Innovation from Day One
In 1864, a young James A. Trane emigrated from Norway to La Crosse, Wis. By 1885, James Trane opened a plumbing shop in La Crosse. Inspired by the area‘s cold winters, he invented the Trane Vapor Heating System. His son Reuben, born in 1886, shared his father‘s inventiveness and went to school to become an engineer. In 1913, Rueben, his sister Stella, and their father James incorporated The Trane Company.

1920s: Growth and Innovation.
During this time the company was shaped by ideas, inventions, and the formation of a business strategy.

1925 – The first “Trane Assistant Branch Office Manager Class” convened to help address demand for their successful convector product. This program evolved into the Trane Graduate Training Program.

1926 – Spending time alone, Reuben Trane began development of a device to replace the cast iron radiator. In 1926, a patent for the convector-radiator was filed.

1928 – The founders saw the need for international manufacturing and formed the Trane Company of Canada with a manufacturing plant in Toronto.

1930s: Air Conditioning Pioneers
After the introduction of the fin and tube heat exchanger in the Convector-Radiator, Trane began to explore other uses for the unit including coupling fans to the device and using cold ground water for cooling. Trane Unit Coolers were introduced shortly thereafter, and were designed for offices, restaurants, department stores, factories and movie theaters.

1938 – Trane fundamentally changed the concept of air conditioning buildings with the launch of the Turbovac™, the industry‘s first hermetic centrifugal refrigeration machine. It began a long chain of innovation which led to the CenTraVac™.

1940s: The War Years
During World War II (WWII), Trane used its proven technologies in heating, process cooling and air conditioning to create products for the armed forces and air condition military bases and ships. One product, the intercooler used on piston-driven aircrafts, is a major breakthrough in the war effort. The intercooler permitted Allied warplanes to fly higher and faster than before while maintaining performance – the same concept was later leveraged to produce heat exchangers for the Lunar Rover, the first man-made vehicle on the moon. This decade also brought with it the announcement that Trane would manufacture 50-200 ton centrifugal chillers – or perhaps go as high as 300 tons!

1950s: Mid-Century Momentum
Taking advantage of the post-war construction boom, Trane expands its air conditioning and fan lines, and begins to manufacture its own reciprocating compressors, solidifying its position as an industry leader. Trane introduces the CenTraVac water chiller and at the end of the decade, would launch a new line of absorption chillers. Trane offers a complete line of HVAC products for commercial, institutional and industrial buildings.

The mid-1950s – The company sold 3,000,000 convectors. Trane ventures into self-contained air conditioning units for commercial use. The compact packaged products are delivered to customers ready for installation and operation, lowering their installation costs and shortening construction schedules.

1960s: Growth and Stabilization
Many new product enhancements are announced including absorption cold generators as large as 1475 tons, 5 to 15 ton rooftop units, and the PCV CenTraVac (also known as “sidewinder”) is launched. The first acoustic laboratory is built to test equipment. Trane’s tradition of educating the industry continues with the launch of the Air Conditioning Clinics that continue to be well-attended today.

1970s: Education, Efficiency, and Moving On Up

1971 – Trane‘s innovations reach outer space when the basic heat exchanger design of its WWII aircraft intercooler is used on the Lunar Rover of the Apollo 15 mission. Trane VariTrane™ air terminal devices are introduced.

1973 – The company introduced its first design and energy modeling software – TRane Air Conditioning Economics or TRACE™. In October, OPEC imposes an oil embargo and in that same month Trane introduces its “Conserve Energy by Design Campaign”.

1978 – Trane purchased Sentinel Electronics. This event launched the company into providing systems control through versions of its Tracer™ BMS.

1980s: Systems Advancement and Expansion
In 1980, following significant increases in product efficiency, the “Trane for Energy Fitness” campaign is launched in print and on TV. The company increases presence in the residential market by purchasing General Electric’s residential HVAC division in 1983. That same year, Trane orders exceed $1 billion dollars. After 70 years as an independent business, Trane becomes the largest division of American Standard in 1984.

Several new products were also introduced including a newly designed three-stage CenTraVac chiller, reaching unprecedented efficiency levels.

1990s: It’s Hard to Stop A Trane

1990 – The 10,000th CVHE CenTraVac™ chiller ships. A Modular Climate Changer that allowed stacking of modules was also made available, enabling the split dehumidification configuration still used in dedicated outdoor air units today.

1992 – “It’s Hard to Stop a Trane” tagline is introduced.

1994 – The Intellipak™ rooftop and Voyager™III rooftop product lines launch.

1999 – Satellite broadcasts of Engineer Newsletter Live began to expand educational opportunities for internal and external audiences. Since its inception, this program has been viewed by more than 65,000 engineers, contractors, operators, owners, and architects.

2000 – Present: Thinking Beyond
After 23 years, American Standard spins off its Air Conditioning and Service division in 2007 and Trane briefly becomes a public entity until the company is acquired by Ingersoll Rand in 2008. Also, in 2008 EarthWise™ systems are announced. These are preconfigured systems that include controls, packaged pumping, and system catalogs.

In 2013, Trane marks its 100th anniversary of incorporation honoring its legacy of innovation and its future. Continuing to lead the industry, the company introduced Trane Building Advantage in 2015, positioning Trane as a leading provider of energy services and solutions. As we continue to move forward, you can expect Trane to create solutions that change the way we live, work, and play!