Spotlight on: Rinnai America

January 17, 2008

Every now and then, we’re going to try and focus on one of our Fayette County companies. This month, the focus is on Rinnai America. Perhaps you’ve seen or heard their innovative TV and radio ads about their tankless water heaters. Rinnai is a Japanese company which has its US headquarters and east coast distribution center in Peachtree City.

The following is a reprint of a story in the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce’s “Conduit” magazine, reprinted with permission from the Fayette Chamber.

Sam Lamia knows how to tell a success story. As Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations for Rinnai America in Peachtree City, he has a unique perspective on how elements of product, location, and employees can accelerate the growth of an already successful company. Rinnai’s product line includes tankless water heaters and a full line of ductless, direct vent heaters. The company also manufactures and distributes vent convector heaters, radiant heaters and fireplaces (natural gas and propane hearth products).

“Rinnai is the world’s largest manufacturer of gas appliances,” Lamia points out. But if you haven’t seen them on your local home improvement retailer’s shelf, don’t be surprised: the products aren’t sold directly to consumers yet. “There’s no direct retail channel yet,” Lamia explains, “because the products are too new to the marketplace.” Rinnai works through a carefully screened and trained network of resellers to distribute its products to ensure that each appliance is properly installed. “We’re trying to build the name brand in North America,” Lamia observes.

Rinnai’s manufacturing operation is located in Nagoya, Japan. Here in Fayette County Rinnai has administrative offices, corporate office, a research and development facility, and a training center. A separate 125,000 square foot distribution facility on Highway 74 in Peachtree City serves the eastern half of the United States and Canada.

Future plans call for an expansion of the Peachtree City corporate and training facility; the design process started in the last quarter of 2007. Construction is on tap for the first quarter of 2008, and when complete, will more than double the size of the existing facility.

“We currently serve about 1,200 people annually in our Peachtree City training facility,” Lamia says. “The new facility will let us increase our employee headcount from 85 now to 300.”

Rinnai’s growth in Fayette County is great news for the community as well as for consumers and employees. “Rinnai believes in being a good corporate citizen,” Lamia explains. Locally Rinnai supports the Peachtree City Amphitheater and was a sponsor of the Tour de Georgia cycling event. In 2006 Rinnai donated over 1,000 of its tankless water heaters to Habitat for Humanity to kick start housing replacement builds for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

That’s the kind of community presence that will warm your heart… as well as your hot water.

We look forward to letting you know about other companies in Fayette County. If you have a company you’d like us to feature, please contact us.