How To Assess The Quality Of Brake Pad Manufacturers
Your business is only as good as its suppliers, so having a high-quality brake pads manufacturer supplying your body shop, dealership, or other car parts business is essential in building a good customer reputation and brand image.
As brake pads are one of the most vital parts of the braking system (and with 1 in 10 motorists failing their MOT due to brake issues such as poorly maintained brake pads or brake rotors/discs!), selling quality brake pads is critical for safety. In the UK, 0.8% of car accidents are caused by brake failure, and in many cases, these accidents could have been prevented if the driver had better brake pads and a well-working braking system.
Factors To Consider When Buying Brake Pads From Suppliers / Manufacturers
The Quality Of The Raw Materials Used
When shopping for brake pads, it’s important to consider not only the materials used in the pads but also their source as this can also be an indicator of quality. Each material and brake pad type has its advantages and disadvantages depending on the size of the vehicle, the road surface conditions, and even the time of year, so it’s important to consider all these factors. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as “the best brake pad” as the best for one vehicle may not be suitable for another.
The Brake Pads’ Overall Composition & Performance
Brake pad composition is also very important as not all low brake pads are manufactured to the same standards and not all semi metallic brake pads will contain the same amount of metal. This will vary significantly between manufacturers due to the way these types of brake pads are classified (learn more about the definitions here).
Similarly, not all ceramic brake pads will provide the same level of performance, which is why we recommend always requesting a sample. At Frontech, we provide samples on request for any of our products and the cost of the samples can be deducted from your first bulk order.
The Company’s Manufacturing Process & Credentials
During your supplier vetting process, you should also take note of the company’s manufacturing process and certifications. While our full range at Frontech is tested for quality and heat resistance up to 650°C, not all manufacturers will guarantee this level of quality assurance. We are also TUV certified and our products follow the same production process as OEM products. (On request, we would be happy to provide certification for individual products within our line.)
Certification is an important way to benchmark quality and ensure reliability and consistency over time, as well as ensuring a manufacturer is up-to-date with industry standards. As manufacturing processes mature over time, it’s important to keep up with testing regulations alongside other product developments to avoid purchasing products that are no longer used in modern vehicles.
Warranties And Customer Service
The last factor to consider is product warranties and customer service policies as this will help you understand how long your brake pads from a particular manufacturer are expected to last before failing or requiring replacement. Also, it will help you evaluate value for money as well as helping you gauge availability and lead times between manufacturers. For example, at Frontech, our brake pads come with a minimal warranty for use up to 50,000 km (approx. 31,000 miles) so you can rest assured your brake pads will last you a very long time!
How Do You Determine If A Manufacturer Is Reliable And Trustworthy?
The Company’s Age & Credentials
To determine if a brake pad manufacturer is reliable and trustworthy, you should assess the company’s credentials as well as checking the manufacturer’s website for information about its history, staff, and any certifications they may have. This will help you assess the company’s level of expertise as well as its wider industry knowledge. For example, Frontech has been operating for over 19 years (and we’ll be celebrating our 20th birthday this year in 2023!), and many members of our team have been with us since our humble beginnings – meaning we have a highly-experienced and trained team who have grown with us over the years and gained insight into every facet of the industry.
Customer Reviews
By reading customer reviews and comments on social media, you’ll be able to get unbiased feedback on the quality of the products and the value offered. Though please note that not all brands will have a large social media presence and that’s okay – the number of “likes” isn’t always reflective of popularity as many brands like to keep their suppliers a secret to gain a competitive advantage. This is why review websites, and reviews more generally, will be more helpful. (And not to toot our own horn, but at Frontech, we’ve been voted a 5*, trusted brake pads manufacturer on Google and Alibaba, as well as having a 100% on-time delivery rate as verified by our customers!)
Pricing
Comparing the pricing of brake pad manufacturers to get a fair price for your money is a common practice and as suppliers, we’re fully aware people shop around! However, brake pad pricing shouldn’t be a race to the bottom for who can offer the lowest price – instead, we recommend speaking with suppliers and asking for a deal. Many manufacturers, including ourselves, will offer bespoke pricing on request and depending on the size of your regular orders, this can result in fantastic savings.
Contact our team today!
Contact us any time via our contact form, via email at sales@frontech.com, or by sending us a message on WhatsApp at +86 1531 832 9151 where a member of our team will be happy to assist. We are open from 8am to 5:30pm Monday – Friday and aim to get back to all enquiries within 24 business hours.
