Manufacturer of superior plumbing products, Instantor has invested in a brand new, dedicated training and demonstration vehicle. The Instantor Mobile Training Academy will be visiting trade counters, merchants’ head offices and plumbing colleges, in the UK and Ireland, to carry out expert training and product demonstrations on-site.
The innovative mobile unit is designed to provide a deeper understanding of Instantor press solutions and the Tucson Pumps portfolio in a dynamic, hands-on environment. Installers, merchants and students will have the opportunity to experience the ease and efficiency of making press joints first-hand in the dedicated demonstration area. Furthermore, Instantor’s latest competency training will also be available with the opportunity for installers to receive ID cards that demonstrate their approved proficiency in press fitting Instantor products.
Additionally, the vehicle enables Instantor to perform health checks on Instantor Press Tools, ensuring that installers who already use the Instantor Press System can maintain their tools in the best condition. It will also provide refreshments, allowing visitors time to engage with the Instantor team over a hot drink and a bite to eat.
Andy Burton, Divisional Marketing Manager – Heating & Plumbing Division, Sanbra Group, says: “The launch of our Mobile Training Academy is the latest milestone for Instantor and takes our commitment to supporting trade professionals to a whole new level. Not only will the mobile academy showcase how our products can deliver significant time and cost savings, it will also provide the latest competency training for Instantor installers and ensure merchants can stock our products with the confidence that they will provide the best solutions for their customers.
“Beyond this, the Mobile Training Academy presents us with the opportunity to support the next generation of plumbing and heating engineers. The vehicle will enable us to bring our state-of-the-art training to the doorsteps of colleges, giving students and apprentices the opportunity to gain experience on the benefits of press fittings first-hand. Inspiring young installers is an exciting prospect, and we look forward to having more opportunities to do so throughout 2025.”
Manufacturer of superior plumbing products, Instantor is welcoming installers to its brand new testing and training centre based in Santry, Dublin. Its first Discovery Day took place on 5th September 2024 with nine UK installers plus representatives from InstallerSHOW in attendance. Providing a unique insight into Instantor’s products, culture and values, as well as valuable training sessions, the Discovery Days are part of Instantor’s ongoing commitment to working in partnership with trade professionals.
The Discovery Days begin with a brief introduction to Instantor and the wider Sanbra Group, which Instantor is part of. Guests are then given a behind-the-scenes tour of the new visitor centre and testing lab to learn how products are designed, engineered and exhaustively tested.
Beyond this, installers are then able to get hands on with Instantor’s market-leading products with training sessions held by the experienced in-house team. This includes competency training on Instantor’s press fittings and multilayer Pex-Al-Pex pipe, plus its copper press systems for both gas and water applications. Upon completion of the training, the installers are presented with personalised competency ID cards.
Andy Burton, Divisional Marketing Manager – Heating & Plumbing Division, says: “We were delighted to welcome the group of installers to our first Discovery Day. Instantor recently completed a major research project to establish what installers really wanted from manufacturers. Product reliability and performance were two of the key findings and, with this in mind, we were determined to open our doors to show how Instantor excels and exceeds these requirements. Our facilities in Santry are truly world class and we want as many installers as possible to see and experience the core of our business.
“The testing lab gives us full control of our product development and testing process. Our test machines are comparable to those used in major independent UK and European test centres. Seeing is believing and the chance to show installers our rigorous testing process demonstrates the excellent reliability of our products, while the training sessions help installers to complete projects to the highest possible standards.”
In addition to learning about Instantor, the Discovery Days also provide installers with an insight into the innovative pumping solutions from Instantor’s sister company, Tucson Pumps.
Andy adds: “We aim to hold regular Discovery Days and will follow on from the success of our first. They will be invaluable in helping us build on our partnerships and support for installers even further.”
As part of its commitment to working in partnership with installers, Instantor has become Industrial Associates of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), Associate Members of the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) and Supplier Members of the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC).
Instantor has been manufacturing quality plumbing products since 1926, are market leaders in Ireland, and have recently expanded into the UK market. With a commitment to providing installers with super reliable products, Instantor provides proven press solutions for every application, including its Press System, which is a range of press fittings and a multilayer Pex-al-Pex pipe. Instantor also manufactures copper press fittings for water and gas, stainless steel press fittings, plus user-friendly press tools and jaw sets.
Furthermore, Paktermo by Instantor provides an innovative solution for streamlining gas installations, using a range of corrugated stainless steel tube and fittings. The time saving, combined with the increased safety, provides a total quality approach that is certified by BSI and DVGW.
Additionally, and also available to the UK market, is the portfolio of shower, circulating and booster pumps that are available through Instantor’s sister-company, Tucson Pumps. The range offers powerful, efficient, reliable and cost-effective pumps, suitable for the majority of domestic applications and light commercial requirements.
On top of its reliable product solutions, Instantor works closely with installers by providing free certification and training, technical demonstration days at trade counters, as well as reassuring warranty terms. CIPHE is the only professional body for the UK plumbing and heating industry, SNIPEF is the principal trade association for plumbing and heating businesses based in Scotland and Northern Ireland, while APHC is a not-for-profit trade body for the plumbing and heating industry in England and Wales. Joining these associations solidifies Instantor’s commitment to the trade and will allow the company to work even closer with installers and contractors moving forward.
Andy Burton, Divisional Marketing Manager – Heating & Plumbing Division, says: “We are delighted to join CIPHE, SNIPEF and APHC. Our involvement with these organisations will help us to further support installers and demonstrates our commitment to making things simple.
“Instantor products have been engineered with professional tradespeople in mind and provide installer-friendly, exceptionally reliable ‘fit and forget’ solutions. We also have a number of exciting initiatives in the pipeline, which will be available to CIPHE, SNIPEF and APHC members, and our state-of-the-art visitor centre and testing lab will play a pivotal role in this. We look forward to sharing our expertise and genuine product innovation with installers and contractors across the UK and encourage and invite members of all three associations to get in touch and find out more about Instantor.”
