RAE Corporation Celebrates Nearly 55 Years of Growth with Campus Expansion and Community Ribbon Cutting

Image of RAE Executives cutting a ribbon under a ballon arch at RAE Corporation

PRYOR, Okla. — RAE Corporation recently celebrated a series of significant milestones reflecting the company’s continued investment in its people, facilities, customers, and future. The celebrations began with a ribbon cutting ceremony and employee appreciation event at its manufacturing campus in MidAmerica Industrial Park.

The celebration marked far more than the opening of new facilities. It honored nearly 55 years of innovation, craftsmanship, and the people whose dedication has transformed RAE Corporation from a small Oklahoma manufacturer into one of the nation’s most respected privately held leaders in refrigeration and heat transfer solutions.

Image of RAE Corporation employees clapping as the ceremonial ribbon was cut for the Pryor manufacturing facility
Image of two women smiling in front of the Frios popsicle truck
Image of three women smiling and holding their iced coffee

Founded in 1971, RAE Corporation has grown from a local manufacturer into a nationally recognized leader in refrigeration and heat transfer solutions.

Today, the company employs more than 700 people while remaining a locally owned, family-operated business. RAE is committed to serving its customers, investing in its employees, and supporting the communities it calls home.

The recent campus expansion includes two new external storage enclosures, a new maintenance facility currently under construction, and expanded office and manufacturing space supporting multiple departments and National Accounts product lines. These improvements strengthen RAE’s manufacturing capabilities while creating additional capacity for future growth.

Community leaders joined members of RAE’s executive leadership team for the ceremonial ribbon cutting in Pryor. The guest list included representatives from the Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Pryor.

Representing RAE Corporation during the ceremony were Chief Financial Officer Dan Crofford, Vice President Jay Kindle, Vice President of Operations Damon Swank, and Vice President of Sales, Service & Marketing Jeremy Colvard.

Image of the executive team standing by the ceremonial ribbon while Damon Swank, VP. cuts the ribbon
Image of the RAE executive team clapping after cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

A New Chapter for RAE Corporation

Vice President of Operations Damon Swank welcomed employees, community leaders, and guests. He recognized the expansion as a reflection of the dedication, craftsmanship, and hard work of the people who made it possible before leading the ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony.

As with many memorable Oklahoma events, the afternoon took an unexpected turn. A strong summer thunderstorm swept across the campus just as festivities were getting underway. For about twenty minutes, employees, customers, community leaders, and guests gathered indoors while the rain passed through—a brief interruption that quickly became part of the day’s story.

Image of two men playing cornhole in the rain
Even in the Storms, RAE Employees Played Cornhole
Image of employees running to escape the rain right before the ribbon cutting ceremony
RAE Employees Fleeing the Storms Prior to the Event

Just as quickly as the skies had darkened, they cleared again. The sun emerged, lunch resumed, and guests set out to tour the expanded manufacturing facilities. By the afternoon’s end, employees and visitors were gathered outdoors enjoying games of cornhole, conversation, and fellowship beneath bright Oklahoma skies. The transition from storm clouds to sunshine became a fitting backdrop for a company reflecting on nearly 55 years of resilience, steady growth, and optimism for the future.

“These celebrations aren’t simply about new buildings,” said Vice President Damon Swank. “They’re about the people who have made RAE Corporation what it is today and the continued investment we’re making to support our employees, our customers, and the next generation of growth.”

Image of Damon Swank giving a speech before the ceremonial ribbon cutting
Vice President of Manufacturing, Damon Swank, Addresses Employees Before Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting

Expansion in Office and Manufacturing Space Across the United States

Earlier this year, RAE Corporation also expanded its regional presence with the opening of a new office and regional support location at 929 South Industry Way in Meridian, Idaho, within the Boise metropolitan area. The facility strengthens customer support throughout the Northwest while providing a strategically located shipping point for aftermarket parts serving RAE’s growing network of certified contractors and technicians, helping deliver faster response times and enhanced service across the region.

The company’s momentum continued the following Friday with a second ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of its newly renovated office at 1609 South Boston Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma. President and CEO Eric Swank joined Chief Financial Officer Dan Crofford, Vice President Jay Kindle, Vice President Damon Swank, and Vice President Jeremy Colvard in celebrating the opening alongside employees who now call the Tulsa office their home base.

Image of the five RAE Corp executives behind the ceremonial ribbon
Image of RAE Corp executive team, President Eric Swank cutting ceremonial ribbon in front of Tulsa office

The Tulsa office reflects RAE Corporation’s continued investment in its people. The space provides current and future employees with greater workplace flexibility while supporting administrative, sales, marketing, and other business functions outside of manufacturing operations in Pryor. A downtown location strengthens collaboration across support teams while positioning the company for continued long-term growth.

The Pryor celebration was part of RAE Extras, the company’s employee engagement program, and also highlighted a new time capsule initiative that will preserve memories from today’s workforce for employees and families to discover in 2046.

55 Years Strong, Many More Ahead!

As RAE Corporation approaches its 55th anniversary, this year’s investments—including expanded manufacturing capabilities in Pryor, a new regional support office in Meridian, Idaho, and a new Tulsa office supporting administrative operations—represent another milestone in a journey defined by continuous improvement, long-term investment, and a commitment to excellence that remains firmly rooted in Oklahoma.

A generous thank you to our community partners who contributed to the success of our ribbon cutting event, including our neighbor on S. Boston, Anthousai Florals, Frios Gourmet Pops, Travlin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck, Balloon Therapy Tulsa, and Party Perfect Rentals for helping us host two successful events.

To learn more about RAE Corporation, our history, our values, and our future, check out more of our website.

RAE Corporation is a family-owned and operated business. We proudly design, engineer, and assemble all our products in Pryor, Oklahoma.