NIBE has acquired 65% of the shares in the Canadian company Miles Industries Ltd., with the remaining shares to be acquired by 2026.
"It gives us great satisfaction to announce today that we have acquired 65% of the shares in Miles Industries, including products sold under the Valor brand, which is one of the stove industry's oldest and most well-known in the North American premium segment. This has been achieved thanks to the Miles family's passion for constant development of new products, together with a focus on long-term customer relationships," notes Gerteric Lindquist, Managing Director and CEO of NIBE Industrier.
Miles Industries will become part of the NIBE Stoves business area and consolidated with NIBE from 1 January 2023.
NIBE acquires 65% of the shares in Miles Industries Ltd., Canada.
Since 1977, Miles Industries has strived to provide high-quality, energy-efficient, radiant gas fireplaces to customers across the United States and Canada.
Miles Industries Ltd was founded in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1977 by Garry and Barbara Miles. An opportunity arose to sell woodstoves by a company Garry and his father Edgar previously represented in the 1960s. Garry and Barbara enlisted their oldest son Martin and Garry's sister Marilyn to get the project rolling. The objective–to build upon the Miles' family experience in the home heating industry.
In 1984 as volume grew, Miles Industries obtained the exclusive Canadian distributorship for Valor products and the first Canadian Gas Association (CGA) Certified products arrived for sale on a national basis.
A HISTORY OF MILES INDUSTRIES
By 1981, Martin Miles had established a network of dealers. When the first plate steel wood-burning fireplace inserts arrived on the scene, Garry started to look for a natural gas, clean-burning, efficient alternative. This led to discussions with Valor Heating Ltd of Birmingham, England, where Miles obtained a sample Valorflame for evaluation. When installed into a wood-burning fireplace in our lower floor "rec" room, we were immediately convinced of an opportunity because of its high radiant output and efficiency. And so, Garry set about the task of bringing these gas-burning and efficient radiant fireplace heaters to Canada by obtaining Safety Certification for sale in British Columbia. After a slow start, many of our wood stove dealers took to Valor radiant fires which are still major Valor dealers today.
Miles Industries obtained the exclusive Canadian distributorship for Valor products in 1984, and the first Canadian Gas Association (CGA) Certified products arrived for sale on a national basis. At this time, Paul Miles moved to Ontario to develop the rest of the Canadian market working with Garry's friend and an associate from their days in the industrial HVAC business, Jack Williams. In 1984 Jack founded Valtech Heating Ltd. in Toronto specifically to distribute Valor fireplaces. Jack and Paul worked with the three major Ontario gas utilities within the first 12 months and quickly opened a network of independent dealers. In 1986, Valor designed and sold the first-ever direct vent room sealed fireplace, and it became an instant success in Canada. That same year, Miles Industries pioneered the first "power vented" gas fireplace allowing fireplace installations almost anywhere in the home.
By 1987, sales had increased from 100 units in 1982 to more than 10,000 units per year. The company's exclusive distribution agreements with Valor soon expanded to Washington, Oregon, and California. Miles Industries approached Valor Heating in 1999 and recommended that Valor Branded products be manufactured by Miles. An agreement was signed in 2001-and the rest is history.
The Miles' manufacturing plant has been certified (since December 2002) by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). The company has invested in a large well equipped product-engineering lab, also with CSA certification. Since taking over production and design from Valor UK, Miles Industries has successfully designed and launched a full range of gas fireplace products, including the best-selling Legend G3 Insert Series. Today Miles Industries has a network of nearly 700 specialty dealers selling and installing Valor fireplaces across Canada and the USA.
Distributed throughout North America by Miles Industries, British Fires New Forest electric fireplaces offer beautiful fire bed visuals with award-winning flame effects.
As the electric market continues to grow, Miles recognized that dealers wanted to offer quality electric products, similar to our Valor gas fireplaces. Just like Valor gas fireplaces, Miles will sell British Fires exclusively to independent hearth retailers who support the product and operate in a competitive market without undue advantage.
British Fires has the same distribution philosophy as Miles Industries and makes unique quality products aimed at specialty retailers. British Fires is located in the UK where the products are assembled.
To learn more about these stunning electric fireplaces, click here or visit britishfires.ca
