Lennox
ActiveOverview
Lennox International Inc. manufactures climate control products for HVAC and refrigeration markets, serving residential and commercial sectors in North America. It operates through Home Comfort Solutions, including furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, indoor air quality equipment, and comfort controls, and Building Climate Solutions, covering unitary equipment, applied systems, and commercial services. The company holds notable market share in industries like air purification equipment manufacturing (9.8%) and smart thermostat manufacturing.123
History
Founded in 1895 in Marshalltown, Iowa, by Dave Lennox, who took over a patent for a riveted steel coal-fired furnace from inventors Ezra William Smith and Ernest Bryant. In 1904, DW Norris acquired the company, managing it until 1949. Key milestones include pioneering forced-air furnaces in 1923, introducing residential central air conditioning in 1946, becoming a public company via IPO in 1999, and rebuilding its Marshalltown plant after a 2018 tornado.14
Product Lines
| Product Line | Positioning | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Furnaces (Residential Heating) | Energy-efficient gas and oil furnaces | $1,500 - $5,000 |
| Air Conditioners (Central Cooling) | High-SEER variable capacity units | $2,000 - $7,000 |
| Heat Pumps (Heating and Cooling) | Efficient reversible systems | $3,000 - $8,000 |
| Smart Thermostats (Comfort Controls) | Connected climate management | $200 - $500 |
| Indoor Air Quality Systems | Whole-home purification | $800 - $2,500 |
| Packaged Units (Rooftop Systems) | Commercial all-in-one HVAC | $5,000 - $20,000 |
| Unitary Equipment (Commercial) | Building climate solutions | $10,000 - $50,000 |
Manufacturing
Largest production facilities are in Saltillo, Mexico, Marshalltown, Iowa, and Orangeburg, South Carolina. The company manufactures in-house across these sites, with over 750 workers at the Marshalltown location as of 2024. It has expanded internationally with facilities in Canada and Europe.12
Notable Products
- XC25 Air Conditioner - Variable-capacity unit with 26 SEER efficiency rating launched in 2003.
- PureAirS - Whole-home air purification system introduced in 2016.
- Lennox iComfort Thermostats - Smart thermostats for connected home climate control.
- ELITE Series Furnaces - High-efficiency gas furnaces for residential heating.
- Signature Series Heat Pumps - Advanced efficiency heating and cooling systems.
- Packaged Rooftop Units - Direct multi-zone units pioneered since 1965 for commercial use.
Reputation
Lennox is recognized by professionals for innovation in high-efficiency HVAC, such as high-SEER air conditioners and early smart thermostats, with strong market positions in air purification and wholesaling. Enthusiasts note reliable performance in residential systems but cite higher upfront costs compared to competitors. Criticisms include occasional reliability issues in some commercial units post-2018 tornado rebuild, though the company maintains a rising star status in growth metrics.12