In this issue of Sustainability Today, we have featured Calatherm as our Thermal Management Company of the Month.
Established in 1939, Calatherm is an engineering firm that designs and manufactures custom thermal management systems in the UK. Today, Calatherm is focused on supporting vehicle OEMs as industries look to reduce emissions and embrace alternative propulsion solutions.
Based in Tamworth and with eight decades of experience in the industry, Calatherm has developed a diverse portfolio of customers thanks to its expert team of engineers’ focus on combining innovation and solutions-focused approaches to support businesses with bespoke thermal systems.
From small, niche automotive manufacturers to multi-billion pound construction OEMs, the company supports customers across all vehicle industries, both on-highway and off-highway, from automotive to municipal, construction to industrial and from forestry to mining.
As Calatherm delivers thermal solutions for mobile applications, their primary role is to listen to their customers’ requirements and then design, develop and supply the optimum solution that meets them. The solutions it provides can range from loose component supply, such as High Voltage compressors, pumps and heaters, to Complete Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems to support cabin comfort and complete thermal solutions for EV and Hydrogen (H2) applications.
Calatherm is renowned for its support of customers on their development journey. Taking a holistic approach, their initial desktop study of the vehicle analysis uses the intended systems to identify the best-fit components and technologies to meet the demands of the application, factoring in operational requirements, environmental factors and cost expectations.
Using state-of-the-art CAD and simulation tools, their team creates tailored thermal management solutions streamlined for performance, durability and seamless integration into vehicle’s architecture. Calatherm’s advanced simulation software, including 1D and 3D Fluid Dynamics and 3D Structural FEA, analyse heat transfer, fluid flow, structural integrity and system performance, ensuring each design is fully optimised before physical prototyping.
In-house prototyping allows Calatherm to test and refine designs quickly, ensuring that thermal systems meet all performance and durability expectations before final production. This hands-on approach guarantees that their mechanical engineering designs are both innovative and practical. The company’s in-house environmental test chambers even replicate real-world conditions to validate system performance, durability and compliance with industry standards and for extreme temperatures and rainfall.
Its quality management processes focus on precision management and assembly to ensure every thermal system is produced to the highest standards, rigorously inspected and calibrated for reliability. Calatherm also provides full lifecycle support from initial concept to aftercare, offering technical assistance, system upgrades, and routine maintenance and overhaul to ensure thermal management systems continue to perform efficiently.
The company focuses on the small to medium-sized vehicle manufacturers and can provide the best support to those looking for more niche and specialised solutions. When it comes to thermal solutions, it’s rare that an off-the-shelf product will provide the optimal solution, so Calatherm seeks out the best-fit solution and can provide the engineering support to develop it.
Daniel Jackson, Business Development Director, says this bespoke development system sets Calatherm apart, “We can demonstrate at a very early stage how the system will work and how the system will deliver for the vehicle and the end customer. From there we support the testing and validation through our on-site facilities. Our goal is to become the long-term supply partner and we support our customers through these early stages of the project to ensure we deliver on the customer requirements.”
The experience Calatherm has built up over the years has given the company a fantastic grounding in understanding the different applications, industry requirements and customer expectations. This expertise ensures that customers can trust Calatherm’s diagnostics as well as the final product. This bespoke, solution-based approach allows the company to apply these decades of experience to any customer’s requirements.
Calatherm can also intervene where there is a proof of concept that is already operational but fails to meet expectations. It can help customers tune their systems, BOM and functionality as well as take a holistic view across the whole vehicle to ensure the best possible solution is found and the customer’s targets are met.
“We are a one stop shop for the complete solution,” explains Daniel, “We have vertically integrated our supply chain and have a well-established and globally-sourcing supplier network.”
This global, vertically integrated system also means Calatherm can supply components normally only available to high volume automotive manufacturers to small to mid-size OEMs, taking on the integration responsibility as a company. This brings the best technology to those that would otherwise not get the chance to benefit from it.
One of these innovations is the recent launch of Calatherm’s latest battery thermal management system (BTMS). The BTMS is a vital subsystem in any electric or hybrid vehicle and Calatherm’s BTMS can provide both cooling and heating simultaneously. This can provide reduced battery power consumption through the heat recovery from the batteries and other drivetrain systems to then be used to heat the cabin.
“The response to the launch of our battery thermal management system was extremely positive, with significant interest surrounding its capabilities in a huge range of sectors,” Daniel told us, “While there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, we are very excited about what our BTMS can offer our current and future customers.”
Recently the company has also focused on further development of its 1D thermal analysis capabilities to ensure it can fully evaluate complete vehicle systems at an early stage to bring together the right components, delivering the best solution at the right cost.
2024 saw enhanced investment from UK based investors in Calatherm, providing the opportunity to further focus the company on the now increasing demands for thermal management to support zero emission applications.
In 2025, the company rebranded to reflect this change in focus, and the launch of a new website has increased visibility of the expanding range of solutions and provided a platform to support the publication of supporting educational content via blogs and white papers.
Looking forward, Calatherm plans to continue to push brand awareness while always striving to support customers with its optimal thermal solutions, backed by the best engineering support and capabilities. It also plans to release further new technologies and products that will help shape the future of the industry and demonstrate Calatherm’s thought leadership.
Daniel told us the future is looking bright for Calatherm, “While the brand may be new, we are still the same engineering-led, customer-focused company that is backed by decades of experience. Our motto is ‘Together Creating Solutions’ and is at the core of what we do. We really focus on our relationship with our customers. It’s a partnership and one we nurture through ensuring we understand their aspirations, their applications and the expectations of their end customers.”
Calatherm’s focus on innovation and solutions supports a range of businesses spanning the automotive industry, where they work closely with clients on every project creating a reputation for fully understanding client requirements in a truly collaborative purpose. Working closely with clients on every project means the company has developed a reputation for fully understanding client requirements in a truly collaborative process.
With decades of experience and strong partnerships with leading manufacturers, Calatherm brings an independent perspective to sourcing top-quality thermal management components. From retrofitting older vehicles to designing cutting-edge heating and cooling systems for new electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, Calatherm doesn’t just keep up with industry trends – it’s leading them.
For more on Calatherm, please see below:
T 01827 300100
info@calatherm.com
www.calatherm.com