support net-zero targets within the BB101 framework, while Ecovent MIDI was designed around embodied carbon,” Andy says. “We wanted to develop our first unit that uses XCarb® steel. Combined with a lighter, more compact footprint and optimized construction, this delivers up to 62 percent reduction in embodied carbon compared with previous models.”
In terms of its existing portfolio, AirDoor, VES’s smart airflow technology for commercial doorways, has grown significantly and is now being developed as a standalone business within the VES Group. AirDoor creates an invisible air barrier around any commercial building entrance, keeping indoor air in and the elements out. This floor-mounted, sensor-driven, active air barrier adapts in real time to weather conditions, improving thermal comfort and reducing energy costs.
Having consistently grown around 40 percent year-on-year and with recent installations in Europe, South America, Australia, and Canada, AirDoor now has its own website and will become a separate operating business inside the VES Group.
“It sits outside conventional commercial ventilation, and we wanted to give it its own identity, along with its own factory over the next 18 months,” Andy reveals. “AirDoor demonstrates our intention to assist in the development and commercialization of genuinely innovative technology rather than only products that sit within an established market.”
On a more personal note, Andy is passionate about supporting the development of employees across the business.
“Investing in machines without investing in people would be very short-sighted,” he explains. “As the manufacturing environment changes, the skills we need don’t disappear, but they do need to adapt. Our family ownership means we genuinely care about our people; we’re always identifying development opportunities and encouraging people to see their role as a career with lots of sideways and diagonal moves as well as promotions.”
Part of this commitment has seen VES take on cohorts of lean manufacturing apprentices and even build its own management program, Boost, which won a Make UK Southern Region award for investment in people.
“We also work with several engineering colleges, host National Manufacturing Day sessions, and offer work placements,” Andy says. “People want to work for us because we’re unique in that we keep the entire process in house: designing, drawing, building, controls, programming, manufacturing, and installation. This allows people to find where their skills fit rather than be pigeonholed into a specific role. Automation has changed the shop floor too by creating demand for people who understand how equipment is programmed and controlled.”
Across all operations, there is an emphasis on sustainability, with VES looking at both the energy its products can save during operation and the carbon associated with manufacturing them. The first is being addressed through increased heat recovery efficiency, intelligent controls and improvements in fan technology. The second focuses on product design, material selection and manufacturing efficiency, such as with Ecovent MIDI.
“We’ve had wins and commendations across a number of energy and carbon awards, and what has been particularly pleasing is that they’ve been across three product ranges in totally different market spaces,” Andy says.
As embodied carbon climbs the agenda, combined with tightening budgets, particularly across the refurb sector, VES has a solution.
“Replacing an entire AHU is not always the right decision,” Andy explains. “There’s sometimes a far more economical, less disruptive solution which can significantly lower embodied carbon on older units. Our UK-wide teams and dedicated sales staff are supporting our growth in refurb; we’ve recently completed projects at Bluewater shopping center and Rolls-Royce.”
The third focus is inwards, as VES gained ISO 14001 certification earlier in 2026 and now sets sustainability KPIs at board level.
“We think sustainably, not because it’s what our customers want, but because it’s the right thing to do for our future,” Andy states.
Looking ahead, VES is planning further controlled growth over the next 12 months, with continued investment in automation and digitized work centers, alongside a new ERP system planned for 2027 to improve operational efficiency and reduce process waste. AirDoor will also continue its journey towards becoming a separate entity within the VES Group.
“I’m really optimistic about the future of British manufacturing,” Andy concludes. “It’s easy to hear a fairly negative narrative around energy costs, skills, and international competition, and those challenges are real. But there is also an enormous amount of engineering expertise and innovation in this country.
“We’re a British, family-owned manufacturer who is continuing to invest in manufacturing here in the UK, bringing new technology to market and developing people and new skills. I’m proud of what VES has achieved, but what’s probably more exciting is that I think there’s still a huge amount more we can do.”
