In this special 65th-anniversary edition reflection blog, we’re looking back on why we chose Manitoba to be the hub of our core manufacturing plants, and why we value supporting the local manufacturing industry.
Manufacturing custom aluminum and copper-brass cores is our bread and butter at West End Rad. But why did we choose Manitoba as the place to do it?
Join us as we reflect on why we built our core manufacturing plants in the heart of Canada, and why staying local helps strengthen Western Canada’s industrial cooling industry.
This Post Covers:
- Why Local Manufacturing Matters in Manitoba
- Why We Chose to Build Our Manufacturing Plants in Manitoba
- Inside Manitoba’s Only Copper-Brass Core Manufacturing Plant — One of a Kind in Western Canada
- The Benefits of Copper-Brass Core Manufacturing in Manitoba
- Inside Western Canada’s Only Aluminum Core Manufacturing Plant
- The Benefits of Aluminum Core Manufacturing in Manitoba
- Supporting Western Canada With Local Manufacturing
Why Local Manufacturing Matters in Manitoba
Since the early 2000s when West End Rad started building copper-brass radiators, we’ve believed local manufacturing creates stronger products and a stronger community.
Why?
Because local manufacturing gives us full control over quality, consistency and turnaround times.
Therefore, allowing us to deliver reliable, long-lasting radiators built for Canada’s most heavy-duty industries.
Additionally, manufacturing radiators in Manitoba helps us reinvest directly into the community that has supported us for the past 65 years.
Why We Chose to Build Our Manufacturing Plants in Manitoba
West End Radiators opened its doors in 1960 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
This city is where we got our start and where many of our long-term customer relationships began. So, building our manufacturing plants in Winnipeg was a no-brainer.
Since then, we’ve expanded our locations across the Prairie Provinces.
And have developed efficient shipping procedures to move our custom manufactured cores across the country.
Keeping production in Manitoba allows us to create jobs and contribute to a stronger manufacturing sector across the province that gave our business our start.
Further to this, we chose to keep our core manufacturing in the heart of Manitoba because of:
1. Manitoba’s skilled workforce
Here in Manitoba, we’re fortunate to have a strong and growing skilled workforce that’s backed by some of the best trades training programs in Western Canada.
Post-secondary institutions like Red River College Polytechnic offer hands-on trades and technology programs. The applied learning learned in their welding and manufacturing programs have led us to hire strong individuals for these departments.
The Manitoba government also invests in the manufacturing sector. It offers grants and funding programs that help businesses like ours modernize equipment and expand our manufacturing capacity.
2. Central location
Because we operate right in the middle of Canada, we’re in the hub of the country.
So we’re quickly able to ship our parts to the East and West coast.
In addition to these advantages, keeping our custom radiator manufacturing plants in Manitoba helps support the broader local manufacturing sector.
Plus, it helps support Canadian heavy-duty industries that rely on durable heat exchangers built for extreme environments.
Not to mention, manufacturing in Manitoba has helped us expand our capabilities.
Like building one of Western Canada’s only aluminum core manufacturing plants!
Inside Manitoba’s Only Copper-Brass Core Manufacturing Plant — One of a Kind in Western Canada
Our first iteration of a copper-brass core manufacturing plant opened in 2002 in our 2008 Logan service centre.
But after 20+ years of sharing a space with our service centre, it was time for our manufacturing plant moved into its own space.
That’s why in 2025, we opened our brand new copper-brass core manufacturing plant located directly beside our Winnipeg service centre at 2010 Logan Avenue.
Today, our Manitoba copper-brass manufacturing plant is full of new features we’re excited about, including:
Upgraded Heavy-Duty Copper-Brass Machinery
At our new location, we’ve been able to get brand new fin tables, allowing us to increase our work capacity.
A Cleaner, Healthier Workspace
We improved our ventilation to reduce smoke and have a healthier environment for our workers.
The Benefits of Copper-Brass Core Manufacturing in Manitoba
Manufacturing copper-brass cores in Winnipeg has made a huge difference for our team and our customers.
Overall, there are many advantages to local copper-brass radiator manufacturing:
1. Quicker Delivery Times
Because we build heat exchangers locally, we are able to get parts to our customers quickly.
2. Quality Control
Since we custom manufacture copper-brass heat exchangers in-house, we are able to ensure that our parts are 100% leak free and ready for the toughest heavy-duty environments.
3. Building for Local Conditions
As a Western Canadian manufacturer, we know all about Canada’s uniquely extreme weather.
Living through the hot summers and harsh winters reminds us how important it is to build our copper-brass heat exchangers to handle the Canadian climate.
Inside Western Canada’s Only Aluminum Core Manufacturing Plant
After years of consulting and researching, we opened Western Canada’s only aluminum core manufacturing division in Winnipeg.
This was an incredible milestone for our team.
Not only because it marked a major step forward in our shop’s capabilities.
But also because it meant we could produce high-quality aluminum cores locally, something no one else in the region was doing.
With our Winnipeg aluminum core manufacturing plant, we’ve been able to:
Reduce downtime for Western Canadian aluminum heat exchanger repairs
By manufacturing aluminum heat-exchangers in-house, we are able to cut cross-country delays for Western Canadian customers.
Build custom aluminum cooling systems stronger than the OEM
We use stronger tubes, 4x thicker headers and heavier gauge fins. All factors that contribute to an aluminum core that’s heavier and longer lasting than an OEM cooling system.
The Benefits of Aluminum Core Manufacturing in Manitoba
Opening this plant reaffirmed our belief in choosing Manitoba for our manufacturing plants.
Overall, there are many advantages to manufacturing aluminum radiators in Western Canada:
1. Offering Local Customization Options
Getting a custom aluminum heat exchanger in Western Canada used to be practically impossible.
Now we offer custom aluminum parts in the heart of Canada, making specialized aluminum cooling systems easier for everyone to access.
2. Reducing Canadian Supply Chain Delays
Keeping production in Manitoba cuts out long shipping routes, border delays and unpredictable lead times.
3. Leading Innovation in the Prairies
Because we’re the only aluminum core manufacturer in Western Canada, we can innovate in real time, strengthening Manitoba’s role in the future of heavy-duty cooling systems.
Supporting Western Canada With Local Manufacturing
Ultimately, keeping our manufacturing in Manitoba allows us to build better products, support our community, and push Western Canada’s heavy-duty industry forward.
Want to learn more about our manufacturing capabilities? Reach out to our sales team to find out more!
Toll-free: 1-877-RAD-CORE (723-2673)
Check out our 65th anniversary landing page for more exciting news, content, events and more!
