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The Trane Story

A TRADITION OF QUALITY THAT CONTINUES TODAY

For more than a century Trane has identified products and technology that stretched the world's idea of what was possible - creating a new standard of comfort.

Founded in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1885, and finally incorporated in 1913, Trane has over 120 years of experience in the business.

In many ways, the Trane story is a classic American success story that grew into a global one. It began with our founder, James Trane, a Norwegian immigrant who opened his own plumbing shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1885. With the inspiration of cold Wisconsin winters, James Trane invented a new low-pressure heating system he proudly called the Trane Vapor Heating System. With the help of his son Reuben, just back from college with a degree in mechanical engineering, father and son began manufacturing operations in 1910 and incorporated as The Trane Company in 1913. It was Reuben's invention of the convector radiator in 1923 that firmly established the company's reputation as an innovator, a reputation Trane has been building on ever since.

Old photo of Trane's first build

Important moments in Trane History

  • 1885
    1885
    James Trane founds what will become the Trane Company.
  • 1910
    1910
    James Trane and son Reuben begin manufacturing operations.
  • 1923
    1923
    Reuben Trane invents the convector radiator.
  • 1931
    1931
    The idea of using technology to give people relief from summer heat was a radical and unproven idea when Trane became an air conditioning pioneer.
  • 1938
    1938
    Trane fundamentally changed the concept of air conditioning large buildings with the launch of Turbovac, the industry's first hermetic, centrifugal refrigeration machine.
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    This was the beginning of a long chain of innovations leading to Trane's current CenTraVac®, the industry standard for large commercial air conditioning systems. This is the most energy efficient system available anywhere for large buildings and it has earned Trane the 'Best of the Best' Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

  • 1970s
    1970s
    Trane acquires Sentinel Electronics, entering the building automation and management field. Trane was the first to offer integrated controls for all its products, becoming a leader in the field of energy management.
  • 1984
    1984
    Trane is acquired by American Standard Companies. Becomes the largest of its three businesses: Air Conditioning Systems and Services, Vehicle Control Systems (WABCO) and Bath and Kitchen.
  • 2008
    2008

    June 5, 2008, Ingersoll Rand acquires Trane.

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