Award-winning truck equipped with Akebono foundation brake components featuring performance improvements
Farmington Hills, Mich. - (Jan. 29, 2014) - Akebono Brake Corporation congratulates General Motors on receiving the North American Truck of the Year award for the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado. The award-winning truck is equipped with foundation brake components provided by Akebono, which improve brake performance, extend rotor life and reduce noise and vibration.
“We congratulate the GM team on their tremendous victory with Silverado,” said Hadrian Rori, executive vice president, research and development, Akebono Brake Corporation. “It is an honor for Akebono to team up with GM on this award-winning vehicle and contribute technology.”
Akebono collaborated with GM on the development of the Silverado’s foundation braking components, including calipers, rotors and brake pads. The rotors Akebono supplies to GM are produced using a ferritic nitro-carburizing process (FNC). The FNC process diffuses nitrogen and carbon into the ferrous rotor material, producing a very hard surface layer that reduces corrosion and wear over the life of the rotors. With the introduction of FNC rotors, Silverado customers will experience benchmark levels of low noise and vibration, and significantly improved rotor life.
The four-wheel-disc brakes on the truck also feature Akebono brake pads made of low-copper, non-asbestos friction material. This new friction material provides exemplary performance, long life and ultra-low noise and brake dust. The low copper levels in the friction formulation meet future state-mandated restrictions on the use of copper, slated to go into effect in January 2021.
The Akebono brake components equipped on the Silverado are also featured on the new 2014 GMC Sierra. These components were developed in conjunction with GM at Akebono’s research and development facility in Farmington Hills, Mich., and are manufactured in the United States.
Akebono continues to be a global leader in providing brake components that exceed original equipment manufacturer (OEM) requirements and satisfy new vehicle customers. Its products are factory-installed on more than 270 models and have built a strong reputation for low noise, no dusting and long wear life. In the aftermarket, Akebono is the OEM brand of choice for brakes.
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About Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd.
Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd. (TSE:7238), founded in 1929, is a world leader in advanced brake and friction material development and production. The Akebono Group operates R&D centers in Japan, the United States, France, United Kingdom, China and ASEAN and decided to establish a new one in Reims, France and has wholly owned or affiliated manufacturing facilities worldwide. Akebono recorded net sales of 236 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, and employs over 9,000 people worldwide on a consolidated basis. As a technology partner to the McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, Akebono has been supplying and jointly developing brake systems since 2007.
For more information, visit www.akebono-brake.com/english/index.html.
About Akebono Brake Corporation
Akebono Brake Corporation, North America’s leading supplier of advanced brake technology, is a leader in advanced brake and friction material development and production, with a focus on noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) analysis and control.
For more information, visit www.akebonobrakes.com.