DALLAS - Lennox International Inc. plans to open a new
manufacturing operation in Saltillo, Mexico, under the name LII United
Products. The manufacturing lines responsible for Lennox-brand Merit Series air
conditioners and heat pumps, as well as air handlers, will be shifted to
Saltillo. The Merit Series is currently manufactured in Marshalltown, Iowa,
while the CB26 air handler is currently manufactured in Grenada, Miss.
The three-year project is expected to break ground in the
second half of 2007, with initial production starting in the second quarter
2008 and ramping up to full production by early 2010. The Saltillo operation is
anticipated to be 300,000 square feet and employ over 500 at full production.
The projected capital commitment is approximately $45 million over three years
and is expected to lead to cost reductions of over $13 million by 2009,
increasing to over $20 million per annum by 2010.
“There is fierce competition for the growing business in the
Sunbelt region,” said Todd Bluedorn, LII CEO. “Our Merit Series offering is our
primary Lennox-brand product line serving the Sunbelt market, and we must
produce quality products at the lowest costs to compete in that market and grow
our business. The Saltillo location offers significant manufacturing and
logistics cost advantages to help us expand our capacity and flexibility to
meet long-term demand and carry out our Sunbelt growth strategies.”
The company’s current plans are for its remaining
Lennox-branded products, including all furnaces, its mid-tier Elite Series cooling
products, and its premium line of Dave Lennox Signature Collection products to
continue to be manufactured at its Marshalltown facility.
“LII began in Marshalltown, and still has deep roots there,”
said Bluedorn. “The Marshalltown workforce is a high-quality workforce and will
continue to be involved in the production of our more complex product lines.”
For more information, visit www.lennoxinternational.com.
Publication date:08/06/2007
