Installer Editor Joe Dart interviews Herve Dehareng, the new CEO of Luthmore, about why the company’s battery-enabled electric combi boiler stands out and his vision for the company.
Recent years have seen a crystallisation of what the domestic heating system of the future will be. Gas boilers are out and heat pumps are in, according to a government that has invested billions in promoting the growth of heat pump technology. But, at the edge of the discourse, the argument for alternatives to heat pumps is growing louder and louder.
A government consultation exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions recently closed, signalling that other options are now being considered seriously. Luthmore is a manufacturer that has created an alternative to the heat pump – a battery-enabled electric combi boiler.
The company is starting to make its presence known in the heating industry, demonstrating its offering at leading industry events. It has also made a statement hire, with the recent unveiling of Herve Dehareng, formerly Director of Innovation at Dyson, as its new CEO.
The two came together last year, as Herve explains: “The thing that really acted as a catalyst for me to join Luthmore was meeting the team for the first time at InstallerSHOW. There was a cutaway, showing the guts of the product and all of the technologies that had been packed in it. So I had a chat with Craig Wilkinson, one of the two founders of Luthmore, next to the product, and I recognised the signs of incredible engineering.”
Herve has great experience understanding both innovation and the needs of the customer, having run Dyson’s B2B business selling Dyson tap hand dryers and more, plus managing a team of 900 engineers responsible for research and product design.
The reason why Luthmore’s technology stands out, according to Herve, can be explained through its parallels to electric vehicles. He says: “When you drive an electric vehicle, you’ve got that feeling of the latest technology, great comfort, no noise, lower carbon footprint etc. All you have invested in delivers an outstanding performance, and that’s how I’d like to market Luthmore really.”
The benefits of Luthmore’s solution are numerous, says Herve. The boiler delivers an “outstanding” hot water experience and guaranteed heating, all through a “non-carbon footprint”.
It’s also an easy drop-in replacement solution for an existing gas boiler, as the size is comparable, and no additional hot water cylinder is required. The internal LFP battery is able to store cheap off-peak energy and deliver that energy on peak.
Herve says: “Every square metre has its value – we are a commercially viable solution for the 20% of properties that cannot accommodate a heat pump.
Combining the boiler with solar panels, also “adds onto your business case,” he explains.
The installation of the product has been made simple, and Luthmore has set up an academy centre and accreditations for installers to be fully trained on the solution.
Talking about the training process, Herve explains: “Just today we had seven different installers trained by our top engineers, leaving with a big smile on their face after half a day of academy training. This is extremely important for us. We want the end users to feel very confident that this installation has been done perfectly and that the product is used as it should.”
Luthmore’s academy is located at its headquarters in Chippenham, but as the business grows, so are plans to expand training locations. Herve says: “We’ve had installers from pretty much everywhere in the country, but it’s only a question of time before we’re able to expand and have academy centres closer to our installers so that they don’t need to do long trips.”
Herve is keen to stress the importance of working closely with installers; something that is especially important when it comes to helping them adopt a new technology such as the Luthmore boiler. The training is one important element of this, but the other is to pass inbound enquiries over to its trained installers.
“A lot of homeowners and end-users have expressed an interest, and we are collecting that interest through our website. When the time comes and we are clear that Luthmore is the right solution for these individuals, we are going to pass them onto our ambassadors that have completed the academy training,” Herve explains.
Aftersales support is also in place for installers who have any queries about first-time installation, Herve says, but he expects that there won’t be a need to after you’ve successfully installed your first system as the boiler is that simple to install.
In terms of next steps for Luthmore, the company plans to begin manufacturing in earnest Chippenham in Q2 this year, meaning the product will start to be readily available in the coming months. As to how installers can get their hands on the boiler, Herve says: “For now it’s to installers direct. But as soon as we can, we’ll work hard on broadening the distribution.”
2026 is set to be an exciting year for Luthmore, with a clear path for growth set out for the company under Herve’s stewardship. Herve concludes by explaining his vision: “The first part of the year will see us retain a central structure focused on our Chippenham headquarters. The second part of the year, I want us to become much more regional, closer to the installers, closer to the needs of the market itself. I’m really keen to do that as quickly as possible.”
Come see Luthmore at InstallerSHOW 2026, 23-25 June at the NEC, Birmingham. Register for free at installershow.com
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Joe Dart (author)
As an Editor working across Installer, Joe utilises over a decade's worth of journalistic experience to deliver informative content for the trades.
