RimPro-Tec North America is showing its Wheel Bands, which the company said defend rims with style, at its SEMA Show/Global Tire Expo booth #45310.

According to the company, Wheel Bands feature a patented, three-component design that puts an attractive band of tough PVC plastic between valuable wheels and hazards like curbs, car wash rails and drive-up window barriers. Customers can personalize their wheels with easy-to-swap-out color inserts that can be snapped into the mounting tracks in just a few minutes. Quick installation to rims is achieved using a specially formed, one-size fits all, 3M acrylic foam tape backed PVC mounting track that can be applied to 13- to 22-inch wheels, the company added.

At the SEMA Show, Wheel Bands is seeking retail outlets and distributors to market this new product.

“Wheel Bands is a ‘seeing it is believing it’ product,” said Jim Capo, vice president of engineering at RimPro-Tec North America. “You can add color to your wheels with what is in effect a bumper for your easy-to-scuff rims. The elegance of the Wheel Bands design is that the foam tape, mounting track and insert all act together to distribute the energy of impacts to rims from curbs and other objects. Where an exposed rim can end up with hundreds of dollars of damage from an unpleasant event with a curb, a scuffed Wheel Band color insert can be easily be replaced or simply popped out, flipped over and snapped back in.”

While the initial target distribution channel for Wheel Bands is in the aftermarket retail space, Aiello says the product also is being positioned to become an optional accessory in the OEM channel.

Wheel Bands can be ordered online at www.wheelbands.com and at some select retailers.

Attendees that stop by the RimPro-Tec booth can enter to win a free set of Wheel Bands in twice-daily drawings. Wheel Bands can also be seen in the New Product Showcase.