Zip Heaters (Aust.) Pty Ltd - the parent company to Zenith
Heaters NZ - began trading in 1947, producing low pressure water
heaters and boilers for the kitchen and bathroom.
Prior to this, Zip Heaters
had traded in New Zealand (read more here) where the first Zip on-wall
urn was invented. The first "Zip" logo (below) featured
the four-pointed Southern Cross as it appears on the NZ flag.
A popular early product was
the
Zip Electric Bathroom Heater:
Many homes still used wood or coal
to heat water for use in washing & bathing at the time, so the
easily installed Instant Hot Water unit (available in a range of
attractive pastel tones!) was quite a breakthrough.
Prior to this, taking a bath meant
you'd chop kindling, fetch coal, light a fire under the copper and
wait an hour or two...
And as with so many great Zip
products: no plumbing or rewiring needed!
Always at the forefront of
product innovation, Zip Heaters produced some incredibly
popular specialist products; the
Beauty Salon Heater(below), the popular Zip
Soft-Dry Clothes Dryer & Airer (many of these are still on
duty in Ski Lodges and Rowing Sheds around the country!), the
Free-Standing Bath
& Shower Heater and the Wall Shower Heater.
In 1975 Zip released the
very first small-capacity Instant Boiling Water heater
(below). Until Zip invented & patented Instant Boiling Water,
making tea or coffee at home or at work began with the
time-and-energy-wasting ritual of filling a kettle or urn with cold
water, then bringing it to the boil...
Zip instant boiling water
technology soon changed all that. Now you could have
boiling water, instantly, at the touch of a tap. No more waiting
for water to boil. Touch the tap and - boiling water! - a cupful or
a pot full at a time.
Launched during the early
1980s, Zip
Miniboil Instant Boiling Water system became an
instant success, rapidly replacing power-hungry kettles and urns in
offices, factories, hospitals, schools, canteens and
restaurants.
Len Newsom welds copper tanks
in Marrickville, Sydney.
Zip then marketed its
energy-efficient boiling technology globally, appointing regional
distributors in one country after another.
Millions of people world-wide now
use a Zip daily for tea, coffee and cooking.
Hospitals in Singapore, naval bases
in the United Kingdom, universities in China, the Sydney Opera
House and Number Ten Downing Street now have one thing in common -
all enjoy the convenience of Zip instant boiling water in their
kitchens.
Milestones
1947 -"Zip" founded as manufacturer
of low pressure water heaters & boilers
1975 - Develops and patents the
world's first "Instant Boiling Water heater"
1985 - Appoints distributors
throughout the Asia-Pacific region
1987 - Appoints distributor to
develop the market in the UK
1991 - Establishes a wholly owned
subsidiary in the UK
1992 - Establishes joint venture
manufacturing operation in South Africa
1997 -"Zip HydroTap" under-sink
Instant Boiling and Chilled Water system
1999 - Launches commercial washroom
products range
2002 - Appoints European
distributor in the Federal Republic of Germany
2004 - New HydroTap under-sink
Instant Boiling and Chilled Water system
2005 - New filtered Boiling and
Chilled water range for the home
2006 - New range of Zip Touch-Free
Commercial Washroom products
2010 -"Zenith Online" launched
(Please note: although the
"Zip" brand in New Zealand shares some history with the original
company that became Zip Heaters (Aust) - the Zip product sold in
New Zealand today is in no way affiliated with Zenith Heaters NZ or
its parent company Zip Heaters (Aust) Pty Ltd. You will find a
detailed history of Zip and Zenith's New Zealand origins here.)