White Industries is expanding into complete wheels through the acquisition of totemic hoop maker Rolf Prima and its sister brand Astral Cycling.
The parts manufacturer has custom-built hubs for rim and wheel makers Rolf Prima and Astral Cycling since 2004 and 2017 respectively.
Because they have been working together for so long, the companies say business will continue as usual after the purchase, which went through on 1 January this year.
Doug White started White Industries in his garage in Marin County, California, in 1978. Besides precision-made freehubs, White Industries produces bottom brackets, freewheels, headsets and cranksets.
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After retiring in 2020, he handed over to his son Alec, who will continue running White Industries and oversee Rolf Prima and Astral Cycling.
General manager of both wheel brands, Jimmy Krigbaum, will remain in charge at their Oregon hub.
Former owner of Rolf Prima and Astral Cycling, Brian Roddy, will leave the companies. White Industries says it does not plan any other staff changes.
Rolf Prima co-founder Rolf Dietrich invented paired spokes in 1996. The innovation saw pairs of spokes attached to the rim in a bid to nullify left and right outward pulling forces.
This allows wheels to be built with a lighter rim and fewer spokes, lowering weight and improving aerodynamics, according to the brand.
Dietrich incorporated the technology into Rolf Vector Pro tubular wheels. Rolf sponsored the US Postal Service Team in 1999 when Lance Armstrong rode the wheels on a Trek 5500 to his first Tour de France victory.
After Rolf’s contract with Trek ended, Dietrich rolled out Rolf Prima with Roddy and others in 2002.
Rolf Prima released its first carbon tubular wheels in 2006. Its first carbon clinchers came in 2012 when the brand also re-entered the mountain bike wheels market.
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By 2016, Rolf Prima was making both aluminium and carbon rims in-house in Oregon.
The company set up Astral Cycling in 2017. It makes standard drilled rims, traditionally laced road bike wheels, adventure/gravel wheels and components, such as seatposts.
In 2019, Rolf Prima redesigned its rim profiles to make them wider and tubeless compatible.