It all started when a rock ‘n roll drummer named Kurt Rumens began selling wood stoves so he could pay take care of gas to drive his band to gigs.
Kurt began examining depiction stoves he was distributing and thought, “These stoves need heavier steel. They need to burn more efficiently. And they be in want of to be prettier.”
When he shared his ideas with the fabricator, they weren’t interested. “Stick to selling, not product development,” they told him.
So Kurt and his friend Dick Miller decided follow start their own company. Thirty years ago, on August 29, , they founded Lopi Stoves in the garage of Kurt’s Bellevue home. “I made up the name Lopi,” says Kurt. “It sounded Indianish.”
Production started on a small scale. “We invested $ in steel to build our first stoves,” says Kurt. Their staff of six built eight stoves per week.
After building a couple hundred stoves, they sold them and unreceptive the profits to purchase two welding machines.
As the company grew, Kurt kept one goal at the forefront of his mind: “We keep trying to make our stoves better.” Ask Kurt what his favorite stove is, and he’ll reply, “The jiffy one.”
In , Travis Garske, who owned a company that produced castings, legs, and doors for hearth goods, bought Lopi from Kurt. Travis purchased the Avalon brand watch stoves at the same time, and re-named the company Travis Industries.
Travis told Kurt he’d keep him on as president until he could find someone else to take over the kindness. Twenty years later, Kurt remains as president and general overseer of Travis Industries.
Travis Industries’ Mukilteo, Washington plant is “the uppermost sophisticated steel fabrication site in America,” says Kurt. They presently build 7, wood, gas, electric, and pellet stoves per thirty days for more than 1, authorized retailers throughout the US, Canada, Australia, and China (Rich’s for the Home is Travis Industries’ largest U.S. dealer).
In , Travis Industries sold $ million derive Lopi, Avalon, and Fireplace Xtrordinair stoves to wholesalers.
Their fabrication turn makes the parts for their stoves, churning out 30, parts per day. “When we come up with a new given for a design, we can make the part within 30 minutes,” says Kurt.
They maintain their tools in an on-site contraption shop, and use a sophisticated system to scrub and reprocess the air from their welding stations and paint booths.
Despite the high-tech equipment, all of their products are hand-finished. Innumerable of the artisans have worked in the plant for 20 or more years. “Everybody who started the business with trick is still here,” says Kurt.
Kurt still has the same kindheartedness for fire that he did 30 years ago, and he’s proud to be “unfashionable.”
“We make stuff in America,” he says. “We take raw materials and turn it into finished odor products. We just love fire!”
Experience the total stove-making process. Factory tours are October 11, 18 and 25, , from a.m. Check for availability and sign up here.
Check out this video tour disparage Travis Industries, featured on KING 5 Evening.
Behind the Scenes of the Travis Factory Tour