INTERVIEW WITH AHT ADVANCED HEATING TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL GROUP

AHT Advanced Heating Technologies International Group is a world leader in green and environmentally friendly technologies for Domestic, Industrial and Commercial Indoor and Outdoor electric heating applications. The group is based in Lugano, Switzerland with subsidiary companies and distributors in more than 50 countries worldwide including the USA, Canada, UK, Holland, France, Italy, Poland, China, Japan, Chile, Israel etc. 

In Romania, the subsidiary – AHT Advanced Heating Technologies Industrial Group Srl – is located in Ghimbav and for the last 5 years it has achieved the No. 1 position in its category in Brasov County as well as the No. 8 position in Romania on a national level for 2021!  

Additionally, AHT Industrial Group has been recognized as a green heating pioneer by Banca Transilvania, the biggest bank in Romania and is participating in the “BT Think Green Initiative”.

In a brief testimonial Mr. Kyriacos Bilicos – Managing Director of AHT International Group and AHT Industrial Group commented: “Reducing the environmental pollution is no longer just an option, but an immediate necessity. One of the most effective ways in which we can eliminate a substantial part of the environmental pollution and improve our air quality is by using efficient green electric heating systems for the heating of residential and commercial buildings. We are working together with Banca Transilvania to promote within the Romanian business community and not only, the concept of efficient green energy heating systems made in Romania. The AHT Amorphous Ribbon Electric Underfloor Heating System, combined with renewable energy sources, is determined on making a clear difference in protecting the environment and improving the quality of life.”

All AHT International Group activities are based on their core philosophy of “Enhancing Life – Protecting the Environment”.

Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company? 

AHT: Our main focus is on research, development, manufacture and promotion of Hi-Tech Green Technologies and their applications in Indoor Electric Underfloor Heating and Outdoor Snow-Melting and De-Icing, based on our unique and revolutionary AHT Amorphous Metal Ribbon Technology.

E.E: What’s the news about new products?

AHT: Our new and exciting AHT-Inside product family is the most innovative electric heating system for intelligent, efficient and ecological heating to satisfy any heating needs. It is a revolutionary system powered by our unique AHT Amorphous Metal Ribbon Technology Heating Mats and they can be installed in minutes over existing floors without the need of any building work. The various AHT-Inside product lines provide Fast, Comfortable, Economic, Safe and Eco-friendly heating creating a thermal wellbeing for everyone whether indoors or outdoors. 

It provides soft warmth and a pleasant feeling of well-being, guaranteed by a uniform distribution of heat which is free from dust and bacteria associated with the old convection systems. The heating surfaces are always kept at low temperatures, thanks to our AHT innovative irradiation technology and a perfect control of the environmental conditions is guaranteed.

For example:

a. The AHT HotPad modular panels enable the creation of comfortable heating and wellness islands in every situation by just matching through few clicks the heating panels. They allow very fast installations and can be laid directly on top of the existing floor and manageable via remote control and just like a puzzle we can create our own heating oasis by choosing from a wide range of finishes and colours. Because they achieve very high energy savings, they are ideal for public or private buildings such as churches, museums, restaurants, offices etc.

b. The AHT PetMate keeps our pets warm for the cost of a light bulb!

The smart solution for warming up our faithful animal friends, the AHT PetMate is a modular heating platform which can be installed both indoors or outdoors as it is waterproof (IP66) and consequently can be washed directly under water. 

E.E: What are the ranges of products? 

AHT: AHT’s technologically advanced underfloor electrical heating system provides a warm, comfortable, luxurious home environment. For use in every room of our homes such as the bathroom, kitchen, living room, utility room, basement, den, or bedroom, it can be installed under any flooring type such as tiles, stone, wood, laminate or carpet according to our official installation manual. The AHT underfloor heating system gives a constant and exceptionally comfortable heat, with no blasts of hot air from noisy fans or blowers to stir up dirt and dust. The absence of unsightly radiators makes furniture placement easier and creates a safer home environment with no exposed hot surfaces.

AHT Snow-and-Ice Melting systems are based on our unique amorphous metal ribbon heating technology. They have significant advantages over other types of hydronic or electrical cable- based Snow Melting and Ice Prevention systems. AHT currently supplies three families of products:

  • Underground – U Outdoor heating ribbons
  • Roof and Gutter – G Outdoor heating ribbons
  • Road – R Outdoor heating ribbons
  • Among the benefits of the AHT Snow Melting and Ice Prevention systems are:
  • Wider contact area with the cold ground or ice
  • Reaching the working temperature faster than other systems
  • Energy saving
  • Generate more even heat
  • Less costly
  • Extremely simple and easy to install
  • Reliable and durable.

Intended for use under concrete, asphalt, paving stones, gravel for pavements, driveways, roads, bridges etc. Additionally, they can be used to heat sports field of all types such as football, tennis, golf etc. as well as for agricultural applications in fields and greenhouses. Finally, they can be used to keep roofs and gutters free from snow and ice. The heating element can be driven by various power voltage sources, AC or DC: 110-120, 208, 220-240, 400 and 600 Volts, if the current limit is met. Low voltage (below 50 volts) usage is also possible. The upper limit working temperature of the heating element is 70C.

E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active? 

AHT: In most national markets electric underfloor heating is moving from the introductory stage to the growth stage. It is no longer a “niche” option for heating but it is becoming a “mainstream” option for all consumer groups and market segments, competing head-to-head with the “traditional” hydronic – warm water systems powered by the burning of hydrocarbons such as gas, oil, wood etc. which pollute our environment and are contributing to the Climate Change and Global Warming. We are all experiencing the effects of climate change such as more frequent and intense droughts, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming of the oceans which create huge problems for us and all living creatures on earth.

E.E: What can you tell us about market trends? 

AHT: The Electric Underfloor Heating Market is projected to expand in the next years at a steady annual rate of about 5%. The uncertainties of natural gas supply as well as the huge increases in natural gas prices, the big increase in renewable energy generation and the encouraging national and international policies to reduce the overall carbon footprint and boost the deployment of low emission heating have created a very positive industry outlook. 

E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed? 

AHT: All our products are recognized as innovative because of our cutting-edge AHT Amorphous Metal Ribbon Technology. With a thickness of only 25 microns the AHT AMR is significantly more effective than all other crystalline electrical heating cable systems as well as the traditional hot water systems. It demonstrates unprecedented strength, thermal efficiency, as well as unique assembly methods, due to several important factors such as its large heat transfer area, low mass of the element, lower working temperature and lower insulation requirements.

E.E: What estimations do you have for the rest of 2022? 

AHT: We expect a robust growth in demand of our products until the end of the year possibly achieving about 20% increase in our annual sales compared to the previous year.