A MALVERN company will be showing off its latest development at a trade show in France later this month.

The new boiler developed by Spring Lane-based Malvern Boilers is the first of its kind.

Called the XK150, it is believed to be the first gas-fired condensing boiler with a plastic outer combustion chamber.

It has been designed as a heater for swimming pools and will go on show at a Europe-wide trade show for pool equipment at Lyon on November 16 and 17.

Malvern Boilers worked closely with another local company, Neale Plastics of Enigma Park, on the development of the combustion chamber.

"We believe it's a world first," said Clive Perry, managing director of Malvern Boilers.

Although it is small, with a workforce of just 21, the company has an impressive track record when it comes to using plastics in boiler design.

In 1991, it introduced plastic flue systems, followed with plastic condensate management systems and plastic combustion fans in the mid-90s - all now standard in the condensing boiler markets.

"We're a design company as well as a manufacturing company. Innovations we have come up with are now used by larger firms," said Mr Perry.

Government regulations coming into force next April which say that all new boilers must be condensing, will provide a further boost for Malvern Boilers.

The new boiler was developed with the aid of a Smart award from the Department of Trade and Industry, which contributed £45,000 to the costs.