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VANCOUVER ISLAND
MARCH 2019
Victoria Manufacturers Set the World on Fire Sherwood Industries Celebrates 30th Anniversary
(Left to right) Stuart O’Connor and Cherbel Yousief are owners of Sherwood Industries
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IC T OR I A - Sherwood Industries is continuing its hot streak. This June will mark three decades since the locally owned and operated manufacturing company began producing its internationally renowned Enviro brand wood stoves, pellet stoves, and gas fireplaces. Founded by Thomas O’Connor, Martin O’Connor, and Cherbel Yousief, the company has developed a reputation for luxury products, shipping Enviro fireplaces around the globe. “A ll three of us came from different backgrounds,” says Yousief, who remains one of the company’s co-owners. “I have a background in finance, marketing, and sales, while Tom and Martin [brothers] had expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and production. “The three of us had the perfect skills to complement each other, so we decided to start a small manufacturing operation. When we started, I was in my 20s while they were in their 40s, which allowed for a smooth transition when they decided to retire.” The company started by specializing exclusively in wood stoves, but a few years in, the North American market began to see a growing demand for pellet stoves. “The pellet stove industry was still in its infancy, and we decided to jump in and develop new products,” says Yousief. “Our pellet stoves were so reliable that they were being sold all over North America. During those first two years, our sales more than tripled and our reputation grew, allowing us to move into overseas markets.” For a period, Sherwood Industries was dubbed “the Pellet Kings,” as the Enviro brand grew to become one of the world’s best pellet stove brands. They began distributing in Europe, Japan, New Zealand, and other international markets.
“Anyone can make a fireplace that has a tin box and 10 lighters. Our product stands apart from
The production line at Sherwood’s facility in the Keating Industrial Park
those types of fireplaces, especially because we put so much focus on the esthetics. We look at flame distribution, height of flame, placement, texture on the logs, coloring and more. We put them together, and the complete package is amazing. Every little detail is intentional and well-thought-out. We don’t rush our products to market, so when the customer gets it, it’s well worth the money.” STUART O’CONNOR
A laser used in production of Enviro Products “When you grow at that rate, you attract a lot of attention,” Yousief remarks. “After a few years, some manufacturers who had never seen a pellet stove in their life jumped on the bandwagon and got into the business. The market in Europe became saturated, but we have always remained as one of the dominant pellet stove brands in North America.” Over the last few years, the compa ny has moved i n new directions, developing a line of top-tier gas fireplaces. In 2014, Martin and Thomas O’Connor retired, selling their interest to Yousief and Martin’s son, Stuart O’Connor. Stuart had been involved in the business since 1995, starting as an employee in the purchasing department. As he worked his way up the ranks, Stuart learned the inner workings of the business thanks to a combination of hands-on experience and mentorship from Yousief. Since taking over the company, Stuart has brought an emphasis on its line of gas fireplaces, which has now exceeded the pellet stove
product lines in annual sales. “One of the challenges with the pellet stove market is that it can be quite dependant on oil prices,” says Stuart. “One year, the demand will be so high that we can’t make them fast enough, but the next year could be off. That situation can be challenging when you have to ramp up employees, then let people go, and we were experiencing a recurring cycle of slow and busy seasons. The gas fireplace business is a lot more stable, and it’s a growing industry.” The Sherwood Industries team pays extremely close attention to detail with each one of their products. “Anyone can make a fireplace that has a tin box and 10 lighters,” says Stuart. “Our product stands apart from those types of fireplaces, especially because we put so much focus on the esthetics. “We look at flame distribution, height of flame, placement, texture on the logs, coloring and more. We put them together, and the complete package is amazing. Every little detail is intentional and well-thought-out. We don’t
rush our products to market, so when the customer gets it, it’s well worth the money.” Since changing its focus, the company has continued to grow. It has maintained its reputation for excellence, offering a high-end product that is in demand across North America. The company still ships its products overseas, taking orders from New Zealand, Japan, Israel, and parts of Europe. Over the last 30 years, the owners have decided to keep the business in Victoria, in spite of high manufacturing costs. “Victoria is the Beverly Hills of manufacturing,” says Stuart. “It’s more expensive to be here, but we’ve decided to stay. I grew up here, and we value our local employee base.” Yousief remarks, “We have been in this area for 30 years, and are invested in this community. It’s part of the fabric of who we are. We could make more money in a place like Arkansas, but this is where our families and employees live. Some of our people have been with us since our first year in business. It’s hard to leave when you have that kind of integration and commitment from your work force.” The company employs as many as 200 employees, who work out of a 100,000 square foot facility in the Keating Industrial Park. Today, they are operating at capacity, and will be looking at expansion plans in the coming years. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, allowing them to maintain the industry’s highest standards. All the cutting, designing, research and development, and finishing are completed in-house. www.enviro.com