Customer driven. Proven performance. Superior manufacturing. Continuous innovation.
By focusing on the requirements of its customers, RIMEX builds custom solutions and specialized products ranging from the most advanced wheels and rims available to the TyreSense TPMS and peripheral technology system that sets new standards for tire monitoring and asset management. With sales and inspection/repair centers around the world and a track record second to none, RIMEX continues to serve as a trusted global partner to the industrial heavy equipment community.
tons (7,257 tonnes) of Wheels, rims and components shipped each year
Years Providing TyreSense, the industry’s most trusted tire monitoring and asset management system
TyreSense TPMS systems operating in 70+ sites worldwide
TyreSense sensors produced since 2004
Wheel inspections / re-certifications performed each year
Over 40 years ago, Chris Weston began his journey on the road to “Building Better Wheels”. With a stack of small wheels in the back of an old borrowed pickup truck and a desire to make a difference, Chris’ mission in 1976 was quite simply to give his customers what they wanted and needed. At first, he sold industrial wheels into British Columbia, Canada, for an American manufacturer. Soon it became clear that the wheels weren’t meeting the specialized requirements of his customers. Chris was a forward thinker and attuned to the changing marketplace – as mining trucks grew, the wheels had to be larger and stronger. He revolutionized the way wheels were manufactured by introducing the practice of fully machining the critical components that make up a wheel. This innovative style of manufacturing produced wheels that were stronger than any others on the market and could stand up to the extreme stresses being put on them by larger earth moving equipment and new tire technologies. Chris’s early efforts and hard work were not without setbacks and jogs in the road, but after 10 years immersed in the business, building a reputation from quality and growing his relationships with mining companies, he put everything on the line and opened a manufacturing facility in Surrey, British Columbia. As the demand and the size of vehicles continued to grow, so did RIMEX and its product offerings.
In 1986, Chris expanded the RIMEX manufacturing facility to 30,000 square feet, and in 1988 he opened two distribution offices in the United States. By 1990, Chris realized the company could grow even further, which led to expansions into Indonesia, South America, South Africa and Australia. Market diversification and the ability to create custom wheels based on the individual requirements of the customers has always been key to RIMEX’s success.
As the mining industry embraced RIMEX, market share continued to grow and so did Chris’s passion for expanding the business. In 1995, RIMEX swung open the door to China. That same year marked a major expansion at home, with both a warehouse and corporate office in Surrey. In order to keep up with the increasing demand for quality wheels, a new 40,000 square foot manufacturing plant was built in Agassiz, British Columbia in 1999. Continued success fueled deals with original equipment truck manufacturers and new sales outlets across the Canadian prairie provinces.
Bristol, VA, USA branch opened in 2001
…if a truck is worth $1,200 to $1,500 per hour in operation, then the cost savings are approximately $1 million. Investing in the TyreSense TPMS quickly recoups its cost and realizes considerable savings into the future.
The total elapsed time from the initial incident to restored service was just two hours. TyreSense and a quick-acting contractor preserved an expensive loader tire and minimized valuable down time.
We have now had TyreSense operational in the business for approximately four months and have seen lots of cost and safety advantages in our fleet.
The mine tire manager then turned to his RIMEX representative, who proposed an innovative solution to narrow the stock wheels. This strategy was agreed upon, and within three weeks the new wheels were delivered to the mine, at a dramatically lower cost of $19,966.00 per truck!
Analysis of standard maintenance and service tasks on the wheels revealed an impressive 43% time-saving for the RIMEX DGS/IGLR series. As well, the results of the testing pronounced RIMEX wheels 18% more efficient overall.
…all of our large rear dump trucks and loaders are fitted with TyreSense which has proven to be a very reliable system that gives good information and allows us to track tyre performance, extend tyre life and monitor circuit conditions.