# Has lennox soldout the country brand line?



## RIDGERUNNER30 (Aug 11, 2012)

I was at at stove shop the other day with my dad to get his new jotul F-50 rangeley. I was talking to the owner and got to talking about the country brand wood stoves that he was selling and he told me that lennox has sold the line to a company based in ohio.  I did'nt get into all the details with him but was surprized. has anybody heard anything about this. I own one myself and have always worried that one day lennox may drop the line and parts could one day be hard to find.


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## DanCorcoran (Aug 11, 2012)

I'm not sure regarding wood stoves (freestanding), but here's a link to Lennox's website that displays their Country Collection line of wood-burning inserts. Presumably, if they'd sold the business they wouldn't still be advertising the products on their corporate site.  Of course, it's also possible that they have an agreement that they will keep advertising it for some period after the sale, until the new owner can get advertising in place.

http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com/products/inserts/wood/

Update:

Here's a link to your S-260 from the same site. It shows your nearest dealer to be Gibbs True Value in Grayson, KY, about 55 miles away.

http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com/products/stoves/legacy-s260/


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## daryl (Aug 11, 2012)

Lennox Hearth sold to a investment group, I can't remember the name of them.The investment group has to rename there Lennox line within two years. I expect they will use one of the names they own maybe Superior, Security. But I expect that the Country line name will stay the same minus the Lennox tag.


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## Treacherous (Aug 11, 2012)

Comvest Acquires Lennox Hearth Products
Publish Date: 4/27/2012

http://comvest.com/newsDetail.asp?newsID=127

West Palm Beach, FL, April, 2012 – The Comvest Group (“Comvest”), through its Comvest Investment Partners IV fund (“Comvest IV”), is pleased to announce the acquisition of Lennox Hearth Products (“LHP” or “the Company”) from Lennox International Inc. (NYSE: LII).  LHP is a manufacturer of fireplaces, fireplace inserts, free-standing stoves, gas log sets, accessories and venting products.

John Caple, a Managing Director with Comvest, said, "We are excited about the opportunities for LHP to be a leader in the hearth industry.  LHP has invested significantly in the last few years in innovation and new products, and we are looking forward to the Company’s continued growth.  We believe that LHP President and CEO Wendy Howells and her team are well positioned to continue the Company’s tradition of product innovation and industry leading customer service."

“Throughout the process, the Comvest team has repeatedly demonstrated its belief in the importance of serving customers and executing on a robust, growth oriented strategy,” said Ms. Howells.  “I believe our partnership with Comvest will further strengthen our ability to grow and serve the hearth market.”

About Lennox Hearth Products:
Offering a diverse family of products for every style and budget, Lennox Hearth Products (LHP) is a leading manufacturer of indoor and outdoor fireplaces, fireplace inserts, free-standing stoves, gas log sets, accessories and venting products for the specialty retail, residential new construction and industrial markets. LHP, based in Nashville, Tennessee has manufacturing plants in Auburn, WA, Union City, TN and Laval, QC, CA.  For more information, visit www.lennoxhearthproducts.com

About Comvest:                                                                                          

The Comvest Group, with $1.2 billion of assets under management, provides flexible financing solutions to lower middle-market companies through its equity and debt funds, often meeting time-critical and complex funding requirements.  Our firm includes seasoned, senior level operating executives who partner with managers and owners of companies to operationally improve businesses and create long-term value. Since 2000, Comvest has invested more than $1.5 billion of capital in over 105 public and private companies. Please visit www.comvest.com.


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## begreen (Aug 11, 2012)

Hope they don't mess it up. I like Country stoves. They're made locally in Auburn, WA.


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## RIDGERUNNER30 (Aug 11, 2012)

I like my country stove , but when you see a  company drop a line or change hands, It's a good clue that sells or the product line is not selling well.  I know when i brought my stove it was expensive. That is what i like about jotul, blaze king,woodstock, and lopi. they are all about selling stoves and they seem to be companies that are going to last.


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## webbie (Aug 11, 2012)

I heard they were selling off all their hearth products. I don't think they ever made a cent on the whole division....


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## webbie (Aug 11, 2012)

It should be noted that Lennox is a multi-billion dollar company which decided to enter the Hearth business. In order to do so quickly, they purchased a number of brands including Country, Earth, Superior Fireplaces, Whitfield, etc.

The timing was bad because many of the big markets slowed down in the last decade. A company such as Lennox needs to see results - and they gave it plenty of time (15 years?). 

There is too much supply and not enough demand in this business. That's why a smaller company or brand often has an advantage because they can fill a niche.


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## begreen (Aug 11, 2012)

That makes sense. I never could quite relate Lennox to wood stoves.


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## DanCorcoran (Aug 11, 2012)

When you read "About Convest", above, they sound like Bain Capital. They furnish funding to existing management and over-the-shoulder advice.

They're not in the business of building and selling woodstoves. From their website:

"We make decisions swiftly and typically provide funds for restructuring, preferred equity, and/or for straight equity investments."


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## Kdweeb (Feb 25, 2015)

We've had our (small version) Country /Lennox fireplace insert for 5 years and I do not like it. It's got several design flaws and may be why it did not get crowds stampeding to their doors.  1. The door clearance does not allow space for debris to drop clear of the firebox deck and the door swing path. So, dropped pieces gets stuck and prevents door closing. Annoying when smoke is pouring in and you're trying to shut the door. 2. The spiral heat diffuser grip is not soldered to the handle so it slips up and down and almost off, or conversely closer to the door and heat.  3. I've also been burned by that internal flange on the handle --where the handle clamps down inside the stove to shut the door.  That hook has snagged inside my glove during a hasty retreat and seared my wrist several times. And 4. what's with the lefty? More people are right handed in this world and need the dexterity of placing wood with the most accurate hand, meaning we should be opening the door with the left and placing with the right. Was this designed by a Brit where they drive on the wrong side of the road? My other problems are installation related. The faceplate shroud has gaps. It is not a tight fit between top and side plates. Makes me want to replace this a soon as I come into some money.


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