Proformance Industries: Wheels Done Right

By Mike Musto

RideLust.com

Every now and then you come across a company that redefines how business is done. Proformance Industries is one of those companies. Some of you may remember the catastrophic wheel failure I had on last year’s Bullrun with a set of custom wheels made by Kodiak Racing. I was under the gun to get a new set of one-off performance wheels made for my 1969 Daytona project, and a friend of mine said he knew of a business that had just started doing their own wheel manufacturing. And that’s how I first met George Gjokaj, owner and founder of Proformance Industries.

Continue reading after the jump!

I must preface this by saying that there have been very few times in dealing with businesses that I’ve gotten that warm fuzzy feeling. With Proformance, however, it was different, and from the get-go I knew I was on to something special. You see, George Gjokaj first and foremost is a car guy. A REAL car guy, and an enthusiast in every sense of the word. So even before we started talking about wheels we started talking about cars—Porsches, BMWs, GTOs, you name it. We BS’d about cars, and in doing so I came to understand why George is so good at doing what he does—the man simply loves his job.

With a background in metallurgy, George started Proformance Industries way back in 1997 , doing everything from metal fabrication to painless dent removal. Their mainstay, though, was fixing and re-manufacturing damaged alloy wheels.

When you first enter the premises you understand immediately that is some serious work being done behind warehouse-like exterior. Projects ranging from wheel repair and development, painting and powder coating, to the custom fabrication of wheels. Hell, there is even a fully custom one-off motorcycle in there that George was building for shits and giggles. All in all, it’s an impressive operation.

Now it was time to get down to business. I told George what I had and then more importantly, what I wanted. Again, I was looking for a one-off, original set of custom wheels. George sat me down and we began to go through the process. He showed me the CAD program he uses to design wheels. We then proceeded to the milling machine where I got an education in how the wheel would actually be produced. Then it was off to the powder coating room where, once again, I was given further education on the process. After that I brought the car to the shop. All four wheels were removed and exact measurements where taken to ensure that I would have the best possible fitment for the new wheels.

What I want everyone out there to understand is that this is how business SHOULD be done. Doing business with Proformance is not a case of just showing up, handing a vendor money at the counter then being led out the door. This was a case of a business owner and staff going the extra mile. It showed me how truly passionate George and the entire Proformance Staff is. There was time taken to educate me on the process of how that vision in your head goes from concept to a reality. And after the final product is delivered, there is a continued drive to provide the customer with the best possible customer service in the industry.

Lastly, we get to the final product, my one-off set of custom wheels for “Project Angrier”. Putting it simply, it’s an amazing feeling when that vision in your head goes from a thought to an actual tangible product. When I arrived at the shop we had an “unveiling” for the new wheels. Wheels are a tough thing to get right, and they can literally make or break the look and feel of your ride. I’ve seen beautiful cars ruined by the wrong wheel choice, which is why it makes going to the right company SO important.

I felt the need to write this blog because I think that all too often in this hobby we only hear about companies that do the wrong thing. It’s easy to talk about and makes for good conversation. More importantly though, I wanted to bring to light a company that does the RIGHT thing. Proformance Industries is one of those rare gems that does not come along too often. Their work is beautiful, their customer service is second-to-none, and they deliver a final product that exceeds expectations. If you are in the market for a custom set of wheels for your ride, do yourself a favor and give a future industry leader a call. Call Proformance Industries and tell them Mr. Angry sent you.