A heating apparatus for an exhaust gas system, the heating apparatus comprising: • a container body (14, 400) defining an exhaust gas pathway; • a heater flange component attached to an exterior of the container body (14, 400); and • a heater assembly (210, 250, 260, 270, 290, 300, 390) disposed across and exposed to the exhaust gas pathway and secured to the heater flange component, the heater assembly including: - at least one or a plurality of heater elements arranged across the exhaust gas pathway, - a bracket assembly that secures the at least one heater element in the container body (14, 400), the bracket assembly being disposed across the exhaust gas pathway; and - a conformal bracket (80,170) for securing the at least one heater element to the bracket assembly, wherein one of the heater flange component and the container body (14, 400) includes a plurality of tabs and the other one of the heater flange component and the container body (14, 400) defines a plurality of holes corresponding to the plurality of tabs, the heater flange component having a plate configuration and being attached to the container body (14, 400) by inserting the plurality of tabs into the plurality of holes, a junction box being mounted on the heater flange component, the junction box including electrical terminals that connect the heater element to a power source. • a container body (14, 400) defining an exhaust gas pathway; • a heater flange component attached to an exterior of the container body (14, 400); and • a heater assembly (210, 250, 260, 270, 290, 300, 390) disposed across and exposed to the exhaust gas pathway and secured to the heater flange component, the heater assembly including: - at least one or a plurality of heater elements arranged across the exhaust gas pathway, - a bracket assembly that secures the at least one heater element in the container body (14, 400), the bracket assembly being disposed across the exhaust gas pathway; and - a conformal bracket (80,170) for securing the at least one heater element to the bracket assembly, wherein one of the heater flange component and the container body (14, 400) includes a plurality of tabs and the other one of the heater flange component and the container body (14, 400) defines a plurality of holes corresponding to the plurality of tabs, the heater flange component having a plate configuration and being attached to the container body (14, 400) by inserting the plurality of tabs into the plurality of holes, a junction box being mounted on the heater flange component, the junction box including electrical terminals that connect the heater element to a power source. - at least one or a plurality of heater elements arranged across the exhaust gas pathway, - a bracket assembly that secures the at least one heater element in the container body (14, 400), the bracket assembly being disposed across the exhaust gas pathway; and - a conformal bracket (80,170) for securing the at least one heater element to the bracket assembly, wherein one of the heater flange component and the container body (14, 400) includes a plurality of tabs and the other one of the heater flange component and the container body (14, 400) defines a plurality of holes corresponding to the plurality of tabs, the heater flange component having a plate configuration and being attached to the container body (14, 400) by inserting the plurality of tabs into the plurality of holes, a junction box being mounted on the heater flange component, the junction box including electrical terminals that connect the heater element to a power source.