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