Stûv SA

The story begins in 1983 when industrial designer Gérard Pitance, unable to find a wood stove that met his standards, decided to design his own. The enthusiastic reaction from his circle prompted him to team up with Benoît Lafontaine to establish the company, initially a design firm called Concept et Forme. The name 'Stûv' was chosen for its phonetic similarity to the word for 'stove' in both Dutch ('stoof') and Walloon ('stoûve'), reflecting its Belgian roots. Their initial capital was simply creativity and motivation, focusing on design before expanding into manufacturing. The company grew steadily, launching its first stove with a retractable door in the 1990s and expanding into the French market. A significant period of growth occurred between 2000 and 2006, marked by product innovation and the opening of a new 5,000m² factory. This expansion led to international recognition, including the E&Y Company of the Year award in 2006. A pivotal moment came in 2016 with the creation of Stûv America, a partnership with Vincent Boudreau to establish a manufacturing plant in Québec, Canada, to serve the North American market. More recently, in early 2024, Stûv announced a major investment plan of over 10 million euros, bringing on two new shareholders, Wallonie Entreprendre and BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity. This funding is aimed at doubling production capacity by 2026 to meet growing international demand.