Legacy
Our legacy is a testament to the foundation upon which we’ve built our future. From humble beginnings to becoming a world-class leader in developing coating solutions, we we celebrate our rich history while embracing what the future holds. Each of our key acquisitions bring a rich history and we strive to move forward together.
Trusted Solutions For decades
Founder of RIE, Randy Hanson, began his career in the coating business in the US Air Force corrosion control division. He later worked in the aerospace industry where he gained knowledge of corrosion resistant and other high tech coatings.
In 1987, Mr. Hanson founded RIE by initially servicing military contracts. The company quickly evolved as RIE began helping large, non-automotive companies implement the use of coatings to greatly enhance the products they are manufacturing.
KAEHR CORPORATION History
The newest addition to RIE, Kaehr Corporation served for over 70 years as a 3rd generation family run business earning the legacy of New Mexico’s oldest and most respected metal finisher.
In 1947, Raymond J. Kaehr and two partners formed Imperial Plating Works in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in response to the pent up demand for consumer goods after World War II. A couple of years later he bought out his partners and moved his family and business to Waterloo, Indiana and renamed it Kaehr Company.
He was persuaded by a fellow Hoosier living in Albuquerque, New Mexico to relocate there in 1954 as there was no commercial plater in the area to do work for the ACF (American Car & Foundry) plant that had contracts with the Atomic Energy Commission. The move was made and the plant was named Southwest Plating Company. In addition to doing government related work, Mr. Kaehr also established New Mexico’s first bumper plating and recycling business.
In 1964, the bumper plating operation was sold and the business moved to its present location on Candelaria Road operating as Kaehr Corporation. In 1984, an addition was added to support the ever increasing demand for anodizing and the aluminum chromate market. The business was purchased by Ron and Dolores Kaehr in the 1990’s, but Ray Kaehr continued to come to the shop daily to meet with our customers up until his death in 2002.
In 2005, a building was constructed for the painting and powder coating operations. It operated under the name of The Paint Shop until both businesses merged in 2012 under the Kaehr Corporation banner making it the largest one-stop metal finishing house in the state of New Mexico. It currently services the western United States and northern Mexico and is positioning itself to become the premier metal finisher in the entire region.
The Kaehr legacy lives on today as RIE continues to operate as the premiere metal finisher of the Southwest.
