Our History
RAS Cores has been buying automotive cores since 1972. Over fifty years, we've grown our product lines, opened new facilities, and built relationships with thousands of suppliers, without changing the thing that started it all: treating every supplier like a partner, not a transaction.
50+ Years Strong
RAS Cats continues to grow its operations, opening two new locations to better support automotive recyclers across the region.
Despite a down market, RAS continues to invest in the Catalytic Converter business: increasing production capacity, adding ICP capability to its lab, upgrading the CatPro buying tool, and launching YMM and VIN search to extend value to end-of-life generators.
The OE Services business unit returns to the RAS Recall name, reflecting the ongoing growth and development of new programs supporting its OEM partners.
RAS marks fifty years in the automotive recycling industry, proud to be a quality and service-driven company with over 40 product lines, 180,000 part numbers in inventory, and over 2 million cores processed annually.
RAS Cats adds milling equipment and XRF analysis to its growing capabilities, increasing confidence and integrity in the catalytic converter collection process.
RAS officially creates a dedicated business unit to focus on the growth and development of the Catalytic Converter segment, with its own tools, data, and operational focus.
RAS launches the "Yank That Bag" campaign to raise awareness of the Takata airbag recall program. RAS serves as an exclusive U.S. buyback partner for defective Takata airbags for ten automakers, covering 23 makes, 145 models, and 16 model years.
RAS initiates its Recall Recovery Program with the GM Ignition Switch recall, establishing the company as a trusted partner in removing dangerous parts from the marketplace.
RAS is recognized as Supplier of the Year by General Motors at GM's 23rd annual awards ceremony, honored as one of its best global suppliers.
RAS designates RAS Cats as a dedicated business unit with its own tools, data, and systems. The company invests in dedicated decanning equipment to control and ensure the integrity of results.
RAS launches CorePro to the industry. Working like an electronic dismantling guide, suppliers run a VIN or year, make, and model and receive a report identifying which items RAS is buying and at what price. The platform grows to include CorePro Mobile, RASBid, RASCAT, CoreConnect, and more.
To serve growing demand for Cats, RAS enters into relationships with industry-leading smelters to process Catalytic Converters under contracted assay results.
RAS moves its Rhode Island operations from the original Cranston location into a 250,000 square foot facility in Coventry, RI. The move supports ongoing expansion and provides the space needed to fulfill the company's long-term vision for growth.
RAS receives the Core Supplier of the Year award from Cardone Industries in recognition of its outstanding performance supporting the largest remanufacturer in the United States.
RAS opens a facility in Tampa, FL to support growing core procurement opportunities in the region.
RAS adds Catalytic Converters to its product mix. Bob Grady and Steve King join the company, learning the core business from the ground up under the guidance of Ted Eckstein.
Ted Eckstein founds the company in Cranston, Rhode Island, buying starters and alternators from local recyclers out of the bed of a pickup truck. The company grows quickly as demand for rebuilt parts rises, and soon moves into a small warehouse. The name Rebuilders Automotive Supply was a literal description of the business: supplying used parts to automotive rebuilders, then a small but fast-growing segment of the aftermarket.
