Our Story | Castrads
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ABOUT US

Castrads is a family business, founded in 2006. We started out as a small team, assembling and painting radiators on a farm in rural Cheshire. Today we employ about 65 people in four countries.

Our manufacturing base and headquarters remains in Greater Manchester. We also have showrooms in London and New York, and an assembly and finishing plant in Poland that serves our EU customers.

We are cast iron specialists: our core product is and always will be cast iron radiators.

ABOUT US

Castrads is a family business, founded in 2006. We started out as a small team, assembling and painting radiators on a farm in rural Cheshire. Today we employ about 65 people in four countries.
Our manufacturing base and headquarters remains in Greater Manchester. We also have showrooms in London and New York, and an assembly and finishing plant in Poland that serves our EU customers.
We are cast iron specialists: our core product is and always will be cast iron radiators.

Our ethos
and culture

Our mission is to produce elegant radiators that last for centuries, building on foundations laid by the pioneering engineers who came before us.

We have modernised our controls and use kevlar gaskets rather than asbestos, but the fundamental construction of a cast iron radiator hasn't changed in 140 years. To our mind it is the original and best.

Our company culture can be distilled into just four words: quality, respect, humility and elegance. We stand for the circular economy, equal opportunities and dignity in the workplace. We are proud to be Living Wage employers with a gender pay balance that favours women. 
Castrads factory
Company culture, Castrads
Our ethos and culture

Our ethos and culture

Castrads factory
Our mission is to produce elegant radiators that last for centuries, building on foundations laid by the pioneering engineers who came before us.
Company culture, Castrads
We have modernised our controls and use kevlar gaskets rather than asbestos, but the fundamental construction of a cast iron radiator hasn't changed in 140 years. To our mind it is the original and best.
Our ethos and culture
Our company culture can be distilled into just four words: quality, respect, humility and elegance. We stand for the circular economy, equal opportunities and dignity in the workplace. We are proud to be Living Wage employers with a gender pay balance that favours women. 

Our story

Castrads was set up by Chris Baylis and is now run by his two sons, Nick and Adam. 
Before Castrads, Chris ran an architectural salvage business called RBS. He’s been at the intersection of interiors and recycling since 1986. 
From the reclamation yard, Chris and his young sons, who helped out on Saturdays, developed a great reverence for the original cast iron radiators made by the likes of the American Radiator Company, Crane, Beeston, Bundy and more. Castrads was born out of respect for the exquisite engineering developed in the pre-war radiator industry.

Our story

Castrads was set up by Chris Baylis and is now run by his two sons, Nick and Adam. 
Before Castrads, Chris ran an architectural salvage business called RBS. He’s been at the intersection of interiors and recycling since 1986. 
From the reclamation yard, Chris and his young sons, who helped out on Saturdays, developed a great reverence for the original cast iron radiators made by the likes of the American Radiator Company, Crane, Beeston, Bundy and more. Castrads was born out of respect for the exquisite engineering developed in the pre-war radiator industry.

Our product

Today we are, to our knowledge, the only business in Britain actively investing in new casting techniques that further the technology of cast iron radiators.

Our dedicated Product team (pictured right) have designed our Emmeline and Mercury ranges from the ground up. A third new range, Celeste, will be launching soon.

We are proud to have brought the manufacture of many of our components into Britain. Several are produced in the Black Country, England’s industrial heartland.
Order a brochure
EmmelineI, 685mm
Emmeline I 865 mm Bronze
“

★★★★★

Throughout the process from ordering, customer service, and delivery, Castrads have been brilliant. I absolutely love the new radiators. They look great.

Rachel7 Apr 2022

Our product

Today we are, to our knowledge, the only business in Britain actively investing in new casting techniques that further the technology of cast iron radiators.
EmmelineI, 685mm
“

★★★★★

Throughout the process from ordering, customer service, and delivery, Castrads have been brilliant. I absolutely love the new radiators. They look great.

Rachel7 Apr 2022
Our dedicated Product team (pictured above) have designed our Emmeline and Mercury ranges from the ground up. A third new range, Celeste, will be launching soon.
Emmeline I 865 mm Bronze
We are proud to have brought the manufacture of many of our components into Britain. Several are produced in the Black Country, England’s industrial heartland.
Order a brochure

Our people

In 15 years, Castrads has grown into a company of 65 employees based across the UK, America and Poland. Many have been with us since the very early days.

To quote our COO, Adam, “We have some of the best people in our team at Castrads. I see it every day in the quality of their work and the care they extend to our customers.”

Our customers trust our specialist knowledge and that isn’t limited to the factory floor. Sales training covers our own made-to-measure product, a broad range of heating systems and even hands-on production sessions at Castrads HQ where our salespeople assemble radiators from scratch. 

Book a site visit
“

★★★★★

Brilliant guidance from the sales staff in helping us choose the right radiator for our project. Communication regarding delivery was excellent. The radiator itself? Perfect, gorgeous, couldn’t be happier.

Mr. Weiss3 Feb 2022

Our People

In 15 years, Castrads has grown into a company of 65 employees based across the UK, America and Poland. Many have been with us since the very early days.

To quote our COO, Adam, “We have some of the best people in our team at Castrads. I see it every day in the quality of their work and the care they extend to our customers.”

Our customers trust our specialist knowledge and that isn’t limited to the factory floor. Sales training covers our own made-to-measure product, a broad range of heating systems and even hands-on production sessions at Castrads HQ where our salespeople assemble radiators from scratch. 

Call us with your questions and speak with an expert.

Book a site visit
“

★★★★★

Brilliant guidance from the sales staff in helping us choose the right radiator for our project. Communication regarding delivery was excellent. The radiator itself? Perfect, gorgeous, couldn’t be happier.

Mr. Weiss3 Feb 2022

Our bases

Manchester showroom

Manchester

We are based in Reddish, on the Manchester / Stockport border. This is where we manufacture our radiators and distribute to customers in the UK and America.

Visit us in Manchester
Castrads-Cheslea-showroom-shop-front

Chelsea Cross

Our flagship store on Fulham Road houses our London-based international sales team. We’re right between CP Hart and Farrow & Ball, and opposite Colefax and Fowler.

Visit us in London
Poland Showroom

Zgorzelec

Our newest addition is a small assembly and finishing plant on the Polish / German border. We assemble and finish radiators here to distribute to our customers across the EU.

Visit us in Poland

New York Design Center

Our Manhattan showroom is on Lexington Avenue and 32nd St, in the New York Design Center where you’ll find other interiors brands such as Benjamin Moore and fellow Mancunians Timothy Oulton.

Visit us in Manhattan

Brooklyn Army Terminal

We distribute our radiators across the United States from our American warehouse and offices in the mighty Brooklyn Army Terminal, where Elvis once shipped out to West Germany with his military division.

Visit us in Brooklyn

Our bases

Manchester showroom

Manchester

We are based in Reddish, on the Manchester / Stockport border. This is where we manufacture our radiators and distribute to customers in the UK and America.
Visit us in Manchester
Chelsea showroom

Chelsea Cross

Our flagship store on Fulham Road houses our London-based international sales team. We’re right between CP Hart and Farrow & Ball, and opposite Colefax and Fowler.
Visit us in London
Zgorzelec Poland

Zgorzelec, Poland

Our newest addition is a small assembly and finishing plant on the Polish / German border. We assemble and finish radiators here to distribute to our customers across the EU.
Visit us in Poland
New York Design Center

New York Design Center

Our Manhattan showroom is on Lexington Avenue and 32nd St, in the New York Design Center where you’ll find other interiors brands such as Benjamin Moore and fellow Mancunians Timothy Oulton.
Visit us in Manhattan
Brooklyn Army Terminal

Brooklyn Army Terminal

We distribute our radiators across the United States from our American warehouse and offices in the mighty Brooklyn Army Terminal, where Elvis once shipped out to West Germany with his military division.
Visit us in Brooklyn

Happy Customers

  • ★★★★★
    Great service again, thank you guys for the assembly. That was radiator number 3, at least another one to go, they just look beautiful

    “
    Gary Haslam

  • ★★★★★
    Very good customer service. The quality is outstanding and beautiful.

    “
    Michelle Hammonds

  • ★★★★★
    Superb! I’ve been purchasing radiators for years from Castrads. They’re always the best. Beautiful products and superb customer service. Highly recommend.

    “
    Jo

  • ★★★★★
    The radiators look fantastic in situ. Great advice and support throughout the whole of the experience. Would highly recommend.

    “
    Helen

  • ★★★★★
    Did a great renovation of an old radiator which now looks new again. Knowledgeable staff, great craftsmanship.

    “
    Sandra Butcher

  • ★★★★★
    Our Castrads add the character back into the house while looking fantastic.
    Nicola was great from our first visit to the showroom
    all the way through to delivery. Overall would highly recommend.

    “
    Stuart

  • ★★★★★
    Customer service is fantastic, such an incredible company! Highly recommend!!!!
    Our radiators are perfect, delivered super quickly, really happy with everything!

    “
    Colleen Roach

  • ★★★★★
    Good communication throughout the process of sending our two vintage radiators for restoration and receiving them back looking transformed and beautiful.

    “
    Claire

Our impact

Recycled and recyclable

We believe that climate change is the biggest single issue facing humanity today. We are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our processes. Cast iron is a circular material: our radiators are made of scrap metal that is melted in electric furnaces.
Refurbishment repair radiator

Built-in longevity

We regularly recondition century-old radiators, and our own are built to last just as long. This means the embodied carbon of a cast iron radiator is significantly lower than that of a steel panel one designed to be replaced after just 15 or 20 years. There is, however, much more that we can do.
Read about our refurbishment service

Reducing our footprint

At our HQ in Manchester, we are powered by 100% renewable electricity with 30% of that generated by on-site solar. We recycle the water in our testing process and all our waste metal and grinding dust. We are working on removing all single-use plastics from our packaging and production processes.
Renewable electricity, Manchester HQ
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Action for the future

In the next three years we will electrify our fleet of vehicles, move away from the gas-powered infrared ovens that we use for curing our paint in favour of electric, improve the insulation on our premises and move toward heat pumps and away from the gas boilers that we currently use to heat our buildings.
“

★★★★★

Very helpful telephone advice to size radiators, clear easy to understand quotes, delivery on time and really lovely products.

Alan Thompson26 Apr 2022

Our impact

Recycled and recyclable

We believe that climate change is the biggest single issue facing humanity today. We are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our processes. Cast iron is a circular material: our radiators are made of scrap metal that is melted in electric furnaces.
Refurbishment repair radiator

Built-in longevity

We regularly recondition century-old radiators, and our own are built to last just as long. This means the embodied carbon of a cast iron radiator is significantly lower than that of a steel panel one designed to be replaced after just 15 or 20 years. There is, however, much more that we can do.
Radiator refurbishment service
Renewable electricity, Manchester HQ

Reducing our footprint

At our HQ in Manchester, we are powered by 100% renewable electricity with 30% of that generated by on-site solar. We recycle the water in our testing process and all our waste metal and grinding dust. We are working on removing all single-use plastics from our packaging and production processes.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Action for the future

In the next three years we will electrify our fleet of vehicles, move away from the gas-powered infrared ovens that we use for curing our paint in favour of electric, improve the insulation on our premises and move toward heat pumps and away from the gas boilers that we currently use to heat our buildings.
“

★★★★★

Very helpful telephone advice to size radiators, clear easy to understand quotes, delivery on time and really lovely products.

Alan Thompson26 Apr 2022