International Newsmaker Q&A: Eugenio Madero

Jan. 1, 2020
  Eugenio Madero, CEO of SANLUIS Rassini North America, discussed some of the latest technological advancements regarding rotors.

SANLUIS Rassini, a subsidiary of the Mexico-based SANLUIS Corporación, is a supplier of suspensions and brakes. It has manufacturing operations in Brazil, Mexico and the United States. Major clients include General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Scania, Randon and Mitsubishi.

The brake division was the recipient of GM’s 2012 Supplier of the Year Award.

“SANLUIS Rassini helped play a critical role in GM’s success in 2012 through their dedication and commitment to consistently exceed our expectations by being innovative, delivering high quality products and services on time and by creating outstanding value,” says Grace Lieblein, the automaker’s vice president of global purchasing and supply chain.

Eugenio Madero, CEO of SANLUIS Rassini North America, recently answered a series of questions about the pace of innovations within the category.

What are some of the latest technological advancements regarding rotors?

We’ve seen the industry shift from using one-piece full cast rotor designs to taking advantage of more premium, two-piece designs. There have also been new advancements in engineering and materials.

For example, at SANLUIS Rassini, we are able to provide better thermal heat transfer and better NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) behavior thanks to breakthroughs in engineering and design. We focus a lot of our efforts on providing lighter weight but higher performing rotors. We actually just introduced a new rotor design for the Corvette Stingray Z51 Performance Package. The rotor features a unique combination of ductile (nodular) iron in the hat and gray iron on the brake surface, which has allowed for a significant weight reduction and improvement to fuel economy – which is of extreme importance to today’s automakers.

These rotors are 30 percent less expensive than comparable aluminum composite rotors, and are the first of their kind to hit the market. With our new dual cast rotor, we are also now able to incorporate the DIH (drum in hat) in the rear rotor without any reduction in performance. We believe the reason we are able to develop advanced technology such as this is because we are the only rotor manufacturing center in the Americas that is vertically integrated. We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of technological innovation of manufacturing processes and we constantly strive to provide our customers with leading-edge technology.

What are some new developments in the international rotor market?

Besides a focus to make rotors lighter weight, some automakers have started making an investment in a new process called Ferritic Nitro Carburizing that further protects the rotors from what we call “lot rot.” We have incorporated that process in our facilities to help support the needs of our customers. The process adds a further layer of protection against corrosion and extends the life of rotors.

Another important development is all the new cast iron grades required for compatibility with green friction materials (low copper). These new friction materials are due to a new legislation in California, Oregon and other states.

How will trends on the OE side impact the aftermarket?

As automakers continue to make investments in advanced technology, especially when it comes to brakes, rotors and other safety components, the industry will likely see more sales of premium, higher performing parts in the aftermarket that match OE fit, form and function. In the past, there was a shift to using offshore suppliers and perhaps even cheaper products, but with new advancements in rotors where new material solutions are being introduced and the weight of vehicles continues to play an important role, we are seeing a rise in the use of premium rotors. Also, as the average length of ownership increases, there are more opportunities than ever for repair shops to provide premium brake jobs and repair service to their customers.

Will the aftermarket see more premium rotors as automakers move to more advanced designs?

As customers become accustomed to the quality and performance provided on today’s newer vehicles, when replacement becomes necessary they will likely expect the aftermarket components to deliver that same performance and quality. Brakes are one of the most important safety features on vehicles today and customers want great ride and handling, maximum stopping power and minimal pedal effort. Using premium performance parts is a wise investment for service professionals.

What are some of the factors that distinguish a performance rotor from a standard rotor?

There is a lot of design work that goes into a performance rotor. The material used makes a big difference, and the way they are casted and manufactured also plays a role. A premium rotor is much less likely to warp, is designed to provide greater performance at higher speeds and contains technologies to reduce NVH issues.

For more information, visit www.sanluisrassini.com.

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