- Business
- Sundaram Brake Linings Limited manufactures asbestos-free friction materials for automotive, non-automotive, railway, and industrial applications; primary products include brake linings, disc pads, clutch facings, tractor linings, and brake blocks, with additional trading in rivets under the TVS brand such as TVS AF-63 CV Lining, Premium TVS AF4179, Premium TVS AF5812, and Premium TVS AF3771; the company serves original equipment manufacturers through tier-I suppliers for commercial vehicles, two-wheelers, passenger vehicles, and tractors, the domestic aftermarket via over 140 TVS-owned wholesaler outlets and state transport units, and exports to over 60 countries including a dedicated warehouse in North America for US and Canadian markets. Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with four manufacturing facilities in Padi, Madurai (two plants), and Chengalpattu, all in Tamil Nadu, the company operates primarily in India with significant export revenues comprising 35-41% of total sales, particularly concentrated in the US market representing about 25% of revenues. As part of the T S Krishna Group within the larger TVS Group, promoters hold approximately 64-66% stake, managed by Krishna Mahesh, a fourth-generation TVS family member; it maintains a pan-India distribution network and participates in international trade fairs across North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Far East. Recent developments include the introduction of new product lines with scale-up anticipated in FY2025, revenue and margin improvement initiatives, planned capital expenditures of Rs 30 crore in FY2025 and Rs 20-26 crore across FY2025-FY2026 partly funded by term debt, enhanced bank facilities with ICRA BBB+ (Stable)/A2 ratings reaffirmed in March 2024 and April 2025 including increased term loan limits to Rs 25 crore, reconstitution of board committees and appointment of Rahul Rakesh Agrawal as Non-Executive Independent Director in September 2025, alongside ongoing efforts to diversify beyond cyclical commercial vehicle demand amid challenges like Q2 FY2026 net loss of Rs 3.12 crore and US import tariff impacts.