Quick History of Vermont Castings – Understand the Past to See the Future
Starting in 1975, Vermont Castings pioneered delivery of high quality wood stoves via an extensive dealer network evolving from a mail order and factory showroom model. The genius customer relations approach of Vermont Castings was led by the likes of Murray Howell, Duncan Syme and Stephen Morris. In 1981, the small town of Randolph, Vermont, had over 10,00 Vermont Castings owners attend. A combination rock festival, family picnic and stove swap, the VC Owner’s weekend still goes down in hearth lore as one of the watermarks of customer service. (It is even said that the cultures of neighbor companies like Ben & Jerries were heavily inspired by Vermont Castings early on.)
The steps taken by Vermont Castings to stop at nothing to satisfy customers lives at the root of what still makes a Vermont Castings wood stove special today. While, the traditions of the VC of old is misunderstood by its now parent company, Hearth & Home Technologies, the furniture grade design and premium feel are still second to none in the world of cast iron wood stoves.
Duncan Syme Master Welder & Smart Fella
Duncan Syme is legendary in the hearth world. This guy was a craftsman. Just check out this section from his obituary titled “Remembering Uncle Duncle from The Herald“,
“The young, ambitious hipsters burn a lot of wood, and the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 inspires a competition to develop a more efficient woodstove. Several promising designs emerge. Now the challenge becomes how to evolve from concept to reality.
Syme’s design combines the airtight efficiency of Scandinavian stoves with the traditional American aesthetics of a Franklin stove. Working in concert with fellow architect and Mad River refugee Vance Smith the Defiant woodstove emerges.
All that is missing are the financial resources and business acumen to get from here to there. Howell and Syme decide it is time to revisit their old drinking buddy in Crested Butte, W Mitchell.
Inexpensive manufacturing space is found in Randolph, Vt., in a former foundry by coincidence.
The first Defiant woodstove, named both for its ability to defy the cold of winter and as testament to a legendary defender of America’s Cup, made its debut in 1976.“
Vermont Castings Legacy – American Ingenuity Combined with Hippy Passion
Vermont Castings Wood Stoves are made out of recycled brake rotors. The cast iron is recycled and created right here in the United States. This focus on quality and a supply chain from top to bottom is where Hearth & Home Technologies have perfect brand alignment. After more than 50 years, Vermont Castings still makes a top notch cast iron wood stove.
Another line from Duncan’s obituary illustrates that American exuberance, “In an era when America forgot how to make things, Vermont Castings stoves were made by bearded, flannel-shirted Vermonters. While manufacturing facilities were proliferating in whatever foreign land had the cheapest labor, Vermont Castings built a state-of-the-art foundry and enameling plants in the shadows of the Green Mountains. While standards of quality universally were subjugated to the priorities of the bean counter, Vermont Castings stayed true to the exacting standards set by its founders. Best of all, they maintained the youthful idealism of their conversations in Crested Butte.“
A Wood Stove is Your Friend not an Appliance
From personal experience, as the user of a Vermont Castings Encore wood stove in my home, this stove is my friend. I have a kinship with my wood stove that is unlike a refrigerator or oven. The combination of using my hands to light the fire, tend the coals and clean the ashes is an experience that adds tremendous depth to my daily life in an otherwise cold winter.
The legacy of Vermont Castings can not be discussed without also giving Murray Howell his due credit. Murray’s focus on customer service laid the foundation that many hearth retailers still aspire to replicate. From Family of Fire by Stephen Morris, “Howell has been the architect of customer service. Howell’s father had been one of the founders of another venture, Time magazine. His son brought that Old World dedication to excellence, loyalty, and integrity to a new time and place. Some feel that the heart of Vermont Castings gave out when Murray Howell died on April 20, 1983.” Thanks to Vermont Castings continuous support of specialty hearth retailers like The Stove Shop in Phoenixville, PA. Without their encouragement to focus on customer service early in the life of our business we would not have had the foundation to build our core values or succeed with initiatives like Unreasonable Hospitality.
Should I Buy a Vermont Castings Today?
- Beautiful World-Class Wood Stove Design Compliments Any Home
- Top Loader to Easily Drop Wood in the Wood Stove
- Large, Accessible Ash Pan for Easy Empty While Burning
- Adjustable Flue Collar for Straightforward Fireplace Wood Stove Installation
- Efficient Catalytic Burn Lasts Many More Hours than Old Wood Stoves
Today, Vermont Castings still sells high quality cast iron wood stoves. VC is expensive, gorgeous and efficient, but it is not the right fit for everyone. If you want heat and don’t care about furniture-grade design, cast-iron material , top loading functionality or the large viewing area, a wood stove from Blaze King or Quadra-Fire is a perfect choice and even has some other benefits that you might like more.
VC also sells beautiful natural gas and propane stoves for home heat that look absolutely stunning. The image right above with the kids staying warm near a fire, that is a gas stove! If you would like to find a Vermont Castings Stove check out their dealer locator or just give us a call at The Stove Shop 610-935-9334.
Our mission at The Stove Shop Fireplace Experts is to help you stay warm and save money. If you would like to see Vermont Castings wood stoves or gas stoves burning in person check out our fireplace showroom!
