Last week, Miranda and I discovered that the windows of our new house (yes – the windows I spent 3 days last fall re-glazing by hand..) are covered in peeling lead paint. After a strong warning from the lead inspector, replacement windows immediately shot to the top of our to-do list.

We met with a few different window companies over the last few days – but by far the most interesting company we met with was a company called “Renewal by Anderson”. Here’s their website: http://www.rbawestchester.com/.

They are part of the Anderson window company (the company that makes the windows) but this company also delivers and installs the windows. When the salesperson was here I started asking him a little bit more about his company and how it was started. The answers he gave me were fascinating.

Evidently “Renewal by Anderson” is the channel partnership program for Anderson windows. Anderson (the manufacturer) goes around the country finding small contractor firms and “turning them into” branches of Renewal by Anderson.

RBAWestchester – the link above started out as Vinylume inc. They actually still do some business under that name and have their own website. http://www.vinylumeinc.com/.

If you look closely through both websites you can find the hidden connection: both state that they’ve been in business since 1951, the addresses are different, but if you try to buy windows from Vinylume – they kick you over to Renewal by Anderson.

Evidently in 2013, Vinylume – in exchange for being the “exclusive” distributor of Anderson replacement windows in Westchester, changed the name of their company and started doing business as Renewal by Anderson. It was a cash-less strategic partnership (Anderson did not buy Vinylume) but still Vinylume took on the Anderson brand name. Presumably they weren’t selling many windows as Vinylume – so taking on the Anderson name has allowed them to capitalize on the brand equity and positioning of being part of the manufacturer. They probably get other advantages as well – including the right to sell some ridiculously expensive composite windows (which I’m sure they make a nice margin on).

Really really interesting.

As a side note –

If you’re looking to buy your first home and you work more than 70 hours a week – buy a house that was built in the last 20 years, it will save you a lot of headaches.

Channel Partnership
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