In this special 65th-anniversary edition reflection blog, we’re looking back on West End Rad’s early days of automotive work, and how we transitioned to becoming industry leaders in industrial cooling systems.
When West End Rad opened 65 years ago, industrial heat exchangers weren’t part of the picture yet. Over time, we expanded into them to meet growing industry needs and new challenges.
Join us as we look back at the evolution of our work and how we became leaders in industrial cooling systems!
This Post Covers:
- The Early Days of Automotive Repairs
- The Winnipeg Radiator Manufacturing Landscape from 1960 to 2000
- How West End Rad Entered the Heavy-Duty Market
- West End Rad’s Transition From Automotive to Heavy-Duty
- West End Radiators: Leaders in Industrial Cooling Systems
The Early Days of Automotive Repairs
When West End Radiators first opened in 1960, we were a small local shop focused entirely on automotive radiators.
Heavy-duty and industrial cooling systems weren’t on our radar yet.
Following WWII, North America saw a massive surge in car ownership for two reasons:
- Families who had never owned a vehicle before were buying their first
- Those who already had a car were upgrading to newer models
As a result, the automotive service industry in Winnipeg grew rapidly.
Radiator repairs and maintenance became essential services. And our shop quickly became part of the growing industry.
In those early days we built our reputation for quality and long-lasting heat exchanger repairs.
The Winnipeg Radiator Manufacturing Landscape from 1960 to 2000
From the 1960s to the early 2000s, the radiator industry in Winnipeg looked very different than it does today.
Back then, if you needed a newly manufactured automotive radiator, there were two primary suppliers in the entire city.
Every one of the 20+ radiator shops in Winnipeg – including West End Radiators – depended on these two manufacturers to source new replacement heat exchanger parts.
was becoming a hotspot for new radiator shops.
grow and modernize after WWII
Because of this setup, multiple factors were tied directly to these suppliers. Such as:
- Turnaround times
- Part availability
- Product quality
These local supply-chain dynamics shaped how the industry operated.
It’s what inspired us early on to consider manufacturing our own parts.
How West End Rad Entered the Heavy-Duty Market
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the radiator industry started to shift.
Automotive radiators became more disposable.
Manufacturers were building cheaper, non-repairable units. And this made traditional repair jobs less common.
At the same time, our team began noticing a growing demand for industrial and heavy-duty cooling system repairs.
To start finding heavy-duty jobs to build West End Rad’s expertise in the 90s, brothers/owner’s Pete and Arnold Feeleus, began attending heavy-duty trade shows.
They spoke directly with equipment operators and fleet managers.
And something clicked…
They saw just how many operators were struggling with overheating and downtime.
And that insight became the foundation for West End Rad’s shift into the heavy-duty market.
West End Rad’s Transition From Automotive to Heavy-Duty
Our team began to take on more heavy-duty jobs.
And with each project, our capabilities grew.
We invested in new equipment and expanded our shop’s capacity for bigger jobs.
Slowly but steadily, the business shifted.
Automotive work became a smaller part of what we did, and heavy-duty cooling systems became our new focus.
West End Radiators: Leaders in Industrial Cooling Systems
Sixty-five years after opening our doors, West End Rad looks very different from the small automotive shop we started as.
What sets us apart is simple: we’re one of the few shops in Canada that can do everything in-house.
Over the last two decades, we’ve taken everything we learned from our automotive roots and used it to build two state-of-the-art manufacturing plants for industrial copper-brass and aluminum heat exchangers.
Additionally, we’ve expanded our company across the prairies.
Over the past five years, we’ve opened two new locations in Saskatchewan — Estevan and Saskatoon.
From our early automotive days to becoming leaders in heavy-duty cooling systems, our goal has always been to evolve to meet the needs of our customers.
Learn more about all the services we offer by calling our sales team:
Toll-free: 1-877-RAD-CORE (723-2673)
Winnipeg: 1-204-633-5648
Estevan: 1-306-634-2055
Saskatoon: 1-306-934-7005
Check out our 65th anniversary landing page for more exciting news, content, events and more!
