50 Years of Lanair Waste Oil Heaters
Made in America. Made to Last.
Half a century in, Lanair waste oil heaters remain a fixture in working shops across the country. Rising fuel costs were the original catalyst. Today, Lanair stands among the most recognized waste oil heating systems in the country. Every winter, automotive shops, farms, fleet garages, and heavy equipment facilities across the country fire up Lanair heaters and put their used oil back to work as dependable, and most importantly, free heat.
“We pride ourselves in the innovation we have continually applied to our products to keep up with the ever changing trends in the industry, but our core mission remains unchanged," said CEO Jeff Townsend. “To provide a solution to allow shop owners to save money by recycling their used oil and converting it into free heat for their facilities.”
Where It All Started
Fuel prices were climbing through the 1970s energy crisis, and many shops were feeling the strain of heating large workspaces through long winters. Les Marzahl recognized an opportunity in something most operations already had in abundance. The used oil collected in those shops could be burned safely and used to heat large spaces. No need to pay for it to be disposed of; less waste and lower heating bills as a result.
So, in 1976, Les and Nancy Marzahl started Lanair in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Heat for the Places That Generate It
From the start, the intention of Lanair heaters was to support working environments like auto repair shops, truck fleets, farms, heavy equipment facilities, and construction operations. Places where waste oil is generated every day.
Oil drained from engines and equipment could be burned safely and used to heat the same building where the work was being done.
- No expensive fuel deliveries
- No waste oil disposal costs
- Heat produced from something the shop already generates
Lanair waste oil heaters developed a reputation for staying in service for decades. Finding a Lanair heater that has warmed a shop for 20 or even 30 years is not unusual.
Expanding the Product Line
With a growth in demand came an expansion of Lanair waste oil heating equipment to serve shops of all sizes.
Product developments included:
- HI Series Waste Oil Heaters – For heavy-duty shop heating with strong output and rugged construction.
- MX Series Waste Oil Furnaces – Included ducted heating applications for larger facilities, with models that can operate in non-ducted shop spaces as well.
- XT Series Waste Oil Heaters – The first to burn fully synthetic oil.
- Complete Waste Oil Heating Packages – Heater, tank, pump, and filtration systems in one package.
Across every model was a principle that stayed consistent: quality equipment that burns used oil cleanly and efficiently.
Growth Through Acquisition
In 2009, the Marzahl family sold the business to Barry and Marci Brandt. The Brandt’s grew the company by acquiring and developing new product brands, doubling the size of workforce and the size of the facilities primarily located on Capital Circle in Janesville WI. Brandt retired from the company in 2014.
Innovation That Keeps Moving
Lanair has always focused on improving how waste oil heaters work for real shops.
In 2024, Lanair introduced the XT Series, the first Lanair heater capable of burning fully synthetic oil along with other approved shop fluids. Modern engines now run on synthetic lubricants in far greater numbers, and the innovation preserves the ability for shops to convert their waste oil into heat.
Approved fuels include1:
- Used motor oil
- Used crankcase oil
- Fully synthetic oil
- Transmission fluid
- Hydraulic oil
- Used #1 and #2 fuel oil
- Other approved shop fluids
1 Always confirm compatible fluids with the owners manual for specific models
Easy Installation and Maintenance
Lanair designs waste oil heaters with the people who actually use them in mind. Installation is uncomplicated, and routine maintenance can be handled by the shop itself rather than an outside technician. No service contracts, waiting for a repair technician, or repair bills from a service man.
Still Manufactured in Janesville, Wisconsin
Fifty years later, Lanair is still manufactured locally in Janesville, Wisconsin, the same city where the company first found its footing.
Every heater is made in the USA, continuing the tradition started by Les and Nancy Marzahl. Manufacturing dependable equipment for American shops remains at the center of the company’s work.
“Some of the heaters we built decades ago are still out there heating shops to this day,” said a longtime Lanair employee. “That’s something you take pride in when you work here.”
Five Decades Later and Still Burning Strong
From a small shop in Janesville to one of the country’s best-known waste oil heater manufacturers, Lanair has spent five decades building heaters that turn a routine shop byproduct into usable heat.
The idea has remained unchanged since 1976:
Use the waste oil you already have.
Heat your building for free.
Stop paying for fuel you don’t need.