Established in 1943, Rainier Richlite® Company, based in Tacoma, Washington, first produced natural fiber composites for aerospace and industrial markets in the late 1950s. The material was used for tooling purposes by Boeing and later adopted by the marine industry as a boat building material. Today Boston Whaler® uses the product in all of its boats. Richlite® has been used for cutting and baking surfaces in commercial kitchens since the 1960’s. Sales on the commercial food side of the business continue to flourish due to the surface’s sanitary properties and low maintenance requirements. Richlite® cutting boards and baking surfaces are used in Pizza Hut® and other popular restaurants.

In the 1990’s Richilte® introduced a similarly produced product called Skatelite®, a ramp surface material used in the world’s top skateparks and by the top professional BMX riders and skateboarders on their personal ramps. In 1999 Tony Hawk landed the first successful 900-degree spin on a Skatelite® ramp.