Friction One recently announced a significant expansion of its North American aftermarket team by adding five experienced industry professionals. These new hires bring over 110 years of combined experience in serving OEM/OES customers, major retailers, and large aftermarket distributors. This strategic move strengthens the company’s service capabilities and reinforces long-term partnerships across the continent.
Highlights
- The expansion includes five veterans specialized in sales, engineering, quality assurance, and customer support.
- New leadership roles aim to support the company’s growing footprint in brake pads, rotors, and portfolio management.
- Friction One is investing in the brake calipers and hardware categories to become a complete braking systems supplier.
- The strategy combines global manufacturing strength with localized commercial execution to deliver high-quality products.
Strengthening Core Braking Leadership
To support its expanding presence in the market, Friction One added senior commercial leaders with deep retail and distribution experience. Richard Speros joins as Vice President of Sales, North America, bringing 13 years of expertise in category management and supply chain leadership. Tyler Billie, also appointed as Vice President of Sales and Account Lead, previously served at First Brands Group and specializes in enterprise account strategy. Additionally, Ryan Bomaster joins as Director of Sales, East, contributing over 20 years of technical and commercial aftermarket experience.
Expanding Into Calipers and Hardware
Friction One is reinforcing its “total brake solution” strategy by investing heavily in the calipers and hardware categories. Scott Sabo has been appointed Director of Product Development for Brake Hardware, bringing three decades of experience in operational excellence and innovation. Furthermore, Chad Warnecke joins as Product Engineer for Brake Hardware. Warnecke has over 20 years of experience in design and validation, previously managing hardware programs at International Brake Industries.
Advanced Manufacturing and Regional Support
The company continues to leverage its vertically integrated and automated manufacturing platforms to provide a competitive advantage. This expansion follows the acquisition of a brake pad manufacturing facility in Juarez, Mexico, which enhances local expertise. Chairman and CEO Jim Zhang emphasized that these investments ensure JIT service reliability and sustainable growth. The expanded team will focus on several key areas:
- Enhancing customer communication and responsiveness.
- Strengthening engineering, quality management, and field support.
- Accelerating product development and portfolio expansion.
- Improving supply chain coordination and order fulfillment.
- Supporting distributors with technical and product expertise.
Friction One remains dedicated to building stable, long-term relationships by combining global manufacturing power with localized market expertise. The company continues to invest in advanced automation to ensure consistent product performance across North America.
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