Lochinvar Corporation Relocates World Headquarters to New Facility in Lebanon, Tennessee

Press

by Lochinvar | 06/20/2008

For more than 75 years, Lochinvar® Corporation has been designing and developing high-efficiency water heaters and boilers that are at the forefront of technology. With its commitment to research and development, Lochinvar brings more to the table than the competition by offering the broadest range of products in the industry, assuring the highest level of manufacturing quality and providing the most comprehensive customer service program available. In striving to continue its leadership role in the industry, Lochinvar recognized the importance of its operating facility and recently relocated its world headquarters to Lebanon, Tenn.

The new 360,000 square-foot facility encompasses a world-class manufacturing operation, a commercial storage tank production plant, an engineering development lab, a state-of-the-art training center, a distribution center and administrative offices. Previously, Lochinvar operated out of five separate offices in six facilities throughout Tennessee. The new facility consolidates all existing operations into one building and allows for improved communications and logistical efficiencies. Lochinvar’s new manufacturing operation employs its Quality At The Source Program that ensures continual quality checks throughout the manufacturing process. From the inspection of raw materials to the final package inspection, Lochinvar conducts 78 quality checks. To further guarantee manufacturing precision and consistency, the latest automated equipment and robotic technology are utilized.

Also located on the property is Lochinvar’s commercial storage tank production plant, which produces ASME-certified tanks varying in capacity from 200 to 5,000 gallons. The tank production process employs the latest in manufacturing technologies, including the use of an automated fiber optic laser to cut openings in the steel tank shells, a programmable spraying arm with a four-head spray nozzle to apply the glass lining to the interior of the tanks, and a furnace system that utilizes the largest intermittent, indexing furnace in North America.

One of Lochinvar’s founding principles is that research and development are paramount in importance. The new engineering development lab enables Lochinvar’s staff of dedicated engineers to produce and test designs of water heating products that dramatically improve operating efficiency and air quality.

“The new engineering development lab allows Lochinvar to continue its aggressive efforts on new product introductions with advanced designs for the water heating industry, while maintaining its focus on energy conscious applications,” commented Jeff Vallett, senior vice president of sales and marketing.

The new facility also includes a 104-seat amphitheater-style training center with the latest in audio visual technologies and a hands-on training lab for service and application training of sales staff, contractors and engineers. In introducing new technologies, Lochinvar is committed to training the industry on the installation, service and maintenance of these new products. Lochinvar offers the largest, most comprehensive training program available, with multiple schools held on-site each year and many more held throughout the country.

In addition, the new facility serves as the southeastern distribution center with 75,000 square-feet of warehouse space. Lochinvar has additional distribution centers in Detroit, Mich., Dallas, Texas, Tampa, Fla., Philadelphia, Pa., and Banbury England.
 
Lochinvar is one of the oldest privately held corporations in Tennessee, with roots in the water heater business dating to 1919. Walter Vallett, Sr. started the company in Detroit, Mich. After the acquisition of the Wagoner Water Heater Company, the company headquarters moved to Nashville in 1972. Today, Lochinvar is owned and operated by the third generation of the Vallett family, with Bill Vallett Jr. as president, Jeff Vallett as senior vice president of sales and marketing, and Tom Vallett as senior vice president of operations.