Space-Ray Celebrates its 60th anniversary since the first gas-fired infrared heating system was manufactured in 1949.

Since the original gas-fired burner was manufactured 60 years ago, Space-Ray has become one of the major manufacturers of industrial and commercial comfort heating products sold throughout the United States, Canada and worldwide.

From its humble beginnings in early 1949, Space-Ray’s product line has expanded with the addition of floor model heaters for use in steel mills in the late 1950s to broad area and perimeter high intensity heaters in the mid-1960s and to low intensity unitized tube heaters in the late 1960s. 

Today, Space-Ray offers one of the broadest and most complete infrared heater product lines in the industrial heating market with radiant efficiencies unsurpassed by competitive systems.  The line currently consists of more than 400 different heating configurations in over 80 models in both natural and propane gas. Capacities range from 20,000 to 250,000 BTU/hr. All applied model heaters manufactured by Space-Ray are CSA certified.

Included in the Space-Ray line today are eight different models of positive pressure low intensity tube heaters with a unique Tube Integrity Safety System™ (TISS) that provide the ultimate in fire safety protection along with negative pressure low intensity tube heaters with 38 different models of LTU/LTS Series, 19 models of ETS/ETU low intensity tube heaters and a complete line of RSCA Series and DK Series high intensity ceramic heaters, RFPA Series radiant floor heaters, CB (Cold Blocker) Series residential garage heaters, a line of brooders and poultry tube heaters for the poultry market. 

Besides the United States and Canada, Space-Ray heaters are operating around the world in the United Kingdom, China, Russia, France, South Korea, Argentina, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania and many other countries.

“Space-Ray infrared gas heaters have earned a solid reputation for high radiant efficiency, easy installation, low maintenance and a proven record for long life,” noted Bob Genisol, Vice President of Space-Ray. “Some of our heaters are still providing trouble free operation after more than 40 years of service. For example, just recently a customer was looking for a replacement part for his floor model heater he purchased in 1962.  He had 47 years of trouble free service and was very pleased with his floor heater.”

Applications for Space-Ray heaters are numerous and range from parking garages to fire stations, aircraft hangars, sports arenas, machine shops, weld shops, automotive body shops and dealerships, restaurants, hotels, poultry houses and almost any type of manufacturing plant.

Part of Gas-Fired Products

Part of Gas-Fired Products Inc., a family-owned business founded in 1949 to manufacture gas fired heaters for tobacco barns, Space-Ray is said to be the first U.S. manufacturer to offer unitized tube heaters. A subsidiary company, Gas-Fired Products (UK) was formed in Ipswich, England, in 1964 to manufacture industrial and commercial gas heating equipment. as well as brooders for the poultry market in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe.

Innovations have been prominent throughout Space-Ray’s 60-year history with the company today offering many features not found in competitive models. Innovative features include:

• First company to offer corrosion resistant calorized aluminized steel emitter tubes that are highly radiant emissive on the interior and highly radiant emissive on the exterior to prevent flaking or peeling.
  
  
• First company in 1968 to offer a unitized design tube heater for lower installation costs, simpler rearrangement within the facility and less maintenance. By not being dependent on other heaters in the system, Space-Ray heaters can be thermostatically controlled individually or in groups for greater operator control of heating requirements.
  
  
• First company to offer a unique Tube Integrity Safety System™ (TISS) on its positive pressure low intensity tube heaters that provides the ultimate in fire safety protection. 
  
  
• First company to offer monitoring lights on tube heaters to facilitate floor level diagnostics.
  
  
• First company to offer iron oxide coating on ceramic heaters to improve radiant efficiency.
  
  
• First company to offer an exclusive COMPUHEAT™ heat loss analysis free of charge to qualified plant managers, contractors and building owners.

Other unique features of Space-Ray infrared heaters include its rugged heavy-duty one-piece cast iron burner found on most tube models with a 10-year limited warranty, its heavy-duty pull through draft inducer that pulls products of combustion through the calorized steel combustion chamber, and a direct spark ignition system with a 100% safety shut off control.

According to Genisol, infrared heating is becoming the preferred alternative to traditional forced air heating. “Space-Ray infrared heating systems can save a building owner 30 to 50 percent in annual fuel costs compared to forced air heating systems,” noted Genisol. “Some Space-Ray customers report final fuel savings as high as 70 percent with a payback of less than one year. With a Space-Ray system, investment accrues not only from reduced energy costs but also from reduced maintenance costs.”


Source: Space-Ray