Any original owner stove brands left?

[seaken]

I was thinking today about all the wood stove brands I've run across over the years. I can't think of any wood stove brands who have remained with the original maker/owner. Can you?

All of these have changed hands, some more than once,

Vermont Castings
Dutchwest
HearthStone
Jotul
Morso
Regency
Lopi
Avalon
Harman
Drolet
Osburn
Quadra-Fire
Earth Stove
Country
Dover
WaterFord
Security
Elmira/Heartland

Maybe these are still with the original owner?
Englander
Napoleon
BlazeKing

I don't know, since I haven't had too much experience with many others, although I was an Englander dealer in the past. Let's limit the brands to wood stove brands only. (No gas, pellet, open wood fireplaces, etc. Built-in stoves count, like Security BIS)

Sean

 

[Metal]

Wolfgang still owns Wolf Steel (Napoleon).

 

[Todd]

Woodstock?

 

[begreen]

Pacific Energy?

 

[Corie]

Englander is a yes.

 

[savageactor7]

Shenandoah has been making stoves since the late 70's. We've had 2 and were pleased with them both...not much to look at but not bad stoves for non EPA. I couldn't find a dealer around here but on line I see they're still in business.

 

[RedRanger]

Hmmm- I do believe that my bear is still made by the same people for the past 17 years. Sherwood Industries, makes enviro products--wood,gas, and bbq~s.. And god bless them for still putting that 5/16" steel on the top and the 1/4" on the sides.

Same old, same old, and quality, and quality over and over again.

 

[Choppedliver]

When did Regency change hands, I thought Robert Little started Regency and still owns it or at lease most of it today.


A message from Robert Little, CEO & Owner
"The Regency story. In 1979, I founded this company with a mission to produce the finest fireplace products available anywhere"

And as for Waterford, the distribution of Waterford in North America has changed a few times but when did Waterford change hands?
I would thing companies like Waterford and Jotul would have to change hands sooner or later both companies are over 100 years old

 

[stoveguy2esw]

England's stove works as cories stated is a definate yes. Bob England founded the company back in the mid 70's literally out of his garage, Ron , his oldest son , and he were welders who had been helping build a paper mill ( which had hired my father hence my connection, ron knew my dad , way back when) i digress. anyway here's how i recall hearing the story told...

a fellow who worked with the englands back then building this mill asked if they could build him a woodstove similar to one he had seen somewhere (actually it was a fisher stove) bob (who i will refer to as "pop" england from hence) said yeah they could , just need the steel to make it from. price haggling was short and simple , pop wanted a woodstove in his garage / shop at home so the cost for the fellows stove was that he buy enough steel for 2 and pop would keep one and the fellow would get the other.by the way the origional stove still exists and will be displayed in the amherst county historical museum following its current renovation having been restored to its "new" condition by the techs at ESW (wasnt hard the stove just needed a few bricks and a new paint job, but it was fun to watch as some of the old timers told "pop" stories to the newer generation) from there it was building stoves and charging steel until local stores picked up on them and then a regional chain then a national chain and the rest as they say , is history. (by the way , my dad bought a stove from the early crop in 1977 so i literally grew up with englander heat, that stove is still functional and in dad's basement) and just for kicks i'll toss this out there , the welder (machine) that was used to build that first stove , i watched ron fix a broken part on a neighbor's hay bailer last monday with it, of all the toys the man has (and he has several trust me) the one he loves to pull out is that old lincoln welder, still runs a smooth bead especially when ron's the one waving the wand.

not only is the company still owned by the origional, but ron still slips down to the shop , watches the process, and on occasion still drops the lid and shows a trick or two to a welder from time to time, CEO or not , the guys love him, probably because he wouldnt look out of place in the next booth from thiers. you asked , yes , there is at least one , and the owner definately is , an origional.

 

[webbie]

Maybe it doesn't count quite as much, but Kurt started Lopi and he is still top dog there (although not the owner), and same for Alan Trusler and Quad - Alan is still the boss at the Quad factory. Some of these companies just get too large for the originals to own 'em, even if they enjoy the job. Trusler and others sold out at high prices, but love the business so they stay on.

Harman made it to last year - that was pretty dang good!

Mike at Magnum/Countryside/Country Flame started that biz and still owns and runs it. Woodstock....I think was started by someone else, and Tom bought it after a stint at Vermont Castings (in marketing, I think).

The bigger question might be how many of us are still alive! Time is slipping away......

Funny how different people are. When Jim at Earth Stove sold out to Lennox the story was that he couldn't WAIT to retire. Then you have guys like Alan Trusler (Quad) who told me that the first day he stopped enjoying himself would be the LAST day he would be working (and I'm sure he could afford to walk away!). Some people just identify with their biz, and others want to move onto other parts of life.

Energy King - not a biggie, but Bob and Carole still run it. I think there are other midwestern companies that also have original owners - Wilkening and perhaps Kozy.

Oh, Thelin is still owned by Jay, I think. Etc. etc.

 

[woodjack]

Maybe it doesn't count quite as much, but Kurt started Lopi and he is still top dog there (although not the owner), and same for Alan Trusler and Quad - Alan is still the boss at the Quad factory. Some of these companies just get too large for the originals to own 'em, even if they enjoy the job. Trusler and others sold out at high prices, but love the business so they stay on.

Harman made it to last year - that was pretty dang good!

Mike at Magnum/Countryside/Country Flame started that biz and still owns and runs it. Woodstock....I think was started by someone else, and Tom bought it after a stint at Vermont Castings (in marketing, I think).

The bigger question might be how many of us are still alive! Time is slipping away......

Funny how different people are. When Jim at Earth Stove sold out to Lennox the story was that he couldn't WAIT to retire. Then you have guys like Alan Trusler (Quad) who told me that the first day he stopped enjoying himself would be the LAST day he would be working (and I'm sure he could afford to walk away!). Some people just identify with their biz, and others want to move onto other parts of life.

Energy King - not a biggie, but Bob and Carole still run it. I think there are other midwestern companies that also have original owners - Wilkening and perhaps Kozy.

Oh, Thelin is still owned by Jay, I think. Etc. etc.

Craig
You seem to know an awful lot about this industry.
Just curious. What's your woodstove history and how'd you wind up here?

 

[North of 60]

Maybe it doesn't count quite as much, but Kurt started Lopi and he is still top dog there (although not the owner), and same for Alan Trusler and Quad - Alan is still the boss at the Quad factory. Some of these companies just get too large for the originals to own 'em, even if they enjoy the job. Trusler and others sold out at high prices, but love the business so they stay on.

Harman made it to last year - that was pretty dang good!

Mike at Magnum/Countryside/Country Flame started that biz and still owns and runs it. Woodstock....I think was started by someone else, and Tom bought it after a stint at Vermont Castings (in marketing, I think).

The bigger question might be how many of us are still alive! Time is slipping away......

Funny how different people are. When Jim at Earth Stove sold out to Lennox the story was that he couldn't WAIT to retire. Then you have guys like Alan Trusler (Quad) who told me that the first day he stopped enjoying himself would be the LAST day he would be working (and I'm sure he could afford to walk away!). Some people just identify with their biz, and others want to move onto other parts of life.

Energy King - not a biggie, but Bob and Carole still run it. I think there are other midwestern companies that also have original owners - Wilkening and perhaps Kozy.

Oh, Thelin is still owned by Jay, I think. Etc. etc.

Craig
You seem to know an awful lot about this industry.
Just curious. What's your woodstove history and how'd you wind up here?

Ya gotta month to spare? It could take awhile. :lol:

 

[woodjack]

Maybe it doesn't count quite as much, but Kurt started Lopi and he is still top dog there (although not the owner), and same for Alan Trusler and Quad - Alan is still the boss at the Quad factory. Some of these companies just get too large for the originals to own 'em, even if they enjoy the job. Trusler and others sold out at high prices, but love the business so they stay on.

Harman made it to last year - that was pretty dang good!

Mike at Magnum/Countryside/Country Flame started that biz and still owns and runs it. Woodstock....I think was started by someone else, and Tom bought it after a stint at Vermont Castings (in marketing, I think).

The bigger question might be how many of us are still alive! Time is slipping away......

Funny how different people are. When Jim at Earth Stove sold out to Lennox the story was that he couldn't WAIT to retire. Then you have guys like Alan Trusler (Quad) who told me that the first day he stopped enjoying himself would be the LAST day he would be working (and I'm sure he could afford to walk away!). Some people just identify with their biz, and others want to move onto other parts of life.

Energy King - not a biggie, but Bob and Carole still run it. I think there are other midwestern companies that also have original owners - Wilkening and perhaps Kozy.

Oh, Thelin is still owned by Jay, I think. Etc. etc.

Craig
You seem to know an awful lot about this industry.
Just curious. What's your woodstove history and how'd you wind up here?

Ya gotta month to spare? It could take awhile. :lol:

I'd be happy with the one paragraph version. :red: