- Business
- Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd. develops, manufactures, and sells a comprehensive range of brake products and related components for automobiles, motorcycles, rolling stock, and industrial machinery. Its core product portfolio includes disc brakes and calipers, drum brakes, brake pads, brake linings, brake rotors, wheel cylinders, master cylinders, brake shoes, sensors such as accelerometers and angular rate sensors, and electronic parking brake (EPB) systems. The company also provides braking solutions for specialized markets including bullet trains, monorails, forklifts, elevator brakes, wind turbine generators, and rough terrain cranes. Akebono operates globally with manufacturing and sales in Japan, North America, Europe, China, and other Asian countries, supported by R&D centers in the United States, Japan, and France. Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the company leverages its Akebono Production System to maintain high quality and minimal defect rates.
In recent developments, Akebono has expanded its Ultra-Premium Disc Brake Pad lines including the ProACT, EURO, and Severe Duty product categories, enhancing product coverage for over 7 million vehicles with new part numbers tailored for European and fleet vehicles. This includes a new Severe Duty pad designed specifically for Ford Transit and E-Transit models. The company maintains strategic partnerships, such as with Astra in Southeast Asia, and sustains cutting-edge technology launches like the Akebono W-Piston Brake Caliper (AWP) introduced in 2022. It also continues to supply braking components to notable OEMs worldwide and supports high-performance applications like Formula 1 through its European facilities. These efforts reflect a continuous focus on innovation, customer-focused product development, and global expansion in brake technology markets.