COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Sep. 29, 2012

Dec. 31, 2011

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES [Abstract]

Schedule of lease obligation, partially offset by subleases

At December 31, 2011, the Company was obligated under lease agreements for the rental of certain real estate and machinery and equipment used in its operations.  Future minimum rental obligations for non-cancellable lease payments total approximately $120.2 million at December 31, 2011.  The lease obligations, partially offset by subleases, are payable as follows:

	Lease		Sublease
(Amounts in thousands)	Commitments		Income
2012	$	18,979	$	431
2013		17,525		440
2014		14,275		449
2015		12,197		458
2016		9,766		467
Thereafter		47,480		4,089

Components of the indemnification

(Amounts in thousands)	September 29, 2012		December 31, 2011
Product claim liabilities	$	223	$	193
Multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liability		2,675		2,854
Other		582		572
	$	3,480	$	3,619

In connection with the Ply Gem acquisition, in which Ply Gem Industries was acquired from Nortek in February 2004, Nortek has agreed to indemnify the Company for certain liabilities as set forth in the stock purchase agreement governing the Ply Gem acquisition.  In the event Nortek is unable to satisfy amounts due under these indemnifications, the Company would be liable.  The Company believes that Nortek has the financial capacity to honor its indemnification obligations and therefore does not anticipate incurring any losses related to liabilities indemnified by Nortek under the stock purchase agreement.  A receivable related to this indemnification has been recorded in other long-term assets in the approximate amount of $3.6 million and $3.9 million at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.  As of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the Company has recorded liabilities related to these indemnifications of approximately $0.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively, in current liabilities and $3.2 million and $3.5 million, respectively, in long-term liabilities, consisting of the following:

(Amounts in thousands)	December 31, 2011		December 31, 2010
Product claim liabilities	$	193	$	216
Multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liability		2,854		3,079
Other		572		602
	$	3,619	$	3,897

Changes in the Company's warranty liabilities

Changes in the Company's warranty liabilities are as follows:

	For the three months ended						For the nine months ended
(Amounts in thousands)	September 29, 2012			October 1, 2011			September 29, 2012			October 1, 2011
Balance, beginning of period	$	37,510		$	40,777		$	38,612		$	41,780
Warranty expense during period		2,992			1,256			7,386			5,450
Settlements made during period		(2,854	)		(2,948	)		(8,350	)		(8,145	)
Balance, end of period	$	37,648		$	39,085		$	37,648		$	39,085

Changes in the Company's short-term and long-term warranty liabilities are as follows:

	For the year ended December 31,
(Amounts in thousands)	2011			2010			2009
Balance, beginning of period	$	41,780		$	43,398		$	45,653
Warranty expense during period		7,359			11,364			12,783
Settlements made during period		(10,527	)		(12,982	)		(15,038	)
Balance, end of period	$	38,612		$	41,780		$	43,398