COMPANY PROFILE

HISTORY

GLOBAL PRESENCE

NORTH AMERICAN LOCATIONS

EVENTS

CONTACTS

MEDIA CENTER

SUPPLIERS

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

BUSINESS FOCUS

Akebono leads the world’s auto industry in brake noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) control and analysis. The company focuses on advanced brake pad friction material development and production, and advanced foundation brake technology.

MANAGEMENT - NORTH AMERICA

Kazu Matusmoto — President and Chief Executive Officer
Kanji Miyajima — Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, & Chief Administrative Officer
Andy Ando — Executive Vice President, OE Sales, AM Sales
Bill Hilbrandt — Senior Vice President, Akebono Engineering Center
Seiya Odaka — Executive Vice President, Quality Assurance and Purchasing
Randy Ito — Chief Information Officer

PRODUCTS

Original equipment foundation brake assemblies, including disc and drum brakes; ultra-premium and premium aftermarket ceramic disc pads and remanufactured calipers.

Akebono brakes stop a wide spectrum of vehicles — from passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, motorcycles and heavy-duty vehicles to construction cranes and the famous Shinkansen high-speed bullet train.

Key automotive OEM customers include Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen.

OPERATIONS

Technical/R&D facilities in Farmington Hills, Mich.; Hanyu, Japan and Paris, France, located near key customers. Thirty wholly owned or affiliated production facilities worldwide; North American production facilities located in Elizabethtown, Glasgow and Springfield, Kentucky. Akebono Brake has the largest proving grounds facility among all Japanese automotive component suppliers. It is located in Iwaki, Japan.

ASSOCIATES

Akebono’s workforce totals 7,300 associates worldwide; 2500 associates in North America

HISTORY

The Tokyo-based company began in 1929 as a manufacturer of linings and clutch facings. Akebono launched brake sales activities in the United States in 1980; U.S. production operations began in 1986. Various North American operations were consolidated in 1998, upon formal establishment of Akebono Corporation, North America.

SALES

In 2009, Akebono’s worldwide sales totaled $1.7 billion; North American sales totaled $380 million.