When people engage in sports, Rex lubricates, equips, and maintains.

Rex was founded in 1952, and the company’s first product was the official torch cartridge for the Helsinki Olympics. Since then, our mission has been to produce high-quality chemical products for sports at the highest level.

Trusted in skiing circles worldwide

Rex is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ski waxes. We continuously collaborate with the world’s best national ski teams to develop new and even better ski waxes. Rex is particularly known for its race waxes, widely used in the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup by all leading teams. Rex race support travels around the world during the winter, testing and servicing the world’s best national ski teams.

Founded in 1952, Rex has an uninterrupted history of over seventy years in ski wax manufacturing. The kings of ski wax are born in our factory in the kingdom of Hartola. Rex is a Finnish family-owned company with deep-rooted traditions in Finnish winter sports spanning multiple generations.

Continuous product development in a changing skiing world

The world of ski glide wax has undergone significant changes in recent years, with liquid products largely replacing hot wax. Our commitment to product development has been continuous, and our product range has been rejuvenated at an unprecedented pace.

Rex’s liquid glides and cleaning agent, Glide Cleaner, have gained great popularity and changed how athletes and competitors wax and maintain their skis. Ski glide waxing in competitive skiing is evolving, and Rex’s fluoropowders, replacing N-Kinetic glide coatings, have been in use in World Cup races even before FIS’s fluorine ban. Rex offers a comprehensive range of both PFOA-free “Future Fluor” glide waxes and coatings, as well as fluorine-free N-Kinetic products.

Skin skis have brought many new people to the ski tracks, and Rex’s cleaning and maintenance products cover all the needs of skin ski users.

Smooth chains for cyclists

Our bike product range, launched in 2015, has gained comprehensive distribution in Finland. The innovative use of ski wax technology and a focus on products for demanding hobbyists and professionals have resulted in numerous Finnish championships and a good reputation among cyclists using Rex chain oil. Rex leads the chain lubrication development with Black Diamond chain oil and hot wax, both proven to be the best in independent tests. The rapidly growing “Rex Bike Division” has opened new doors for Rex in different countries and continents, even securing a Tour de France stage victory!

Follow Rex on social media

In addition to our website, you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Welcome to join the community of Rexperts!

Wishing you great skiing and cycling conditions,

Antti Peltonen / CEO
Oy Redox Ab

Contact information, Hartola factory

Oy Redox Ab
Keskustie 62
19600 Hartola
Finland
Phone: +358 3 876 0750
Email: info[a]rex.fi

Rex’s story, or how it all began

An Unfortunate Ski Trip in 1949

In the spring of 1949, three young chemists faced difficulties with their skis in the Lapland conditions. Sometimes the skis didn’t glide, other times they lacked grip, and at times they froze. During their evenings while gathering their strength, the men pondered whether they could improve ski waxing.

The need for effective waxes was pressing, and the basic idea was in place. They concluded that the waxes of a new era should be developed from synthetic raw materials that would always maintain consistent quality. Two years of hard work in the laboratory at the Helsinki University of Technology produced results. The waxes made from new materials and using innovative methods performed promisingly in tests.

The Bringer of Light to the Helsinki Olympics

One of the skiers on that fateful Lapland trip, DI Aarne Mahnala, founded Oy Redox Ab to handle wax production. However, the company’s first product was not ski wax but the torch for the Helsinki Olympic Games. After its completion, Rex waxes made their way to the Olympics and have been part of every competition, enhancing the performance of skiers.

The first REX products came to the market for the 1952-53 ski season. Skiers eagerly embraced REX, and Rex immediately entered into close cooperation with active skiers and wax masters. REX waxes performed excellently, and both competitive and recreational skiers adopted them. Over a few decades, Rex established a dominant position in the Finnish market, and its wax exports covered the entire skiing world.

At the Forefront of Ski Wax Development

The development of waxes has been and continues to be ongoing. Rex had a complete and widely-used wax series that had won medals in major competitions when wooden skis transitioned to polyethylene-based skis in 1974.

New REX waxes were quickly developed to meet the changing demands. Similarly, Rex has kept pace with the adoption of new materials such as silicones, fluorides, molybdenums, and polymers.

The company has relocated several times to accommodate the changing demands and production expansion. After Helsinki and Hyrylä, Rex settled in Hartola at the turn of the millennium.

Rex’s Partnership Teams

Rex continually develops and tests waxes in collaboration with the world’s best ski teams. Waxing solutions that perform well in competition are published in our race reports section. New products are developed and tested with the help of professionals before they reach store shelves. Rex waxes have contributed to winning numerous international medals!

  • Finnish National Cross-Country Ski Team
  • Swedish National Cross-Country Ski Team
  • Norwegian National Cross-Country Ski Team
  • Norwegian Men’s Allround Cross-Country Ski Team
  • Norwegian Women’s Cross-Country Ski Team
  • Finnish Biathlon National Team
  • IBU Norwegian Biathlon National Team
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