Lennox International Inc., Dallas, TX, announced plans to close its refrigeration operations in Danville, IL and consolidate its Danville manufacturing, support, and warehouse functions in its Tifton, GA and Stone Mountain, GA operations. The LII facility in Danville manufactures evaporators and other heat transfer products for the commercial refrigeration industry. The consolidation will be a phased process and is expected to be completed over the next 18 months.
"Decisions involving our employees and their families are always difficult," says Todd Bluedorn, LII CEO. "However, because of increasing pressures we face in our refrigeration markets from both domestic and foreign competition, the consolidation of our refrigeration operations is necessary for us to remain competitive."
The 325,000 sq.ft. Danville facility has seven assembly lines and operates two daily shifts. In 2002, Danville achieved ISO9001:2000 certification for excellence in customer service.
"This decision is not a reflection of the quality of our people in Danville, but a consequence of how our market and competitive situation have evolved in recent years," says Chris Peel, vice president and general manager, Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC.
"In planning the consolidation, a high priority has been placed on minimizing the impact on our customers and being respectful of the employees who made our Danville operations such an important contributor to our business for over 17 years," Peel says.