Headquartered in McHenry, Ill., with a worldwide marketing reach, Brake Parts Inc (BPI) encompasses the Raybestos, AIMCO, Lusac, Vortex and American Brakeblok lines. The product mix includes pads, shoes, rotors, drums, calipers, hydraulic parts and wheel hubs.
Q: For several years now manufacturers have been changing composites and coatings to avoid corrosion on brake parts because of the highly corrosive liquid sprays that many Northern communities use before it starts to snow. What is your overview of these changes and benefits?
A: Yes, that’s correct. With the expansion of open wheel designs, brake system coatings are more commonly found on rotors and calipers, as well as zinc-coated backing plates on friction pads, all aimed at reducing the effects of corrosion.
Road pre-treatment sprays coupled with salt applications have increased in popularity across the Northeast, thus surface coatings, like those found on the Raybestos RPT (Rust Prevention Technology) line, dramatically enhance rust resistance as well as maintain the visual cosmetic look of the parts. While it takes investment on the part of the manufacturer to provide these enhanced coatings, the increase in product cost is well worth the value received by the consumer.
Q: Are these coated parts now sold throughout the United States, even in the South where snow/road coatings are not an issue? Are there any facts that distributors, retailers and installers should know about marketing these products to their customers?
A: While coated parts have become more popular in the Northern regions, the acceptance across the country is growing due to the advantages they offer. The coating not only reduces rusting, but it increases durability, extends product life and adds value through keeping the parts looking “new.” This is particularly important on vehicles where the rotors and calipers are very visible through the wheel design.
Car manufacturers leveraged coatings as a way to combat complaints of “lot rot,” associated with rotors that would change adversely in appearance due to sitting in dealership lots for long periods of time. For them, what started out as a cosmetic remedy resulted in a product performance enhancement for the industry.
Q: BPI is a global company; are these same coatings now sold in other nations, especially countries that experience snowy conditions?
A: Yes, the same coated products are available in many other countries. Europe, for example, has almost entirely gone to coated/composite products much earlier than in North America.
Q: Raybestos recently introduced a line of European brake pads. Could you briefly describe how these were developed, as well as other specialty brake friction products such as police brake pads?
A: Our line of Raybestos European friction pads was developed by engineers in the U.S. to meet the stringent Regulation 90 safety standards required in Europe. While there is not a comparable standard in the U.S., meeting Reg. 90 criteria adds assurance of performance and thus value in the U.S. for those European installers looking for competitive alternatives to OE.
With regard to our Raybestos Police friction line, we work closely with numerous law enforcement agencies, developing special formulations and conducting extensive on-vehicle testing to ensure our friction performs at or above OE over the wide range of extreme braking conditions faced by police officers.
Q: With your global reach, are most of the products for overseas markets developed in that particular country, or do they come from the U.S., and are there particular nuances that stand out in your mind?
A: Our overseas product managers determine the needs of each country and identify the products and applications we need to manufacture for the local markets.
Take friction, for example: We take the time to physically test the OE part, determining the elements and performance attributes that make each friction product unique. We reverse engineer the product, emulating the OE attributes to ensure proper fit, form and function of each part via our extensive set of formulations. We address problem issues with OE friction and improve upon them.
This is all done in our R&D lab in Kentucky for parts installed on vehicles around the globe, since the brake system performance dynamics and requirements are often very similar. What is different are the regulations that exist by country. We register each formulation, such as our Enhanced Hybrid Technology (EHT) Element3, to comply with the regulations of each country we sell into.
Q: Do nations with political instabilities or policies at odds with the U.S. government present much of a challenge regarding production and marketing of brake parts?
A: These nations do not pose a challenge to us because if the U.S. government says that we cannot do business with a particular country, as in the case of trade embargoes, then we simply do not do business with them.
Q: As more people are keeping their cars longer, do you see a benefit to the industry? How do you assess the potential growth of the brake parts category over the next few years?
A: People are keeping their cars longer because they are being made to last longer. Vehicles are being manufactured with better materials, lubricants and drive train systems, and the result is less vehicle wear and tear.
Corrosion resistant materials are now used on sensitive areas, such as the exterior of the vehicle, and vehicle interiors, including seats and dashboards, are also being made better with materials that are resistant to the damaging effects of ultra violet light. All these improvements contribute to the average vehicle age rising to 11.6 years in the U.S., according to IHS Markit.
In Europe, we see vehicle age is now about eight to nine years. In emerging markets, however, average vehicle life is still low as vehicle ownership expands, but this will likely increase over time. The trends bode well for the brake parts category over the next few years and beyond as motorists extend the time between vehicle purchases, opting to maintain and repair their vehicles, including the brake system, to keep them in safe, dependable working order.
Subscribe to Aftermarket Business World and receive articles like this every month….absolutely free. Click here.
