Michael Paradise

Jøtul can look back on a more than 170-year-long history. It all began in 1853 when the merchant and farmer's son Oluf Onsum founded Kværner Jernstøberi at Loelva east of Norway's capital, which was called Kristiania at the time. Kværner started as a manufacturer of cast-iron goods, where cast-iron stoves were one of the most important products. In the years leading up to 1900, the company established one of the largest stove foundries in Norway and sold its products throughout the country. In 1916 the stove production was sectioned out from Kværner Brug and sold to Herman Anker. Anker continued to build the company until it was sold again to Johannes Gahr in 1927. Gahr led Jøtul into a period of strong growth and in 1935 the company received its present name, Jøtul. Through the years Jøtul demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to changing market conditions and when the company was sold to Norcem in 1977, a new era with international focus started. In the middle of the 1980s, additional steps were taken to expand globally through a number of acquisitions of foundries and import companies in the US and Europe. For a while Jøtul was listed on the Norwegian stock exchange, until it was purchased by private equity in the early 2000’s. Today Jøtul has the world’s largest distribution network for stoves and fireplaces and is one of the highest sought after brands in the stove and fireplace industry. Jøtul has subsidiaries in Denmark, USA, France, Spain, Italy, the UK and Poland and we market our products in 43 countries on six continents under the brands Jøtul, Scan, Atra, Ild and Warm. Production in Norway takes place in Fredrikstad and Halden, while foreign production plants are located in Vissenbjerg in Denmark, Portland in the USA, Motz one Chautagne in France and Gdansk in Poland. Jøtul Group has an annual turnover of about EUR 100 million and employs about 700 people.