As an established braking manufacturer, TMD Friction recognises that, as a safety-critical component, braking is a product category you cannot take chances with.
With the global transport infrastructure facing extraordinary pressures, TMD Friction is working collaboratively with customers to ensure their braking offering is of the best quality.
TMD Friction IAM Head of Technical Training, Scott Irwin MIMI, believes that motor factors must be confident that they are supplying an original equipment quality part, providing technicians with full traceability and support, so that they can be fitted in the correct manner.
As vehicle speeds continue to increase, the demands placed on brakes become greater; however, there are not only higher performance requirements, as comfort aspects have also become more important, with driver expectations rising as technology develops:
“Product development is an ongoing process for TMD Friction. Quality and reliability are our number one priorities, which is why we invest more than €30 million each year to make sure our products are fit for every new demand, now and in the future,” Scott said.
Via its brands, Textar, Mintex and DON, TMD Friction’s braking products are engineered to provide “friction stability, comfort and consistently high-performance over a wide temperature range and stopping distances”.
How does TMD Friction collaborate with its motor factor customers?
By working closely with its stockists, the company looks to help develop a motor factor’s business by supporting them with training and marketing that can be shared with its customers.
TMD Friction regularly updates its range with new references, while another key area of support offered to motor factors is ensuring each product comes with a fitting instruction, which can also be found and downloaded from the brand’s website.
What’s more, TMD Friction offers a training programme across pads, discs, chemicals and tooling, so workshops can guarantee that products have been fitted safely. This also means customers are less likely to return to the motor factor requesting a refund on parts if they have been fitted correctly.
TMD Friction’s new programme is part of its dedication to training and upskilling the next generation of technicians worldwide, while also supporting distributors with technical workouts.
Customers can also find useful support and information in TMD Friction’s online catalogues. These digital tools make it easy and reliable to find all braking products and matching accessories.
This also helps to carry out maintenance and repairs quickly and efficiently. By offering as much information as possible to its customers, TMD Friction said it can demonstrate both its responsibilities as a trade and their responsibilities as a motorist.
TMD Friction ensures rigorous performance testing takes place in accordance with not just R90 legislation, but more: testing on its own dyno machines, as well as on roads and test tracks, which the company said covers more parameters than the minimum R90 standard, such as durability, stopping distances, high temperature/speed and friction stability.
TMD Friction believes that stocking and supplying high-quality braking components is key for any motor factor, and, therefore, by highlighting its commitment to product development and by providing training and support, which can be passed on to the technician, it is able to offer added reassurance to its customers and the aftermarket supply chain.
