bludot manufacturing.

What bludot manufacturing. does

Bludot Manufacturing, founded in 1975 and headquartered at an 18,000-square-foot facility in South Bend, Indiana, produces custom trailer brake systems and pre-packaged brake line kits for OEM trailer manufacturers, trailer assemblers, and trailer maintenance facilities across North America. The company’s product portfolio spans hydraulic brake line kits and parts, air-over-hydraulic systems with and without ABS (TH Series), straight air brake systems (TA7000 and TA8000 Series), electric/hydraulic actuators (Titan BrakeRite EHB), and specialty copper nickel brake line tubing. Manufacturing relies on programmable CNC straight-tube cut-off equipment capable of custom bending precision to 1/32 of an inch, with products designed for direct integration into OEM trailer assembly lines.

The company sells on a quote-based B2B model, with pre-packaged kits that consolidate brake lines, hoses, fittings, and mounting hardware into a single supply source for OEMs. Its competitive position rests on industry-leading lead times of 2–3 days typical and 5–7 days maximum, supported by a tenured workforce with 20–30+ years of experience and long-standing customer relationships spanning four decades. Bludot is privately held, was acquired in 2019 by Patrick Turley and Andy Caine under the Ball Systems umbrella, and in 2023 became part of AGS Company, operating as a brand within the AGS family of products while retaining its South Bend manufacturing operations.

Name

bludot manufacturing.

Legal name

Bludot Manufacturing

Website

https://bludotinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bludot Manufacturing, founded in 1975 in South Bend, Indiana, produces custom trailer brake systems and pre-packaged brake kits for OEM trailer manufacturers and maintenance facilities across North America, with industry-leading 2–3 day lead times.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trailer Brake Systems

NAICS

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

SIC

Railroad Equipment (3743)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydraulic Brake Systems (Master Cylinders/Calipers/Lines/Boosters) (IMACAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Trailer brake systems
• Brake line kits
• OEM brake manufacturing
• Air-over-hydraulic brakes
• Anti-lock braking systems

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Brake Kit Sales: Bludot generates revenue through the sale of custom pre-packaged trailer brake kits, brake lines, brake parts, and components to OEM manufacturers, assemblers, and maintenance facilities. Products include hydraulic brake line kits, air-over-hydraulic systems, straight air systems, and electric/hydraulic brake systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bludot Manufacturing produces custom trailer brake systems and pre-packaged brake line kits for OEM trailer manufacturers, assemblers, and maintenance facilities. The product portfolio spans hydraulic brake line kits, air-over-hydraulic brake systems (with and without ABS), straight air brake systems, electric/hydraulic brake actuators, and DOT-approved copper nickel brake lines. Kits are supplied complete with brake lines, hoses, fittings, and mounting hardware, with custom engineering to OEM specifications and lead times of 2-3 days typical.

Product overview

Bludot Manufacturing is a specialized manufacturer of custom trailer brake systems and pre-packaged brake kits serving the OEM trailer industry for over 45 years. Their product portfolio spans multiple brake actuation types: hydraulic brake line kits and parts, air-over-hydraulic brake systems with and without ABS (TH Series), straight air brake systems (TA7000 & TA8000 Series), electric/hydraulic brake actuators (Titan BrakeRite EHB), and specialty brake line tubing including copper nickel alternatives. All products are designed for OEM assembly line integration and maintenance facilities, with complete kitting that includes brake lines, hoses, fittings, and mounting hardware. The company operates from South Bend, Indiana with a focus on fast lead times (typically 2-3 days) and custom engineering to OEM specifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hydraulic Brake Line Kits

Quantifiable outcome

• Lead times reduced to 2-3 days typical, 5-7 days maximum
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SAF-Holland: SAF-Holland manufactures trailer axles, brake systems, and air brake components for commercial trailers, including via the Haldex acquisition. They directly compete with Bludot in OEM brake kits and braking components for heavy-duty and light trailers.
• STEMCO: STEMCO manufactures trailer wheel-end, brake, and suspension components including air disc brake systems. They directly overlap with Bludot in trailer brake parts and serve commercial trailer OEM and fleet customers.
• Dexter Axle Company: Dexter Axle manufactures trailer axles and integrated brake assemblies for the same trailer OEM customers Bludot serves (utility, RV, marine, livestock). They are a direct peer in trailer brake components, supplying many of the same OEMs at overlapping integration points.
• Tectran: Tectran manufactures air brake hoses, air lines, fittings, and trailer brake system components. They directly overlap with Bludot's air brake parts product line and serve the same trailer OEM and aftermarket maintenance customers.
• Hayes Towing Electronics: Hayes Towing Electronics produces brake actuators, brake controllers, and electric-over-hydraulic brake systems for trailers. They directly compete with Bludot's Titan BrakeRite EHB and similar electric/hydraulic brake offerings for trailer OEMs.
• Lippert Components: Lippert supplies a wide range of components (axles, brake systems, jacks, tow connections) to RV and trailer OEMs including many of Bludot's customers. They are a direct peer in trailer brake and chassis kits with deep OEM relationships.
• Titan Tire (BrakeRite / Hopkins Manufacturing): Titan BrakeRite (a Hopkins Manufacturing brand) supplies electric-over-hydraulic brake actuators that Bludot itself resells under the Titan BrakeRite EHB product line. As the underlying OEM/supplier with direct trailer market presence, they are a directly comparable peer in electric/hydraulic brake actuation.

Broad incumbents

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems (Knorr-Bremse): Bendix (originally a Bludot customer per company history) is now part of Knorr-Bremse and manufactures full heavy-duty commercial vehicle brake systems globally. They overlap with Bludot at the broader brake system level but operate at vastly larger scale across more vehicle categories.
• Knorr-Bremse AG: Knorr-Bremse is the global leader in braking systems for commercial vehicles and rail. They are a broad incumbent whose commercial vehicle division competes with Bludot's trailer ABS and air brake offerings at large OEM accounts.
• Haldex (SAF-Holland): Haldex (now part of SAF-Holland) is a major manufacturer of commercial vehicle air brake systems and ABS. They serve commercial trailer OEMs with broader portfolios and global scale that far exceeds Bludot's niche specialty in custom trailer brake kits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bludot_brakes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHL7OYP-kfGTbvX0Cf4UULQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/BludotTrailerBrakeSystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bludot-trailer-and-brake-systems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 bludot manufacturing.