RIO 80 years: the flame that started in 1946 keeps creating movement

RIO 80 years: Back in 1946, if someone in Rio do Sul (SC) was looking for mechanical services—especially for sawmills or cassava starch industries—they would likely end up at a small, newly founded metalworking shop, full of a can-do attitude. That’s how Metalúrgica Riosulense was born. On that simple but solid foundation began a journey that would span decades, marketplaces, and technologies, eventually becoming the RIO we know today: a company that grows consistently, raises standards, and brings together people who are passionate about engines and about delivering great results.

Celebrating 80 years isn’t just about looking back with pride. It’s about recognizing the strength of every stage along the way. It’s about remembering that nothing happened by accident—it’s the result of serious work, a strong culture, the courage to invest, and the ability to evolve without losing sight of our essence. The flame that started small kept burning—and over time, became a light for many people. That’s why this post is a thank you, a milestone, and an invitation: the story continues—and so does the movement.

In 1946, a spark. In 2026, 80 years of movement.

Some companies grow by seizing opportunities. Others by persistence. RIO grew through purpose and consistency: learning, improving, investing, and delivering more—always with responsibility.

Every decade, the industrial landscape changed. The automotive market evolved. Demands increased. Technology accelerated. And RIO always responded the same way: with well-executed work, strategic decisions, and an unwavering commitment that remains non-negotiable: quality, innovation, people, and sustainability walking hand in hand.

A tradition of creating movement: when evolution becomes part of your DNA

RIO’s relationship with the automotive sector quickly grew stronger. What began as a first step turned into a road. What was initially a service became a specialty. What was once regional began to reach increasingly higher standards of excellence.

And for RIO, “creating movement” has never been just a pretty phrase. It’s practical. It’s a mindset. It’s how the company sees its own role: transforming knowledge and engineering into solutions, strengthening partnerships, and maintaining a culture that values what truly sustains every achievement—people.

Innovation in the DNA: technology that accelerates, precision that sustains

For RIO, innovation isn’t an event—it’s a routine. Innovation happens as we improve processes, reduce waste, accelerate development, boost reliability, and invest in what strengthens our future.

This involves major decisions—like expanding facilities, modernizing production lines, and investing in automation—and also daily choices: measuring better, controlling better, testing better, developing better. When the company uses technology to move forward, it’s not just “modernizing”—it’s making sure that every delivery continues to live up to what the brand has stood for over decades: trust.

Timeline—RIO 80 years of transformation

RIO’s journey is marked by milestones showing evolution with direction. Below, the complete timeline as recorded in company history:

1946 — the beginning

1946: Metalúrgica Riosulense is founded, offering mechanical services for sawmills and cassava starch industries.

1956–1988 — moving into the automotive sector and industrial consolidation

1956: Begins activities in the automotive market by producing valve guides.
1968: Develops the first metal alloys.
1980: Auto parts production becomes the company’s main activity, focusing on Valve Guides and Seats. Major growth in precision lathe and eccentric press manufacturing.
1988: Goes public.

1990–2009 — expanding structure, new products, new horizons

1990: Opens a new plant, still in use today.
1994: Major investments in machinery, laboratories, and professionals, especially to meet automaker requirements.
1995: Starts expanding parts exports.
1999: Begins producing crankshaft rings.
2000: Riosulense’s excellence consolidates its role as a supplier to major automakers.
2001: Receives ISO 9001 certification and launches Valve Springs and Guide Reamers.
2005: Starts manufacturing Cylinder Liners and increases production capacity for tappets focused on exports.
2006: Builds Foundry II, focused on larger parts and serving automakers.
2009: Adds Valves to its product portfolio.

2011–2018 — new markets and certifications

2011: Starts a new production line, supplying railway parts.
2014: Becomes the first Brazilian foundry to receive the international Transportation and Power Generation certificate.
2018: Achieves IATF 16946:2016 certification.

2019–2025 — rebranding, award-winning innovation, automation, and recognition

2019: Metalúrgica Riosulense becomes RIO, undergoing a brand repositioning. Opens a Prototype Factory and starts supplying Camshafts, Piston Rings, Rocker Arms, and Nozzle Sleeves.
2020: Wins the Neoway Advisor award (for Big Data and AI use) and launches Pistons and Piston Ring Kits.
2021: Wins 1st place at the SC Innovation Award, is certified as a Great Place to Work, and invests in robotization of the Valve Guides production line.
2022: Wins AGCO’s Best Supplier Award and invests in automating the Cylinder Liner line.
2023: Wins DEI award (John Deere) and Best Supplier award (Maxion), achieves ISO 14001 environmental certification, and launches Bearings, Gaskets, Camshaft Kits, and Cylinder Head Bolts.
2024: Receives Cummins Innovation award and makes major investments in machinery and plant expansion.
2025: Awarded as PARTNER Supplier (John Deere), receives the GPTW certification for the fifth year running, begins automation of foundry lines, and boosts quality control and metrology.

Passionate about engines—and about the future

If there’s something that’s endured through all these decades, it’s how RIO sees growth: to grow means to evolve responsibly. This is why quality and sustainability don’t compete—they strengthen each other.

ISO 14001 certification is an important milestone in this journey, but our commitment goes beyond badges: it’s visible in our culture, our processes, and in our daily decision to do better today to ensure a stronger tomorrow. Likewise, investments in automation, robotics, and metrology aren’t just about technology—they’re the practical translation of a clear purpose: to deliver with even more precision, consistency, and reliability.

RIO’s greatest strength: people

No achievement on our timeline exists without people. People who learn. People who dedicate themselves. People who build. People who make every day happen—with seriousness, courage, and pride in what they deliver.

It’s impossible to talk about this culture without remembering the legacy of founder João Stramosk. The flame he lit back in 1946 wasn’t just industrial—it was human. And that’s the heritage that sustains RIO to this day: a way of working that values what matters, respects relationships, and believes in the power of movement as transformation.

80 years—and the story goes on…

Reaching 80 years is an achievement, no doubt. But for RIO, it’s also a renewed commitment: to keep investing in technology, expanding capacity responsibly, raising quality standards, and strengthening the partnerships that brought us here.

To everyone who’s part of this story—employee, client, partner, supplier, and community—thank you. Your trust is what drives us. And with it, we move forward, ready for the next chapters.