Founder Robert H. Scales and his sons in 1965
R.H. Scales Co. first opened its doors for business back in 1933 on Brookline Ave. in Boston, a couple of doors down from old Fenway Park. Robert H. Scales, our founding father, originally started the business as a true “wheel & rim” distributor, selling nothing other than auto, truck, and trailer wheels. From that era, the company has evolved into a multi category warehouse distributor selling products ranging from the wheels to trailer running gear to truck accessories to snow & ice control equipment.
Our first expansion occurred in the early 1970’s when we opened a 25,000 square foot warehouse in Springfield, MA. By that time, the company was still mainly a wheel and rim distributor, but now we also sold trailer hitches and other related trailer components.
Our third warehouse opened in Portland, Maine in January 1990 and it was at this time, we covered the 6 New England states entirely. This branch opening started an unprecedented growth spurt that saw us not only increase our branch count, but also our product offering. Albany, NY opened in March of 1995 and allowed us to effectively cover the eastern half of this state. It was at this time we also moved our corporate headquarters out of Boston’s Fenway area to the Rt. 128 belt encircling Boston. In time we came to outgrow even that facility and in 2016 we relocated to 135 Forbes Boulevard in Mansfield MA.
Hartford, CT opened in June of 1998 and finally, we opened White River Junction, VT in the early 2000’s to give us the 6 branches we have today. We had always been known for wheels and small trailer components, but around the time we moved into our Westwood headquarters, our business started to evolve even more rapidly. Some of the more important changes surfacing in the last 15 years came in the area of snow & ice control with the addition of Snowdogg & Saltdogg brand snow removal equipment, SAM aftermarket snowplow repair parts and a full offering of steel & rubber cutting edges. Not only did we expand our snow products, we also began to build our auto & truck accessory inventory. We had long had Draw-Tite & Reese trailer hitches, but we added Extang tonneau covers, Rugged bedliners , Auto Vent Shade window deflectors, Steelcraft tube steps, UWS tool boxes, and Weathertech interior & exterior automotive products among others.
These new products, coupled with the existing lines we have had for years, make us the company we are today. In reviewing our line sheet, you will see a diverse offering of products that give us a relatively unique customer base. Typically, we group these products into 5 categories as shown on our line card:
• Automotive & light truck vehicle parts & accessories
• Wheels, Rims & HD Fleet products
• Trailer & towing equipment and accessories
• Service shop supplies & equipment
• Snow & Ice control equipment and parts
As we move into the next decade, we are sure R.H. Scales Co. will continue to evolve, but more than that, we are committed to being a warehouse distributor that prides itself on its commitment to its customers, its vast product knowledge, and its ability to supply relevant products quickly and at a fair price !