John B. Dyar, manager and owner of the Detroit Metal & Heating Works, was the main promoter.

In 1894, Mr. Woolley convinced the other officers of the company to pay his way to Europe, whereupon he booked the sale of $50,000 worth of cast iron radiators for the Swiss capitol.

[6][7] The company was successful in the United States and European markets, and attracted the attention of J.P. Morgan.

In 1894, following the Panic of 1893 and the consequent fall in demand for its products the company began investigating the potential of Europe as a market, and a sales branch was opened in London.

[8] In 1897, the company began investigating manufacturing in Europe, specifically France and Germany, countries with high trade tariffs; a branch was opened in Hamburg, which assembled and machine finished cast radiator parts shipped in knock down form.

[9] In 1898, the company acquired the established plant of Louis Courtot, in Dôle, France (Dole, Jura) forming the Compagnie Nationale de Radiateurs.

[10] In 1901, the company made the decision to establish a manufacturing plant in Germany, a site was selected in Schönebeck.

[11] Both establishments proved successful and in 1905 the company began planning for a factory in England, and a site was selected in Hull.

[15] In the 1880s, engineer Louis Courtot developed a central heating system using radiators and boiler, and established a foundry in Dole (Jura).

During the First World War the plant produced 155 and 380mm artillery shells, employing mainly female workers.

At the end of the war, the shortage of manpower led to managed immigration of Polish workers, with a housing built for their families.

[19][20] As a consequence, in 1932 the plant in Dole switched to the manufacture of bathroom furniture, including porcelain sanitary ware.

The two main factory buildings 270 by 70 metres (890 by 230 ft) were built of reinforced concrete by the Limousin company to the designs of Eugène Freyssinet.

[20] The oil crisis negatively affected the company's activities, and the plant in Aulnay closed.

[23] The Schönebeck facility was in soviet occupied East Germany at the end of the second world war; as a result in 1950 the Neuss site began production of boilers.

[22] At the end of the 1960s, the Wittlich site was concentrated on the production of fittings serving the whole European market; valve production was reduced at Neuss in favour of the Clichy factory in France, and the site in Neuss became focused on ceramic manufacture.

[22] In 1905 the company's operations in France and Germany were proving successful, and the firm decided to open a factory in England.

[24] In 1934 the company was publicly listed as "Ideal Boilers and Radiators" (capital £750,000) in order to raise cash for a factory extension.

[26] During World War II the plant produced munitions including mortar bombs and grenades, as well as boilers and vitreous china for military use.