TRACO Announces Sale of Residential Vinyl Window Division
Dec 4th, 2008 | By DWM Mag | Category: Industry NewsBen Folds: Live at My Space movie
TRACO has announced the sale of its residential vinyl replacement division to Echo Windows LLC. Echo Windows will assume all TRACO residential vinyl manufacturing and sales operations, and will continue manufacturing TRACO’s Sienna Series and Power Two composite vinyl/aluminum windows in the Red Oak, Iowa, facility, which was purchased as part of the agreement.
“The decision to sell our vinyl division was a difficult one for us, as TRACO was founded by my parents in 1943 to service the residential market. But, we are certain that we have chosen the best fit for our long-term residential customers,” says Robert P. Randall, president and chief executive officer of TRACO.
Randall adds, “We felt that the timing was right for a more streamlined corporate strategy, concentrating on the heavy commercial side of our business, which has grown dramatically since the 1980s, and the vinyl division belonged where it would receive the primary attention it deserves.”
Loading ...
[...] TRACO announced the sale of its residential vinyl replacement division to Echo Windows LLC. Click here for that article. Officials from TRACO have not responded to requests for more information on [...]
Robert P. Randall I guess you might change your story now. I don’t see how what has happened to the great residential Traco windows is the best fit for the customer. It has left alot of companies and customers in a pinch.
Within the last 2 weeks 2 of my picture windows have broken a seal. Am I totally out of luck or is there a chance that qanother company will step in remedy the situation? Maybe Trace commercial division can stand by its loyal customers. I have 2 houses and both houses have Traco windows.
Mr. Randall, I sincerely hope that you did not know that Richard Gilman would sell your division down the tubes. Now, thousands of residental customers have no warranty unless they are holders of the Sienna line. Someone should be responsible for the warranty. I was instructed to call Richard Gilman 312-961-7070. No chance the guy is going to return anyone’s call, EVER! There should be laws against warranty loss. My husband and I had to replace our windows with Traco windows a few at time because of the cost. I have a whole house of them with three that are defective and no warranty to back them and I am really quite upset that this would happen and have to replace them again.
Contact your State Senator. I did and he is contacting the FTC about the loss of warranties for Traco Windows.
Last night, one of my TRACO windows spontaneously shattered with my 9 year old daughter standing in front of it. I am not an engineer; I’m a lawyer, so I cannot say why the window shattered. However, in the process of trying to file a warranty claim with TRACO, I encountered a number of articles and posts similar to this page. It appears that there are many other homeowners having problems with their TRACO windows. It also appears that many TRACO window owners are having problems filing warranty claims, and it is unclear who is liable for the warranty obligations.
While I may not be an engineer capable of determining the cause of any problems with TRACO windows, I am a lawyer, and I intend to find out exactly who is liable for the TRACO warranty claims, and where and how to file those claims. As I gather information on these questions, I will make it available to anyone interested. If you have any information, such as who you spoke with at TRACO, what they told you, and your experiences with trying to file warranty claims on TRACO windows, I would appreciate it if you would send it to me at info@finleypc.com
Now the obligatory lawyer bit:
Please don’t misunderstand anything above to indicate that I represent you in any way. I’m not soliciting clients, I’m asking for information to help me resolve my own personal problem with my own personal TRACO windows. I am happy to share with you any answers I come up with, and happy to help you file claims of your own, but I am not your attorney.
When I decided to completely remodel my entire house, I had Traco windows installed in Oct. 2006. There is now water coming in three(3) of the windows, and running down the walls, forming puddles on the floor.
It seems as though the windows (tr-4200 double hung) are not sealing tight enough when closed & locked, therefore allowing rain water to seep inside the closed windows and then forcing it out through the interior framework and onto the window ledge and down the walls.
On 2 other windows, one of the locks on each window has broken.
I called Traco at 724-776-7000 and asked to speak to someone in the warranty department. Was transferred to a recorded message that gave MGM as the warranty company. I just called MGM and was told they(MGM) only purchased the 4600 Series. I have the 4200 Series.
This is unacceptable and someone should be held responsible. I will post updated info, as I follow-up and try different avenues.
I recommend sending a complaint to the PA State Attorney General. You can go through your state rep or directly to the Attorney General. The fact that Traco would sell off their residential window division without any concern for their contract to their existing customer base should not be allowed. The ability to void a lifetime warranty and remain in business is a poor business practice.
I’ve filled a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, I recommend that anyone owning residential TRACO WINDOWS also file a complaint. If you do not currently have a warranty issue you will more than likely in the future. As one of the earlier posts stated a company that remains in business and just disregards a written contract sold as lifetime warranties (these are even sold as transferable) should be held accountable.
I called Traco this morning to find out how I could have them honor my life time warranty since one of my vinyl windows has developed a crack. Basically I was told that they had no responsibility for the warranty since they had sold their residential division and that I would have to deal with the new company, and by the way, good luck since they could not locate this company. I don’t think I have EVER had such ridiculous conversation with any business. Traco sounded completely like a Fly By Night company. I also have had problems with water leaking through the double hung windows and the Traco sales rep convinced us that it was not so much a Traco window problem as an installation problem…But I now see that others have had the same problems. I also intend to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. How in the world can Traco think that their life time window warranty is void simply because they sold their residential concern? It is wrong for them to remain in business and not keep the contract that they made with their residential customers. They should be held accountable.
I have Traco double hung window in my house and water is getting in between the panes. I have called Traco about this but received no answer. I see that many other people are having the same problem. I think Traco should be responsible to have the window repaired at their expense since they have a lifetime warranty that was not transferable when they sold out to another Company. Possibly a law suit might be the way to go.
I also have Traco 4200 series and have moisture between the glass. I contacted them and they are going to send the glass (no charge just this once) I have 2 other Traco windows in the house and now wish I would have lied and said all 3 had this problem as next time if will cost me for the glass. Also they told me I am responsible to HIRE a company to install the into the frame…. These windows are only 6 years old and aside from them costing way more then reputable windows brands the same size they are junk. I always atleast had the comfort in knowing they had a lifetime warranty against defects. Now I wish I would have just left the old windows in as they were just fine and they were 17 years old. I just wanted vinyl windows when I had vinyl siding installed. I am also going to file a complaint with the bbb.
I also purchaased windows from Traco. After calling several people I finally contacted someone who said they would send me the glass. I lost the number and am having trouble finding it again. They are giving me the run around. If anyone has this number, please let me know. Thanks
I also have issues with Traco windows and I just found out they are out of residential business! RIGHT now so many emotions! HOW can they be in commerical business and not honor the warrenties?!?!?!? I am speechless. About 5 yrs ago, I had 5 windows shatter! I was told this was due to a defect (gases between the glass) BUT at that time Traco did honored the warrenty. Last evening I had the big window in my kitchen shatter! Called Traco and they will respond in 2 days and that they are out of the residential business! And if I read between the lines I think that means they don’t have to honor any warrenties! How do they get away with this? BUT in reading all the comments sounds like I join the many others in this unbelieveable mess… HOW can TRACO not honor their products/warrenties ?!?!?! HELP someone!!!!
My husband and I purchased a home that had all new Traco windows installed. It was a selling point for purchasing the home. Now our windows have moisure between the panes as noted in many of the responses above. If anyone has information to share on how to contact Traco to possibly replace it would be very much appreciated. Tomgombold@comcast.net
We spent 6,000 dollars on new Traco windows for our home in 1999. The front windows were replaced 3 times due to defects. Now the back windows are failing and I am held with no warranty, although our agreement was lifetime transferrable warranty. We are placing the home on the market and the windows in the back look awful…great..just great!
Same boat … dropped $6000.00+ on all new Traco windows in 2005. We were sold on the warranty, the quality, hell they’re even the windows used in the Empire State Building remodel! But here I sit with a renovated Victorian with at least five failing windows, no warranty, no satisfaction, and all of our hard earned money and work down the drain. I too am filling complaints with the BBB and the State Attorney General, and anyone else I can find who may have an impact!!!! ANY company who promotes the ‘Lifetime, Transferable Warranty’ should be held to the flame regardless of whether the company is sold or not. Randall and Gilman are both idiots … taking advantage of the American consumer. Maybe we should load up all of the thousands of worthless POS windows they were supposed to warranty and drop them at their door step.
Purchased windows from Traco over 10 yrs ago and thought(like a dummy) I was covered with their limited life time warranty. Notifying state atty general office and State Senator regarding warranty. Please advise Can we start a classaction law suit against Traco ?? Emil S Grazioli
Within the last 6 years we replaced everything in our home with TRACO windows (the 2nd house we’ve done this to). Last year we had a large picture window crack for no reason… I called TRACO and was told, like everyone else, to call Richard Gillman of Echo. Recently, I had my sister who is a lawyer, write TRACO a letter with the idea that we would file suit if they didn’t respond. TRACO then called me and left a message saying they would like to speak to me. I passed this info on to my sister and she returned the call. After finally reaching a TRACO rep, she was told that legal action wasn’t necessary and all I need to do was file a “claim” (lie). She said we should contact our installer (who she subsequently spoke to) and he would come out and take care of it. I called my installer and he has come out to take measurements and TRACO is replacing the glass. It will cost me $20. to cover the installers gas to pickup the window (he’s installing it for free). The installer is just as irate with TRACO as we are (he sold their windows and now he has to listen to people complain because TRACO sold out). The only reason this was resolved is because it was a picture window… I have a double hung that has fogged and I’m out of luck on that one.
What have I learned?
- TRACO only seems to respond when legal action is threatened. If some enterprising lawyer would put an ad into the newspapers asking for people who have been burned by TRACO warranty’s to come forward, he would have a nice little class action law suit against them.
- Lifetime warranty only means “lifetime” to the customer and not TRACO. Isn’t this “bait and switch”? Fraud?
- I feel mad on another level. I like to try to buy from local company’s to support the local economy and this is the thanks I get (my wife and I have purchase over 40 TRACO windows in 2 homes… in large part due to the warranty). Not only TRACO customers have gotten screwed, but the local window companies and installers have been burned and TRACO residential window employee’s have lost their jobs.
- I get this is America and companies are free to sell there business, but how can they sell to a company (Echo) that shuts down (in part, to get out of union contracts) 5 weeks after the sale? Where is the due diligence? Is the money they made on the sale worth all of this negative publicity? I know I will bad mouth TRACO to anyone who will listen. I don’t know how Randall can look himself in the mirror.
I have also had Traco windoes installed and over the years have had the out side pane spontaneously shatter. Previously I had put it down to a stray stone or a bird, but the glass replacement guy didn’t think so since it was only the out side pane and all the glass is out side. This last time we actually heard a pop and the window shattered. Any information would be appreciated on who you contacted to get help.
We just purchased a home with Traco windows, many of which are unsafe to leave open (the clips that hold the bottom pane in place when opened are broken). I have tried to reach the companies who purchased the residential line from Traco with no success. They have both indicated that I need to contact the other company or try a repair business to locate the parts. I am looking for the needle in a haystack. Can anyone recommend a contact or solution?
I worked for Bob Randall a number of years ago at his golf course – I think my next step is to contact him directly. This is a huge disappointment from a company I have respected over the years.
I purchased my windows six years ago based on the fact I had a warrenty. This company is a joke & will do nothing for the exsiting customer. I will be filing a lawsuit. I will be contacting the local media & seeing what I can do to file a civil suit. Ciontact me if you are interested. I thought I made an investment but what I made was a mistake.
We purchased a house with Traco windows. On Sunday the 3rd window exploded. We had no problem with getting the 1st 2 replaced several years ago. From calling the number I had I found out about the sale of the residential unit. Started searching on line and found this site. It doesn’t look like we will have any luck getting our window replaced this time. Since Alcoa just purchased Traco commercial I may contact the media also.
We purchased over $10k of Traco windows through the Ted Lansing Corporation in 2004. We have issues now with a window that has lost its seal and have experienced the same run-around as we see posted repeatedly above. Anyone who is starting up a class action suit, feel free to contact me, I am all in. Clydesdale1957@yahoo.com