The Brand Story
GeoStar: The Distributor Brand Born From a Fort Wayne Geothermal Pioneer
On the north side of Fort Wayne, Indiana, there is a factory on a street named Conservation Way. The building itself is heated and cooled by the ground beneath it, which tells you most of what you need to know about the people inside. This is the home of WaterFurnace, one of the companies that turned geothermal heat pumps from a curiosity into a trade. In 2010 it gave that know-how a second name, built for a different route to market. That name was GeoStar.
Chapter 1 · 1983
A distributor with a different idea
WaterFurnace began in Fort Wayne in 1983, not as a manufacturer but as a distributor of McQuay equipment. Its founders saw an opening in geothermal heating and cooling, a technology that worked well but was sold in pieces. They set out to distribute geothermal products across North America as complete system packages, so a contractor could buy the heat pump and everything that went with it from one source.
Chapter 2 · 1985 to 1991
Building the factory
In 1985 the company moved into a 10,000 square foot factory and bought a water source heat pump line from McQuay. Production moved from Staunton, Virginia to Fort Wayne, and the first product built there was the WS Series geothermal heat pump. Five years later came the Premier line, which the company describes as the first water source product to combine variable speed ECM fan motors, scroll compressors, internal electric heat and a residential microprocessor control.
In 1991 WaterFurnace finished a 110,000 square foot headquarters and manufacturing plant at 9000 Conservation Way, heated and cooled by its own geothermal technology. It remains the headquarters today. Two years later the company listed its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Chapter 3 · 2006 to 2012
Chasing efficiency
Geothermal efficiency became the company's calling card. In 2006 the Envision Series arrived, which WaterFurnace says was the first on the market rated at 30 EER and 5 COP. In 2012 it followed with the 7 Series, described as the first variable capacity geothermal heat pump available to homeowners.
Chapter 4 · 2010
GeoStar is born
By 2010 WaterFurnace sold direct to more than 800 contracting businesses under its own name. Many contractors, though, preferred to buy through a local supply house. In October 2010 the company launched GeoStar as its premium distributor brand, sold only through select wholesale distributors who offer the line to their contractor customers. WaterFurnace stayed the dealer brand; GeoStar became the wholesale one.
The split solved a practical problem. A contractor who already bought furnaces, line sets and thermostats from a local supply house could now pick up geothermal equipment on the same counter, from the same people, without signing on as a direct dealer. For the distributor, GeoStar offered a geothermal line with a factory and an engineering record behind it. Every unit was AHRI certified, and Energy Star rated where applicable.
The first GeoStar distributors covered Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois, the Carolinas, western Canada and northeastern Canada. The opening lineup included geothermal heat pumps from 2 to 6 tons, console and split units, an all-in-one geothermal boiler, furnace and air conditioner, models with optional hot water generation, and commercial units, along with thermostats, storage tanks and air handlers.
Chapter 5 · 2014 to today
A Swedish parent
In June 2014 NIBE, a heating technology company based in Markaryd, Sweden and one of Europe's major heat pump makers, agreed to acquire WaterFurnace for C$30.60 a share in cash. WaterFurnace and GeoStar were named as the North American brands in the deal. WaterFurnace continues to operate as its own company and serves as the North American headquarters for NIBE's energy systems business.
The Lineup
What GeoStar builds today
GeoStar offers residential geothermal heat pumps and a commercial line of water source and geothermal heat pumps. HVAC365 carries GeoStar self-contained water source heat pump package units, the workhorses of water loop buildings and ground-source systems.
The Next Chapter
Water loops and the R-454B shift
A water source heat pump trades heat with water rather than outdoor air, either a building loop or a geothermal loop in the ground. Because that water stays at a steadier temperature than summer air, these units can work efficiently in the hottest climates. In a South Florida high-rise, that often means a heat pump in every condo tied to a shared loop and a rooftop cooling tower; in a home with a geothermal loop, the earth itself does the work of the tower. GeoStar's current units carry R-454B, a lower global warming potential A2L refrigerant that replaces R-410A, so installers work with A2L-rated tools and updated procedures.
At a Glance
GeoStar at a glance
- Brand launched
- October 2010
- Made by
- WaterFurnace
- WaterFurnace founded
- 1983, Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Headquarters
- 9000 Conservation Way, Fort Wayne
- Parent company
- NIBE, Markaryd, Sweden, since 2014
- Sold through
- Select wholesale distributors
- Sister brand
- WaterFurnace
- Refrigerant
- R-454B
Questions
Frequently asked questions about GeoStar
Who makes GeoStar heat pumps?
GeoStar is a brand of WaterFurnace, the Fort Wayne, Indiana geothermal heat pump company, which has been owned by Sweden's NIBE since 2014.
What is the difference between GeoStar and WaterFurnace?
Both come from the same company. WaterFurnace is sold directly to dealers, while GeoStar was launched in 2010 as the brand sold through wholesale distributors to their contractor customers.
When was GeoStar introduced?
WaterFurnace launched the GeoStar brand in October 2010. WaterFurnace itself was founded in Fort Wayne in 1983.
What is a water source heat pump?
It is a heat pump that exchanges heat with water from a building loop or a geothermal loop instead of with outdoor air, which lets it run efficiently in very hot or very cold weather.
Who owns WaterFurnace?
WaterFurnace has been owned since 2014 by NIBE, a heating technology company based in Markaryd, Sweden. It continues to operate as its own company and serves as NIBE's North American energy systems headquarters.
What refrigerant do GeoStar water source heat pumps use?
The current GeoStar water source heat pumps carried by HVAC365 use R-454B, a lower-GWP A2L refrigerant that replaces R-410A.
