What TMD Friction does

TMD Friction Group GmbH is a German, privately-held manufacturer of brake friction materials founded in 1878 and headquartered in Leverkusen, operating 23 facilities across 12 countries on four continents with more than 4,200 employees. The company's core technology is proprietary friction material science — over 50,000 formulations have been engineered by a 200+ person R&D team over the past three decades, including Euro 7 compliant low-particulate compounds, copper-free high-performance pads, and coated disc / ferritic nitrocarburizing treatments that address tightening brake emissions regulation.

The company serves three distinct business segments. The OEM segment supplies disc brake pads and drum brake shoes directly to the world's largest passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers for first-fitment, with deep co-engineering on comfort, performance, and wear expectancy requirements; over 200 million drivers rely on TMD Friction OE products daily. The Aftermarket segment distributes replacement products through six wholly-owned brands — Textar, Pagid, Bendix, Mintex, Don, and Cobreq — covering budget, standard, and premium tiers and sold via independent distributors, retailers, and repair shops globally. The Racing Performance segment supplies high-performance brake pads under Pagid Racing and Mintex Racing to motorsport teams worldwide, with PAGID Racing products reportedly used by one-third of winners at major 24-hour endurance races.

TMD Friction monetizes through B2B direct and channel sales on quote-based pricing with multi-year OEM contracts. Its competitive position rests on 145+ years of brand heritage, regulatory leadership (co-development of the Öko-Tabelle eco-label, active Euro 7 working group participation), a diversified multi-brand aftermarket portfolio, and global manufacturing scale. The company is actively investing in sustainability — achieving a 46% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025, signing a renewable PPA with Iberdrola (effective 2027), and targeting 100% renewable-powered production by 2030 — and has issued bonds to international banks (most recently a ~$447.6M financing in May 2026 led by DZ BANK and JPMorgan Chase), reflecting meaningful access to debt capital markets.

Name

TMD Friction

Legal name

TMD Friction Group GmbH

Website

https://tmdfriction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

TMD Friction is a German global manufacturer of brake friction materials, supplying OEM vehicle manufacturers, aftermarket distributors through six owned brands, and motorsport teams across 12 countries and four continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Brake Friction Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Brake System Manufacturing (33634)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Brake Friction & Rotors (Pads/Shoes/Discs/Drums) (IMACAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aftermarket Brake Components Manufacturing (Pads/Rotors/Calipers/Lines) (IMACANAB)

Keywords

• Brake friction materials
• Original equipment brakes
• Aftermarket brake pads
• Racing brake products
• Commercial vehicle braking

Headquarters

HQ city

Leverkusen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Original Equipment (OE) Direct Fitment: Supply of brake friction products (disc brake pads, drum brake shoes) directly to vehicle manufacturers for first-fitment on new vehicles. This is the dominant OEM channel, representing 55-65% of market value in the OEM segment.
2. Aftermarket Brake Products: Sale of replacement brake friction products through a portfolio of six brands (Textar, Pagid, Bendix, Mintex, Don, Cobreq) covering budget, standard, and premium tiers, distributed to independent aftermarket distributors, retailers, and repair shops globally.
3. Racing Performance Products: High-performance brake pads sold under Pagid Racing and Mintex Racing brands to motorsport teams competing globally, including world championship titles and podium successes that reinforce brand prestige.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TMD Friction manufactures and sells brake friction materials, including disc brake pads and drum brake shoes, for original equipment passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers, for the independent aftermarket through six owned brands (Textar, Pagid, Bendix, Mintex, Don, Cobreq), and for motorsport teams through its Pagid Racing and Mintex Racing brands. The company supplies the world's largest vehicle manufacturers for first-fitment on new vehicles and distributes aftermarket products globally through independent distributors and repair shops.

Product overview

TMD Friction is the world's number one friction expert, specializing in brake friction technology since 1878. The company operates across three main segments: Original Equipment (OE) supplying brake friction products to the world's largest vehicle manufacturers for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles; an extensive Aftermarket portfolio featuring six sub-brands (Textar, Pagid, Bendix, Mintex, Don, Cobreq) covering budget to premium segments; and Racing Performance products under Pagid Racing and Mintex Racing brands. The company has engineered over 50,000 friction formulations in the past three decades, employs more than 4,200 people globally across 23 locations in 12 countries, and serves markets across four continents with a focus on OEM direct fitment and aftermarket distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Textar: Premium aftermarket brake friction brand serving the Independent Aftermarket (IAM) segment.
• Pagid
• Bendix
• Mintex
• Don
• Cobreq
• Pagid Racing
• Mintex Racing

Products and services

• OE Passenger Car Brake Friction Products Original equipment disc brake pads and drum brake shoes supplied directly to passenger car manufacturers for first-fitment on new vehicles. Over 200 million drivers rely on TMD Friction OE products daily, with over 140 years of automotive heritage supporting OEM customers globally.
• OE Commercial Vehicle Brake Friction Products Original equipment brake friction products engineered specifically for commercial vehicle applications (trucks and buses), ensuring safety, efficiency, and extended vehicle life for fleet operators. Developed in partnership with vehicle and brake manufacturers to meet comfort, performance, and wear expectancy requirements.
• Textar Premium aftermarket brake friction brand serving the independent automotive parts market with high-quality brake pads and related products. Textar was the first brand to introduce lightweight brake pads to the aftermarket.
• Pagid Aftermarket brake friction brand offering products for various vehicle applications and customer requirements across the independent aftermarket segment.
• Bendix Established aftermarket brake friction brand serving markets with reliable braking solutions for various vehicle applications and customer budgets.
• Mintex Aftermarket brake friction brand with a heritage stretching back to the 1920s, delivering proven performance for daily driving applications across multiple vehicle categories.
• Don Aftermarket brake friction brand offering products across different quality tiers to meet various customer budgets in the replacement parts market.
• Cobreq Aftermarket brake friction brand serving specific market segments with quality braking products tailored to regional customer requirements.
• Pagid Racing High-performance racing brake pads trusted by partner racing teams globally, with numerous world championship titles, race wins, and podium results. Used by a significant share of winners at major endurance racing events.
• Mintex Racing Racing brake pads with a winning formula dating back to the 1920s, offering proven performance for motorsport applications across global racing categories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 million drivers rely on TMD Friction original equipment daily
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IberdrolacoreOthersTMD Friction has signed a long-term partnership agreement with Iberdrola to supply renewable energy to its German facilities starting in 2027. This partnership supports TMD Friction's commitment to powering all production sites worldwide with 100% renewable energy by 2030, and is part of its broader sustainability strategy including a 46% reduction in CO2 emissions achieved.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brembo: Italian premium brake systems manufacturer producing calipers, discs, and friction materials for OEMs and aftermarket; one of TMD's closest direct competitors in OE and racing segments.
• Tenneco (DRiV Motorparts): Owner of legacy brake friction brands (Ferodo, Wagner, Champion, Federal-Mogul) with global aftermarket distribution — directly comparable multi-brand IAM strategy.
• Akebono Brake Industry: Japanese specialist in disc brake pads and drum brake shoes for OE and IAM, with strong North American presence — closely comparable product focus to TMD.
• Nisshinbo Holdings: Japanese friction materials manufacturer producing disc pads, drum linings, and rail brake products; comparable multi-segment friction specialist with global operations.
• Miba AG: Austrian manufacturer of sintered and organic friction materials for automotive and industrial applications; comparable specialist position and industrial friction exposure.
• FTE Automotive: German-based brake systems and hydraulic components supplier (part of Valeo) competing directly with TMD in clutch and brake friction for OE and IAM.
• Knorr-Bremse: Global leader in commercial vehicle and rail braking systems; directly comparable to TMD's commercial vehicle and rail friction segments.

Broad incumbents

• Continental AG (ATE): Major Tier 1 supplier offering ATE brake systems and friction products as part of a broad chassis, ADAS, and electronics portfolio; competes with TMD across OE and IAM.
• Robert Bosch (Automotive Aftermarket): Global Tier 1 with a major brake friction business spanning OE and aftermarket; competes with TMD on integrated system offerings and IAM distribution scale.
• ZF Friedrichshafen (TRW Aftermarket): Diversified chassis and driveline supplier with brake friction exposure through TRW aftermarket; comparable OE relationships and integrated system competition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1VcjzEnHFwRnuPeOaVwxdA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tmd-friction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TMD Friction