Nestled among gorgeous green hills in Randolph, Vermont, the Vermont Castings (VC) foundry (and, shortly, its enameling and assembly plant) has been in operation since 1979, when owners Murray Howell and Duncan Syme decided the growth of the business, and their commitment to quality, were both so strong that having their own cast-iron foundry was a necessity.

Duncan Syme, founder, Vermont Castings Group.

Through the years, Howell and Syme established a tradition of holding an annual Dealers Week that always included some fun and games along with information dealers need to know.

In 1981, they took it up a step and held an Owners Outing, when over 10,000 passionate stove owners arrived at a farmer’s field for a fun time of food, drinks, music and camaraderie.

Over the years, VC was passed from owner to owner like a hot coal that few knew how to handle, let alone grow. At the beginning of October 2014, VC was finally purchased by a company that knows a heck of a lot about the hearth industry, and about manufacturing and marketing – HNI, also owner of Heatilator, Heat & Glo, Quadrafire and Harman.

On August 18, 2015, Vermont Castings held a Dealers Meeting on a green knoll adjacent to the foundry. Under a large tent, close to 100 dealers and Vermont Castings employees talked, ate, drank and enjoyed Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. There were outdoor activities and games, as well as music. Tours of the foundry were conducted for many hours, and food was prepared on grills by Jess Baldwin (Vermont Castings Group), Bob Ballard (Hearth & Home Technologies) and Ricardo Leon (Vermont Castings Group).

(Someone should have told them to stand upwind of the barbecues!)

Now that fun and games have returned to Vermont Castings, can an Owners Outing be far behind? 

At Right: Ricardo Leon, president, Vermont Castings Group.

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