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Chapter
1982 was the year when the story about today´s Rimaster, actually began.
It all started with two brothers, in a mechanical workshop, in the little village of Rimforsa in the county of Östergötland.
The summarize of the Rimaster story would be - two young brothers Jan-Olof Carlsson and Per Carlsson, started to work together in a mechanical workshop in the year of 1982, and now a days there are approx. 1400 employees worldwide.
Just so you get the bigger perspective you will have some more details of the story in this following text.
After a while the two brothers decided to go separate ways, and the younger one, Per, continue to develop what he and his brother once started.
Per will need to do a bit of reconsidering at various stages in the Rimaster story – all significant in shaping to become the Rimaster we are today.
From mechanics and staffing, to placing a greater focus on electrical systems in the 1990´s. And when the telecom crisis hits in the early
2000´s, understanding that reorganisation, a more defined market orientation and co-ownership are what can save the work for approximately 350 employees that are in the company at that time.
It's tough, but Rimaster survives and in 2003, Jan-Olof Andersson enter the Rimaster scene, in the role of CEO and co-owner.
Together, Per and Jan-Olof now steer Rimaster towards the electrical systems market, which strengthens Rimaster.
They determine a strategy which they then assiduously follow. Their strategy of closely and as simply as possible following their customers contributes to their acquisition, between the years 2003 and 2008, of what is today Rimaster Poland - RP, and Rimaster Ningbo - RN.
Rimaster also continues to grow in Sweden during this period - Rimaster Cab & Mechanics - RCM, and Rimaster Development - RD as they are named today, are acquired into the group. Rimaster’s current vice CEO Pernilla Norman also joins the company concurrent with the acquisition in Söderhamn.
During the years 2010 – 2016 Rimaster establish sales offices in Belgium - RB, France - RF, and Germany - RG, strengthening itself as a player in the competitive market. Rimaster Trading - NRT, is also started for the purpose of simplifying Rimaster’s purchasing of materials between Europe and China.
In 2018, Rimaster establishes yet another production company in Serbia, Rimaster Paracin - RS, to take the pressure off those already existing within the Group.
With some 600 employees by the end of the first decade of the new millennium, Rimaster has now developed into a global system supplier, with focus on simplicity and cooperation for its customers within specialist vehicles. And by 2024 it has a staff complement of approx. 1,400.
And to further strengthen the company’s status as a global system supplier, the Rimaster story also includes the addition to fits own products, such as riCab, riCon, riFuse and riInforce.
When you read all this, it may appear as the road has been an easy one for Rimaster, but we’ve certainly had our share of setbacks as well.
It has not only been the telecom crisis of the early 2000´s that has forced us to do some restructurings and staff cuts.
Influences in the surroundings in the year of 2008 and 2011/12 led to severe economic downturns and they had a bad impact for Rimaster.
Lesser fluctuations continue to occur, and decisions have needed to be made accordingly.
Rimaster’s preparedness is strengthened a little from each adversity, and the lessons learnt make us a bit better equipped for the next challenge.
However, it’s difficult to predict what is to come in the future.
If anything, that has been the great lesson learnt from the most recent and unexpected downturn that hit the entire world (including Rimaster), the Covid-19 pandemic, which has had everyone in its grip between the years 2020-2022.
Rimaster has managed the pandemic well, despite the circumstances, much thanks to wise employees who have been acting responsibly and been committed to following the restrictions and savings we’ve been forced to do in order to remain a strong player in the market.
Jan-Olof continued to be active in Rimaster, now as a president of the board in each local Rimaster company and vice president of the Group board. Tomas Stålnert take the role as the CEO for the Group in the year of 2015 and have this role until the year of 2024. When Stålnert is leaving Rimaster in the year of 2024, the owners ask Jan-Olof to take the role as temporary CEO for the Group.
Together with vice CEO Pernilla Norman, all the local MD and the global functions in the Group Jan-Olof is now taking the responsibility of the strategic and operative work in Rimaster to strengthen and develop Rimater for the future.
In the end of 2019, head-owner, Per Carlsson´s daughter and son, Linda Kajelm and Tobias Carlsson, join their father and becomes co-owners in Rimaster.
The owners' strategy and plan is to stabilize and grow together with everyone in the whole Rimaster organization - and become a long-term sustainable company.
Today it is approx. 1400 employees in Rimaster that works in eleven different Rimaster-companies in the world.
For more local and detailed information for each Rimaster company, please click on the pins in the map.
Our expansive production capacity comprises electrical systems, electronics, mechanics, development and assembly.
Quality assurance together with our competences - from development, material procurement, production, and delivery - means that in Rimaster we have the ability to meet the high demands placed on a partner within system integration.
QUALITY IS IMPORTANT at Rimaster.
To always dare to ask if you are insure, to help each other, to follow the instructions and designs that you have plus the control methods we use will help us to secure that we only deliver correct products.
To become an even better system integration partner Rimaster also develops our own proprietary products. These provide our customers with even more interesting, cost-effective and reliable end products.
The service areas we have to offer at Rimaster within the realm of system integration is:
Wiring harnesses is produced in all the production companies at Rimaster. These harnesses where the first thing we were very good at in Rimaster.
In the production line the first step is to cut the cables. Sometimes you must make some gradation, crimp connectors, and put markings directly at the machine where you cut the cable. The following steps in the production line is to crimp connectors, mark/gradation, read the drawings and put all the material together to a wiring harness.
And as a final step you must get the harnesses tested and get an OK before we send the product to our customer.
Every product that leaves Rimaster should be checked and tested before we deliver to the customer.
In this product area Rimaster Electrosystem - RES, do bigger batches than other products. In other Rimaster company we still produce small batches of battery cables.
In this production line the cables are bigger and heavier compared to our other production lines.
These battery cables are more powerful systems and are used for the power supplies in forklifts and other special vehicles. - both to drive the unit´s motor as well as for the charger units for their batteries.
The main process of manufacture battery cables is cutting and peeling of cables, crimping or ultrasound welded connectors.
An ultrasound welded connector takes demands less space and are more flexible.
At the assembling part of the process line, you can also add other materials as handles and code pins for example. Those handles ancd code pins are two of our own products.
Our major customers in this service area are Toyota, Jungheinrich and Micropower.
Rimaster manufactures many different types of electronics and offers everything from prototype production and series production of surface-mounted circuit boards to complex control units.
We often receive inquiries from both new and existing customers, concerning electronics used in connecting us closer to the customer which together creates a more embracing system solution.
Pre-assembled units with mechanics, electronics and associated cabling, a so-called “box-build”, is a rational and cost-effective solution preferred by many of our customers. We have extensive experience in design and development as well as installation of all the necessary software.
The automatic surface mounting can handle most of the component sizes available on the market. Hole mounting is carried out by hand and soldering takes place in a selective soldering unit or in a wave soldering unit. We also offer component casting and complete circuit boards.
The electronic production in Rimaster is only Rimaster Development - RD, that can handle today in our group.
And as before this remaine with quality assured processes with subsequent function tests.
If required, we also do high voltage and insulation tests. Automated control take place with help of advanced AOI*
*AOI - Automated Optical Inspection.
Areas of use - Medicine, marine technology, communication systems, railwails, agriculture, renewable energy etc.
The control panels with their buttons and various lights in a specialist vehicle are almost always the first thing you see when you get behind the steering wheel or steering controls when you get into the vehicle. These panels can be seen as an empty shell that are to be filled with cables, controls and other components.
The process to produce a control panel is relatively similar the process you use when you are manufacturing wiring harnesses, just add that everything should be built into a box or a panel.
Before deliver the product to the customer the testing must be done. Some of the control panels are tested byt the RTP-test - Rimaster´s proprietary test platform.
Major customers within this service area are Enertech, Haulotte and Epiroc.
Our control panels are currently being built by Rimaster Development - RD, Rimaster Electrosystem - RES,
Rimaster Poland - RP, and Rimaster Ningbo - RN.
Electrical cabinets and Industrial cabinets that are primarily used in the process industry, generally have more expensive components if we compare with our other service areas.
The production process for an electrical cabinet is quite the same as when you manufacture the control panel.
Since the cost of buying the components has a major impact on the selling price, means that the purchasing process has an important role. That is why, one part of the process is to attempt to concentrate component volumes to only a few brand. Not every time our customers can see the benefits of this at first but being close to our customers, we can by dialogue explain their profits by doing that way.
For Rimaster to remain competitive it is improtant for us to concentrate the brands of our incoming components.
Epiroc, and Atlas Copco Belgium are among the major customers for Rimaster in this service area.
Rimaster Cab & Mechanics - RCM, is the production company in our group that builds cabs intended for work machines. Rimaster is conscious of a great business interest centred on machine cabs since these offer good opportunities for closer cooperation with the customer.
Many of our different competences and strength are often included in the deals regarding the cabs.
We are offering the Total solutions from Rimaster by including design assignments, electronics, electrical systems, wiring harnesses, and mechanics.
Our ambition is to deliver a complete cab with turnkey soulutions, ready to be connected to a machine, adapted by the customer's specific needs and with different variants or options.
Different arrangements form the part of deals
Assembly and testing in accordance with customer specification; for example. Epiroc, which manufactures machines for mines. All included material is purchased.
Mechanical manufacturing with assembly and testing in accordance with customer specification; for example Linde and Plantma. Rimaster manufactures the shells to the cabs and other included plates.
Development assignments in accordance with the customer requirements specification; for example Ditch Witch that drills horizontally in the ground for pipe-work. Rimaster manufactures the cab with included plates, assembles and tests.
Purchasing and logistics; Our suppliers are a prerequisite. Saf-T Cab which supplies the complete Eprioc shells to the cabs for Epiroc as well as various Rimaster companies that manufacture electrical systems and wiring harnesses are example of suppliers to RCM.
Approx. 40 working hours in the production line of cabs and mechanics; Cutting with laser in sheet metal, edge bending and welding. Surface treatment are done externally.
Approx. 40–80 working hours in the production line - installation of a cab;The installation of glass panes, installation of electrical systems and wiring harnesses from Rimaster companies as well as other included materials, adjustment, programming and test.
In our Rimaster group it is only the production company Rimaster Cab & Mechanics - RCM, that operates in the mechanical service area.
The principal customers in this service area are besides our own riCab, the other Rimaster companies, Granbergs whose manufactured products include disability-adapted equipment, HITAB, Europtempest and Saab Surveillance.
The most active elements of the mechanics production line are cutting metal sheets with laser, edge pressing, welding and to a certain degree assembly.
The production process of these products takes place in a molding machine which is currently located at Rimaster Electrosystem - RES, and Rimaster Paracin - RS.
High pressure mouldingi - plastic granules are sucked through a heated tube – the heat melts the granules into a viscous mass which is high pressure sprayed into a steel mould. The mass is allowed to cool and harden in the mould.
This process is used to produce riCon and the products that are connected to riCon - products that we have develope and manufactured by ourselves. High pressure molding is done in RES.
Low pressure moulding – plastic granules are used in this process too. The granules are allowed to run into a container where they are heated into a light liquid mass which is sprayed under low pressure into a mould. After given cooling time the mass becomes a softer plastic product. This process do we use when we manufacture our own product riInforce.
The low pressure molding is done in RS.
riCab – our own designed and produced cab developed primarily for the agricultural industry. We hope and believe that the market will open up even more over time.
riCab is manufactured by Rimaster Cab & Mechanics - RCM.
Sheet metal elements are cut out in a laser machine, bent in an edge press, and then welded together. The painting of the cab is subcontracted to an external supplier. Wiring harnesses and panels within the cab are manufactured mostly from Rimaster Poland - RP, and are installed by assemblers in RCM, as well as windows and plastic parts.
riCon – Rimasters proprietary battery connector which meets the standard for battery to the fork-lifts. This battery connector is done in our high pressure molding process.
Only the production in Rimaster Electrosystem - RES, is currently producing riCon and are engaged in everything from design to manufacturing.
The major customers of riCon is Toyota Material Handling, Jungheinrich and Micropower.
riFuse – replaces traditional fuses in vehicles and are manufactured by Rimaster Development - RD.
To try to explain in the simplest way you may say that riFuse works as an intelligent box of fuses. The bos is programmed according to the customer or the driver´s needs.
Insurance levels can also be adjusted over time.
For example, allowing an amperage level for a short time when starting the engine anten automatically adjusting down after a few milliseconds.
The pre-soldered circuit boards included in a riFuse are sealed via a casting process to ensure that they become more durable and able to withstand tougher environments, such as exposure to dirt and moisture.
riInforce – Rimaster’s proprietary over-molded connectors – i.e., the connectors mounted on a wiring harness are over-molded with plastic. These products are done in our low- pressure molding process.
The wiring harnesses that are used to riInforced are manufactured and molded in Rimaster Paracin - RS. Rimaster France - RF, is responsible for the technical and production design.
Over-molding is carried out to give the contacts an extra level of sealing, which makes the wiring harness resistant to harsh environments where there can be vibration, dirt or moisture.
This is typical in the construction and mining industries and in agriculture.
That is why it is imperative to follow the IPC standards that have been developed for different classifications of durability in these tougher environments.
Customers can acquire the desired wiring harnesses length and have their own logo stamped into the over-molding.
Rimaster Development - RD includes its own development department.
They are together with Rimaster France - RF and
Rimaster Benelux - RB, our development specialists.
This special force is behind the ideas of several of Rimaster´s own products from the outset. They also assist our customers to develop new products or to develop customers ongoing concepts.
Besides their own creative brains, they constructors also use other tools and processes. For example, they have 3-D drawing software especially where wiring harnesses is concerned.
There must be assemblers in our productions to work with producing prototypes, i.e., samples of what has been drawn and produced, to ensure that the drawing, circuit and wiring diagrams work as intended. And in this process of prototype make sure that the right material is included.
During the development phase it may be necessary to build several prototypes before production of what is called the first sample can be done. First sample - i.e., the first copy that will go into production. After the first sample has been made there may some be changes, but in that case they will be termed as revisions.
Among our major customers in this service area are Konecranes, Huddig and Bruks.
Besides the electrical systems RD are developing we also develop products containing high amounts of mechanical elements.
In this case the development will be in Rimaster Cab & Mechanics - RCM. In RCM thy have the greatest knowledge of design regarding complete system solutions where a high mechanical content is the basis of the construction.
Rimaster's vision and direction for the future is to be an innovative partner creating proximity and simplicity to our customers in a global, developing and sustainable industry.
These words from our vision needs to be constantly found in our work.
These words are also the words that form the basis of our values.
To us these values form the basis for giving our customers a stable overall solution – Rimaster Total Solution
In our contact and in our collaboration with the customer the meaning of each word is separately described as follows:
We do everything possible to maintain close cooperation with our customers. We have a contact point with close dialogue to help us understand the customer’s needs and we conduct regular meetings to promote long-term relationships.
We meet our customers’ needs with flexible and adaptable offers founded on robust processes and well-established business models.
By making careful choices with stable, quality-assured processes in terms of economy, health and safety and the environment, our goals is to have as little negative impact on our surroundings as possible and as easy for the customer as possible.
In this way we also become a sustainable partner.
We follow our customers. By operating in a variety of places around the globe, we can thereby become the system supplier we want to be and by our simplicity transfer processes and products while also providing support through local development.
Today the industrial customers in Rimaster operate globally and that is why we have chosen to accompany them out into the world. All with the aim of fulfill our vision of proximity, simplicity, and global, to be the developing sustainable partner with a long-term perspective.
A sustainable business is an important target for us at Rimaster. That will cost both time and money. For this reason it is imperative that we stricke a balance between growth and profitability.
This is to give us the financial muscle to cope those thougher times and thus be a long-term sustainable company.
To continue the plan we have with our goals for the future we constantly need to increase our skills and improves our processes and structrures.
The automation and investments in machine and employees are a part of make a sustainable business. And all this will be done in the whole group of Rimaster when the needs are existing.
Needs that are determined through strategic planning will secure right knowledge and that the competence will be used in the right way.
Our profitability is important - Rimaster needs to be well equipped to deal with every bump on our way to be a long-term sustainable company. This is so to give us the financial muscle to cope with tougher times, and thus be a long-term sustainable company.
The culture of a company is developed over a long period of time.
It is the very core and foundation of how our norms and values are built. The culture, standards and values of a company should serve as a guide for our behaviour as individuals, colleagues, managers and as a business partner.
All of us who work within Rimaster is a part of the Rimaster family and the basic values we want to characterize that family are based on the vision that Rimaster has.
To clarify what this value set means, we have clarified following:
These values are strongly linked to the HR policy currently found at Rimaster, namely:
Our goal for Rimaster employees isto have a good knowledge of our organization and be able to see each role in the organisation within the greater perspective.
We want to provide opportunity and clarity in how you as an employee can deepen your commitment to continue to develop in our organization.
When we combine the individual skills and competences of all our employees into one entirety, this becomes Rimaster’s collective competence. It is by using the Rimaster family’s combined expertise that we can create competitive advantages and successfully meet our customers in the marketplace.