What Sangsin Brake does

Sangsin Brake Co., Ltd. (상신브레이크 주식회사) is a South Korean automotive brake friction components manufacturer founded in 1975 and headquartered in Daegu. It is the #1 supplier of brake pads, brake linings, and shoe assemblies in the South Korean OEM market, with designated supply relationships across all major domestic automakers — Hyundai, Kia, Renault Korea, KGM, GM Korea, and Tata Daewoo — and indirect supply through Korean Tier 1s including Hyundai Mobis, HL Mando, Hanse Mobility, and Astemo.

The company's core technology revolves around proprietary friction material formulations combining binders (phenol resins), reinforcement fibers (aramid, glass, carbon), and friction modifiers (metallic, ceramic, graphite). In-house testing and analysis infrastructure includes a chassis noise brake dynamometer with environmental chamber, XRF, SEM/EDS, confocal microscopy, and thermal IR cameras. The product portfolio extends beyond OEM brake pads into air disc brake systems, electric and self-generating retarders (developed under a TBK Japan technology partnership running through September 2026), railway brake systems, wind turbine yaw brakes designed for 20+ year service life, earthquake-resistant brake systems, and automotive electronic components (controllers, sensors, generators, power converters). Consumer-facing brands include HARDRON (premium), HARDRON Z (racing), Hi-Q (passenger), and HAGEN (import/luxury).

Sangsin generates revenue through direct OEM hardware sales, aftermarket hardware sales via six domestic branch offices and franchise networks (Speedmate, GS Auto Oasis, CARPOS), and international operations through 13 wholly-owned subsidiaries across China (Wuxi, Sichuan), India, the United States (sales and axle manufacturing), Mexico, Brazil, Poland (Europe), and the UAE. Products are sold in 115 countries, with 422 customer relationships globally. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated case-by-case under B2B contracts. The company files audited reports with Korea's DART system, operates a six-language corporate website, and is led by CEO Kim Hyo-il, a 44-year company veteran awarded the Silver Tower Industrial Medal in 2023.

Name

Sangsin Brake

Legal name

Sangsin Brake Co., Ltd. (상신브레이크 주식회사)

Website

https://sangsin.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Sangsin Brake is South Korea's #1 automotive brake pad manufacturer, founded in 1975 and headquartered in Daegu, supplying OEM brake components to Hyundai, Kia, and other Korean automakers while operating 13 subsidiaries across 115 countries with diversified aftermarket, commercial vehicle, and industrial brake product lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Brake Friction Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Brake System Manufacturing (33634), Motor Vehicle Brake System Manufacturing (336340)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Aftermarket Brake Components Manufacturing (Pads/Rotors/Calipers/Lines) (IMACANAB), Brakes, Clutches & Couplings (Electromagnetic Brakes, Torque Limiters) (IMAGACAK)

Keywords

• Automotive brake components
• Brake friction materials
• Brake pad manufacturing
• OEM brake supplier
• Commercial vehicle brakes

Headquarters

HQ city

Daegu

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. OEM Automotive Brake Components: Sangsin Brake manufactures and supplies brake pads, linings, and shoe assemblies directly to Korean automobile manufacturers (Hyundai, Kia, Renault Korea, KGM, GM Korea, Tata Daewoo) for original vehicle assembly. This represents the primary revenue stream as the leading automotive brake supplier in Korea.
2. Aftermarket Brake Products: Sangsin Brake supplies brake products through franchise networks (Speedmate, GS Auto Oasis) and independent repair shops (CARPOS) for vehicle maintenance and repair, serving both B2B (repair shops, dealers) and B2C (individual consumers) channels.
3. Export and Overseas Operations: Through subsidiaries in China (Wuxi and Sichuan), India, America, Mexico, Brazil, and Europe, Sangsin Brake manufactures and sells brake products to international OEM and aftermarket customers, generating export revenue.
4. Non-Automotive Brake Systems: Sangsin Brake develops and manufactures specialized brake systems for non-automotive applications including wind turbine brakes, railway brakes, and earthquake-resistant brake systems, diversifying revenue beyond the automotive sector.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sangsin Brake manufactures and supplies automotive brake friction products, primarily brake pads, brake linings and shoe assemblies, supplied directly to Korean OEMs (Hyundai, Kia, Renault Korea, KGM, GM Korea, Tata Daewoo) for vehicle assembly. The company also sells branded aftermarket brake products (HARDRON, HARDRON Z, Hi-Q, HAGEN) through franchise networks and independent repair shops, and manufactures specialized brake systems for commercial vehicles, railway, and wind turbine applications via thirteen wholly-owned domestic and overseas subsidiaries.

Product overview

Sangsin Brake is a South Korean automotive brake systems manufacturer and market leader in Korea, supplying both OEM assembly parts and aftermarket products globally. The company's product portfolio is organized into consumer-facing branded lines (HARDRON premium, HARDRON Z racing, Hi-Q passenger, HAGEN import) and core manufactured products (brake pads, brake linings, shoe assemblies). Advanced development areas include AIR DISC BRAKE for commercial vehicles, regenerative braking retarders (with TBK technology partnership), railway brake systems, and wind power brake systems. The Electric/Electronic Business Division develops automotive controllers, sensors, and power conversion components. The company also produces brake pads for specific vehicle categories: taxi, bus, and truck. Products are manufactured at domestic plants in Daegu and supplied globally through a network of international subsidiaries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HARDRON: Premium brake pads with elegant and refined braking feel
• HARDRON Z
• HAGEN
• Hi-Q

Products and services

• Brake Pads (브레이크 패드) Disc-type brake pads mounted inside brake calipers that press against rotating discs to slow or stop vehicles. Offered in variants for premium, racing, passenger, import, taxi, bus and truck applications, sold as OEM assembly parts and through the aftermarket.
• Brake Linings (브레이크 라이닝) Drum-type brake linings for drum brake systems, pressed against the inner surface of a rotating drum to slow or stop vehicles. Supplied in multiple formulations for different vehicle types.
• Shoe Assemblies (슈 어셈블리) Pre-assembled brake shoe units for drum brake systems, including shoes, return springs, adjusters and other hardware supplied as a complete replacement unit for OEM and aftermarket customers.
• Air Disc Brake (상용차용 에어 디스크 브레이크) Air-operated disc brake system for commercial vehicles, marketed as an advanced product line with stable braking performance, excellent brake response, reduced brake noise and extended disc life versus conventional drum systems.
• Regenerative Braking Retarder (회생제동 리타더) Electric and self-generating retarder system for commercial vehicles using current control for optimal braking force, with self-diagnosis fault code display and regenerative braking capability developed in partnership with TBK Japan.
• Railway Brake System (철도브레이크) Brake systems for rail and subway applications featuring stable braking performance, long service life, low-noise operation and eco-friendly friction materials that minimize disc and rotor wheel damage.
• Wind Power Brake (풍력브레이크) Active hydraulic disc brake yaw brake for wind turbines using eco-friendly friction materials, designed for a 20+ year service life in onshore and offshore environments with stable friction coefficient under high pressure, low disc attack and superior friction material wear.
• Automotive Electric/Electronic Components (전장事业部 제품) Automotive electric and electronic components including controllers, sensors, generators and power converters (converters/inverters) covering both hardware and software design for automotive electronic control systems, produced by the company's E/E Business Division.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products sold in 115 countries worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Resonac Brake Corporation (Japan)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2025Technology partnership with Resonac Brake Corporation of Japan (www.resonac.com, www.japan-brake.co.jp) established in February 2025 for technology transfer covering brake friction materials. The current contract period runs from February 2025 to February 2028. This partnership provides Sangsin Brake with advanced friction material technology and know-how to enhance product quality and performance for automotive brake applications.
• TBK (Japan)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2010Technology partnership with TBK of Japan (www.tbk-jp.com) established in September 2010 for technology transfer covering electric retarders and self-generating retarder systems. The partnership was renewed in September 2010 with a contract period extending to September 2026. Sangsin Brake leverages TBK's technology to develop and manufacture retarder products for commercial vehicles and industrial applications in the Korean and international markets.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hitachi Astemo (Astemo): Japanese Tier 1 supplier of brake and suspension systems, including electronic brake systems. Listed as one of Sangsin's existing customers, while also competing for higher-level brake system integration work.
• ZF Friedrichshafen: German Tier 1 supplier providing integrated braking solutions including brake-by-wire and ADAS-enabled braking. Competes with Sangsin for OEM brake contracts but at a much larger scale with software-defined vehicle capability.
• Bosch: Global automotive Tier 1 with a comprehensive brake product portfolio including pads, calipers, electronics, and ADAS. Competes with Sangsin in OEM brake supply but operates at vastly larger scale with software integration.
• Continental AG: German Tier 1 automotive supplier offering a full brake system portfolio including friction, calipers, electronics, and ADAS integration. Overlaps with Sangsin on friction materials but as part of a much broader product suite.

Direct peers

• Akebono Brake Industry: Japanese friction material specialist supplying OEM brake pads to Japanese and global automakers. Highly comparable to Sangsin as an Asian brake friction manufacturer serving OEM assembly lines and aftermarket.
• Advics: Japanese brake system manufacturer (joint venture including Aisin) supplying brake calipers, pads, and electronic brake systems to Asian OEMs. Comparable in product scope and customer focus to Sangsin's friction line.
• HL Mando: Korean Tier 1 brake and suspension supplier to Hyundai and Kia. Directly comparable as a domestic Korean competitor for OEM brake system contracts and a current customer of Sangsin's friction products.
• Brembo: Italian global leader in high-performance brake systems for cars, motorbikes, and commercial vehicles. Directly comparable as a brake friction and caliper/disc manufacturer with strong OEM and premium aftermarket brands.
• Nisshinbo Brake: Japanese manufacturer of brake friction materials and brake systems for passenger and commercial vehicles. Comparable friction material technology focus and OEM customer base.
• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems: North American supplier of brake systems and friction products for commercial vehicles including air disc brakes. Comparable to Sangsin's commercial vehicle brake segment and air disc brake product line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sangsin-brake-041650-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Sangsin Brake