Earthcore Industries, a Jacksonville staple that has spent 35 years building its Isokern fireplace line, is turning up the heat on the outdoor-living market. The company has acquired Firegear Outdoors and taken over a 57,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution plant in Huntington, Indiana, giving Earthcore a second full factory and North American distribution rights for Heatstrip patio heaters. Founder and CEO Carl Spadaro is pitching the move as a deliberate push beyond the firm’s traditional indoor fireplace business and into a broader suite of outdoor options.
Deal Details And The New Factory
In a company news release, Earthcore said it finalized the Firegear purchase on Feb. 6 and will become the sole North American distributor for Heatstrip. The deal includes a 57,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility at 1600 Riverfork Drive in Huntington, Indiana, an address listed on Firegear's contact page.
From A Storage Unit To A National Brand
As reported by the Jacksonville Business Journal, Spadaro launched Earthcore about 35 years ago out of a single storage unit and a green Saab stuffed with volcanic stone bricks. From that scrappy start, the company has grown into an operation with roughly 150 employees. The same profile notes that Earthcore plans to fold Firegear's burners, bowls and tables into its Isokern portfolio as it deepens its push into the outdoor-living market.
Local And Industry Context
The Huntington County Chamber of Commerce has billed the Riverfork Drive site as a boost to local manufacturing capacity and emphasized that Firegear production will stay in Huntington under the new ownership. Trade publications that track patio and hearth products report that the move lines up with a broader trend toward higher-end outdoor-living fixtures and ongoing consolidation among specialty suppliers.
What The Company Says
"These top quality brands enhance our ability to deliver design-driven solutions to our customers," Spadaro said in Earthcore's news release. He added that by combining brands and distribution channels, Earthcore expects to serve architects, designers and builders with a wider catalog and quicker lead times.
What's Next
For customers, the most immediate shift is on the distribution side. Heatstrip's line of electric and gas patio heaters will now be handled by a U.S.-based distributor tied to Earthcore, which the company says could streamline dealer access and warranty support. According to the Huntington County Chamber, Firegear production will remain in Huntington as Earthcore works to integrate product development and distribution across its broader operations.
