Gerkros Boilers Gone!
I was saddened to hear of the final collapse of Gerkros Boilers and the loss of 70+ jobs. I wonder if it was their expansion into woodpellet boilers that took them down? The news is that the company had cashflow problems after after their efforts at international expansion, having recently signed a deal in the US. I suspect that the pellet boiler was also soaking up money.
I personally never liked the design of the Gerkros pellet boiler, it was a bit of a monster for starters, Much too large and heavy for many installations. It also had only very limited modulation and lacked any active burn-back protection, at least in the earlier models.
The company did however offer one very good facility, it provided a commissioning visit by an engineer as part of the price of the boiler. This one fact mitigated against the rip-off chancers and offered some comfort to consumers. They also sold the boilers through regular heating suppliers and hardware outlets. This meant that the price gougers could not do their worst.
Gerkros Boilers had been in business for over 30 years and had its manufacturing base in Cashel.
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If the Irish people had stopped trying to find faults in an Irish product they may still be here.
ReplyDeleteThey had a great product in their new Woodpecker boilers with 5 stage modulation, a belimo for burn back protection and a self cleaning heat exchanger!!
Better than all those expensive imports!! No wonder we are in recession, we would rather pay the Chineese!!
We just got on board with Gerkros in Canada and were looking forward to a bright future supplying Canadian Customers with a very good and reliable product.
ReplyDeleteWe have been told that a new dance partner is in the wings so here's hoping the Woodpecker will fly again !
Chris/Grainstoves
We want the woodpecker to fly again !
ReplyDeleteThought I would let you know that Woodpecker Energy has been reborn out of Gerkros - just bought a 15kW wood pellet boiler from them! Check out www.woodpeckerenergy.com
ReplyDeleteThe woodpecker has flown - Just over the border ,Now woodpecker boilers can really flap their wings .No harm but these boilers were scrap (GERKROS) .If these boilers are going to have any future,This is probably there last chance to get it right,And bring some real engineering skills to bear,on what was a flawed product by people who did not care
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