Lennox Hearth to Move Stove Plant to Mexico Apr 7, 2005

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Seventy workers at the Lennox Hearth Products factory in Burlington, WA, U.S., recently learned that they will lose their jobs in June when the company moves production to Mexico.

The factory produces wood, gas, and pellet stoves and is set to close June 3. According to a company statement, Lennox Hearth Products is eliminating the Earth Stove line of steel wood stoves manufactured in Burlington, as reported by the Skagit Valley Herald.

Mexico's lower production costs, including lower wages, are not the reason for the closure, according to Gary Anderson, vice president of Operations for Lennox Hearth Products. The Juarez, Mexico company that will take over production of the stove lines built in Burlington has built metal components for Lennox in the past, he said.

"We looked at a number of options. We looked at moving to some of our other facilities," Mr. Anderson said. "We didn't look around and say, 'We can make more money if we move this to Mexico.'"

The Burlington plant is one of three stove factories operated by Lennox in the U.S. The others are in California and Tennessee. (Skagit Valley Herald)

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