PRODUCT INNOVATION
TRAVIS INDUSTRIES Fireplace Xtrordinair ProBuilder 60 Clean-Face See-Thru Fireplace
“ For our company and dealers, 2021 started out as a wild ride and we predict this year is going to be crazy. ... We look forward to the challenges.
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increase to this day,” he says. “We really did not see it coming nor did we expect it, but it’s been incredible.” To meet the surge in orders, Travis Industries instituted several measures. The company is currently at an all-time high in the number of employees it has to operate at full capacity. Furthermore, millions of dollars have been invested in capital equipment. “This gives us more production capability to handle the demand,” Rumens says. As many countries around the world are still struggling with COVID-19, the U.S. is returning to a more normal way of life with vaccinations readily available. Nonetheless, there are business issues, as a result of the pandemic, that need to be managed, Rumens says. “There is a spike in the cost of materials along with raw material shortages, which is unprecedented in our 40year history.” While all products across all four brands are made at Travis Industries House of Fire—a 100-acre campus located in Mukilteo, materials are sourced from domestic and global points. High demand, increased shipping costs, transportation disruption, and other variables have resulted in increased prices for many raw materials the company uses to manufacture product. For example, the cost of steel, lumber, and glass are at all-time highs. In addition, the ability to procure these materials is becoming increasingly difficult as many manufacturers of raw goods did not ramp up production as quickly as those producing consumer products. “We can’t miss one single component or we face the possibility of shutting down a product line.” Nonetheless, Rumens adds, “Although we’ve been pushed to the edge, we have not stopped any production
due to lack of materials.” To keep the factory running, the company began air freighting different components directly to its plant. “It’s expensive, but we have to make sure we have the materials we need to keep rolling,” In the last three years, Travis Industries has shifted its focus to source as many materials as possible that are made in the U.S. If the company can’t find a domestic source, then “we try and build what we need ourselves.” STAYING STRONG Travis Industries encompasses a family of well-known and respected brands. This includes Lopi (wood, pellet, and gas burning stoves and fireplace inserts); Fireplace Xtrordinair (premium gas and wood fireplaces and fireplace inserts); DaVinci Custom Fireplaces; and Tempest Torch (outdoor gas lamps and lighting). Sales remain healthy across all brands, Rumens reports. “DaVinci is strong and keeps growing; there is certainly no slowdown in demand for custom fireplaces,” he says. Beauty combined with technology make the brand a favorite for the design trade. DaVinci’s new Timber Fire Series, to be released later this year, features a unique collection of lodge-style fireplaces that combine rustic elegance with innovative luxury. As consumers look for ways to continue to gather safely with family and friends, sales of gas torches and lighting from Tempest Torch have exploded. “The outdoor category is a very dynamic one for us right now,” Rumens says. The company has a variety of exciting new outdoor products to be released throughout the remainder of 2021. In addition to the Tempest Torch, there is the new traditional style Tempest Lantern, along with a massive 50,000 BTU counterpart called the Tempest 52
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Lantern 50K. A brand-new product lineup of outdoor linear firepits and fireplaces are also coming soon for both residential and commercial applications. Products from Lopi continue to surge. Wood stoves and inserts also remain popular. “People are drawn to wood for various reasons including energy independence from costly utility bills,” Rumens says. The brand’s popular NexGen-Fyre features performance, a wide BTU range, GreenStart push button technology, testing using cord wood, and efficiency numbers using both HHV (High Heating Value) and LHV (Low Heating Value). Both these measures give dealers and consumers a more accurate understanding of a unit’s true energy performance. A challenge facing the hearth industry, Rumens says, is state air regulators who don’t quite understand the benefits and advantages of a cord wood testing parameter, along with new technologies that are creating greater efficiencies. “We need to educate the people that regulate us. We are not the enemy of clean air but are part of the solution. In fact, I like to say we are in the clean air business—this is our focus.” One unexpected, yet beneficial and enjoyable outcome for Rumens this past year has been having an open dialogue with other hearth manufacturers to figure out how to meet some of the regulatory challenges facing the industry. “In the last 6 months, I have talked more with my peers in manufacturing than I have in the past 6 years.” As hearth industry leaders face the same issues, they have come together to communicate with one another on how best to solve these issues. Rumens comments it’s been interesting to work with people who have been commercial rivals and getting to know them on a different level. “We all make fantastic products, and we have a mutual goal to ensure the continued success of this industry.” Travis Industries began in 1979 in a small facility, with a handful of guys and a dream. “When I am on the factory floor, I will sometimes stop and take a look and can’t believe what we have achieved over 40 years later.” While the advanced technology of the factory machinery is remarkable, he says, the people inside the building are amazing. “The real magic is in the people that are at the plant making the decisions hour by hour. At their core, the men and women of Travis Industries are stove builders who take a lot of pride in their craft.” Along with the company’s employees, dealers continue to make a great contribution to the success of the business every day. Rumens truly values the feedback he receives from them about the company’s services and products. “Our dealers are on the frontline working hard to educate consumers. I think they do have the toughest job in this business.” He adds, “For our company and dealers, 2021 started out as a wild ride and we predict this year is going to be crazy. But then, we’re pretty good at crazy. We look forward to the challenges.”