Trimac’s History

Trimac Industrial Systems, LLC has more than 30 years of history in solving industrial heating and cleaning problems. Originally founded as Infra-Red Technologies (IRT) in 1987, the company introduced gas catalytic infrared by introducing the very first infrared powder coating cure oven. IRT marketed their catalytic heaters under the brand name Gas-Cat. Over the next several decades, infrared ovens have been installed worldwide to cure products as delicate as the end of a fish hook to as large as a railroad car. Today is it estimated that over 30,000 Gas-Cat heater units have been shipped..

Curing Market Rapidly Changes with Infrared

The curing market was rapidly changing at the time of IRT’s founding as conversion of manufacturing lines from liquid paint to powder coating was in full swing. Because of catalytic infrared’s speed and quality in the curing process, IRT experienced strong growth. The IRT ovens also expanded into applications such as plastic thermoforming, airplane deicing, foundry cast heating. Some of the best applications have involved drying. Catalytic infrared is the superior technology to evaporate water, making it ideally suited for drying and dehydrating needs.To further the reach of IRT, in the late 1990’s the company began manufacturing other types of ovens including convection. While catalytic infrared is optimal in many cases, sometimes convection remains the best fit and now the company could offer a complete range of heating technologies including gas catalytic infrared and convection.

Water Based Cleaning Equipment Introduced

The cleaning side of the business was started also to take advantage of changing needs due to environmental issues. In 1986, Kemac Power Spray Systems was founded to manufacture aqueous (water based) cleaning equipment. It’s mission was to solve the growing problem manufacturers were having using solvents to clean their parts. Because of environmental concerns, manufacturers wanted to find a way to maintain the same cleaning and pretreatment standards but without the generation of hazardous waste from the solvent disposal. Kemac’s designs were to clean parts from precision to industrial applications using water-based cleaning. Kemac being one of the first aqueous parts washer manufacturers, soon had shipped machines worldwide. As the company grew, it also expanded its product range from cabinet designs for batch cleaning to flow through washers for conveyorized inline applications.

Kemac and Infra-Red Technologies Merge

In 2003, these two designs of Infra-Red Technologies and Kemac merged with their acquisition by Trimac Industries which later became Trimac Industrial Systems. With significant cleaning, drying and curing designs under one umbrella, Trimac has developed proprietary designs and in concert with our finishing focused systems integrator/distributor markets turnkey finishing systems. Trimac offers solutions no one else in the industry then or now can offer… the choice of convection or infrared as the heating technology for a finishing system.

Electric Infrared Joins Trimac Industrial Systems

Protherm Electric Infrared joined the Trimac Industrial Systems family of brands in 2017. Protherm was founded in 1985 after the demand for a high quality, reasonably priced electric infrared heater supplier was recognized. With innovative designs, unique heating elements, and high efficiencies, Protherm, LLC™ has become a leading manufacturer of electric infrared heaters to a worldwide customer base of OEM accounts end users.With the acquisition of Protherm LLC, Trimac Industrial Systems became the ONLY manufacturer of convection ovens, gas catalytic infrared ovens and electric infrared ovens in North America creating the most diverse offering of heating technologies in the marketplace. With all these heating technologies available, we are in a position to work with you to determine what the best process for your part is, selecting the optimal solution from multiple technologies.