My journey into car customization started way back in 2009. At the time, I was working at a manufacturing company while modding my own builds after hours - like many of us do. One day I ordered a fiberglass body kit from Japan for my personal project, expecting something exciting… but what I got was straight-up trash. Bad fitment, weak quality, wavy panels - you know the type. That disappointment sparked an idea. I thought: we can do better.
That’s how I created my first universal fender flares made from ABS plastic — easy to install, durable, and actually good-looking. Yeah, that was me. This turned into my first company - Clinched Flares. At the time, the concept of universal fitment was something new - and it took off fast. Eventually, that idea spread — and now, thousands of others are making similar flares, copying what we did back in the early 2010s. Some made it their own, others just made knockoffs — but that was the spark that lit the fire.
One of the first big collabs with Tony Angelo HOT ROD GARAGE and their Cuda, SEMA 2016
Later, I started SHIROKAI - a new chapter with a bigger vision: high-end, purpose-built widebody kits made with precision and attitude. But here’s what most people don’t know:
(Left) JFBoosted - US (upper) Artem Rider - Russia
War broke out in Ukraine. Russia got hit with massive international sanctions. Logistics collapsed, payment systems stopped working, and suddenly I didn’t feel safe - not for myself, not for my business, and not for my family.
So I made the hardest call of my life - I left. I relocated SHIROKAI and family to Turkey. It made sense: Turkey is a global logistics hub with strong local manufacturing. But let me tell you - the move was brutal.
During the relocation, a truck carrying most of our production molds literally disappeared mid-transit. The rest of the stuff took months (and a small fortune) to import legally into Turkey. That, on top of endless paperwork, cultural adjustment, and - worst of all - bank/processing companies refusing to work with anyone who had a Russian passport, even if they lived elsewhere… it nearly killed the brand.
For over two years, SHIROKAI was stuck. We couldn’t accept payments properly, so we couldn't produce, we couldn’t ship efficiently, we lost money, time, and a lot of sleep.
BUT I NEVER GIVE UP
So many of you said: "We trust you. We’ll wait for the parts. Just keep going."
And that meant everything. Because of that support, SHIROKAI didn’t die. We didn’t go bankrupt. We kept building, slowly but surely.
Now, we’re back.
We’ve rebuilt most of our production capacity, we’ve fulfilled most of the backorders, and we’re operating at full power again.
After everything — the wins, the losses, the chaos — SHIROKAI stands stronger than ever.
Our mission hasn’t changed: Deliver badass, well-fitting widebody kits, built with heart and precision. And always take care of our people.
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