Surface Transforms Scores New OE Contract And Leads Carbon-Ceramic Tech

LIVERPOOL, England–Surface Transforms here, a company that has long innovated new processes for the production of carbon-ceramic materials and is a manufacturer of carbon-ceramic brake discs for automotive and aircraft applications, announced a new 12-million-pound contract as a Tier One supplier to a major German auto company.

Surface Transforms will be the sole supplier of the carbon ceramic brake disc option on one axle of a new edition of an existing well-known model of German OEM, the company said without naming the automaker.

ST has a heritage of supplying discs for high performance vehicles, and it does have a history with Porsche AG, according to its website.

Following entering into the agreement, the ceramic brake disc product will be part of German OEM 5’s approved product list and while there will always be testing on new models, these tests are more about sizing and system integration than product evaluation.

Moreover, pricing has been agreed across the potential range of platforms providing a link between increasing volumes and reduced product pricing.

Today’s announcement said: “The customer has stated that the potential for further model-by-model awards will reflect their experience of Surface Transforms’ supply chain and quality performance.”

Chief executive Kevin Johnson said: “This award is the culmination of 15 years of technical innovation and shareholder support. We are delighted with the news and want to thank both our employees for their efforts during this period and our shareholders for their support through the ups and downs of that journey.

“We also want to thank the customer for their professionalism throughout the whole evaluation process, the outcome of which has validated our claims of technical superiority.

“We fully understand their decision to issue further contracts on a model-by-model basis as their face-lifted or new model cars go into production.

“We are confident that Surface Transforms’ supply chain and quality performance in the intervening period, combined with the already agreed competitive pricing, will make their decision an easy one.”

Surface Transforms works with a number of automotive manufacturers including mainstream OEMs and niche market/low volume car builders, designing and supplying carbon-ceramic brakes for a wide range of application. ST is able to manufacture and supply brake disc assemblies to your specific requirements.

ST’s next-generation brake technology uses continuous-carbon fiber rather than chopped-fiber found in traditional carbon-ceramic brakes giving significant benefits over competitor products:

  • Better heat management – allows for lightweight design and /or improved performance
  • Lower wear rate and oxidation rate – increased life
  • Consistent performance at all operating temperatures
  • Reduced brake disc and pad wear – giving increased life
  • Competitively priced and without tooling costs
  • Product can be refurbished – extending product life

This is in addition to the standard benefits of carbon-ceramic brakes over traditional iron construction:

  • Weight savings of up to 70% (20kg approximately) – improving handling while reducing CO2
  • Improved performance (in both wet and dry conditions)
  • Corrosion Free – less brake dust

Aircraft Brakes

Surface Transforms also has developed a robust aircraft brake business. Its next-generation carbon-ceramic materials are ideally suited for many types of aircraft brake applications due to their low-weight, low-wear and high-temperature capabilities. ST is currently working with a major Tier 1 supplier on development of products for several aircraft applications and has a signed pre-production agreement in place for supply of parts.

Contributing: The Business Desk


David Kiley
David Kiley

David Kiley is Chief of Content for The BRAKE Report. Kiley is an award-winning business journalist and author, having covered the auto industry for USA Today, Businessweek, AOL/Huffington Post, as well as written articles for Automobile and Popular Mechanics.