Sundaram Brake Linings Ltd (SBL), formerly known as Sundaram Abex, was established in 1976 as a joint venture with a world-famous friction materials manufacturer and is now a fully Indian-owned company. The company is part of the T S Krishna Group, which in turn is part of the larger TVS Group. SBL is in the business of automotive and industrial friction materials used in automobile commercial vehicles, cars, jeeps, scooters, tractors, etc.
The company has built a strong reputation as a pioneer in the manufacture of asbestos-free friction materials in India, and also the first Indian friction material company to become 100% asbestos-free. It converted all 5 manufacturing units into asbestos-free from the commencement of the financial year 2011-12, which became effective on 1st April 2011.
The company's financial performance shows a stable revenue trend with a slight dip in profit for FY25 compared to FY24. Despite this, SBL maintains its position as a key player in the friction materials industry.
- Latest Financial Results (FY25 ended March 2025):
- Revenue: Rs 352.21 crore (vs. Rs 352.36 crore in FY24)
- Net Profit: Rs 5.17 crore (vs. Rs 10.09 crore in FY24)
- Q4 FY25 Performance:
- Net Profit: Rs 1.32 crore (an increase of 127.59% vs. Q4 FY24)
- Sales: Rs 96.96 crore (an increase of 8.91% vs. Q4 FY24)
- Market Capitalization: ₹336 crore (as of June 2025)
- Promoter Holding: 63.9% (as of March 2025)
- Dividend: Recommended final dividend of Rs 1.5 per equity share (15%) for FY25.
Sundaram Brake Linings is engaged in manufacturing automotive, non-automotive, railways, and industrial friction materials. Its products are used in commercial vehicles, passenger cars, tractors (agricultural), railways, and two-wheelers. The company offers products including brake lining, brake pad, and clutch facings, with specific offerings like CV and PV Linings and CV and PV Pads.
The company operates through extensive manufacturing capabilities with four manufacturing plants, two of which are dedicated exclusively to manufacturing asbestos-free brake linings and pads. The combined production capacity of all four manufacturing plants exceeds 1.2 million brake blocks per month. The company has five manufacturing plants located in Tamil Nadu. All manufacturing plants are strategically located near major Indian ports to improve the turnaround time in servicing global customers.
Sundaram Brake Linings has established a significant international presence. SBL exports to more than 69 countries, catering to the aftermarket needs of international applications from manufacturers like Mercedes Benz, Volvo, Scania, and Renault. With 1500 employees and 5 manufacturing locations strategically located near major ports, 35% of SBL's total sales are exported to over 54 countries worldwide. The company began exporting brake linings to developed countries in 1978.
SBL maintains a warehouse facility in North America to service the US and Canadian markets instantly, which is a pre-requisite for establishing brand presence. A business representative in the USA works closely with US/Canadian brake re-builders and distributors.
In the domestic market, SBL has a presence in both the domestic OEM and Aftermarket segments. It services the Indian aftermarket through over 140 TVS-owned wholesaler outlets. SBL is also one of the main suppliers of brake linings to TELCO.
SBL boasts an award-winning R&D facility at its headquarters in Chennai. This facility is equipped with brake/dynamometers, scanning electron microscopes, gas chromatographs, and vehicle testing capabilities for the development of friction materials across a wide range of automotive, non-automotive, and industrial applications. State-of-the-art in-house design facilities provide the company with the necessary infrastructure to conduct design and development work, meeting the growing needs of the friction material industry.
SBL is certified for ISO/TS 16949 – 2002 Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001: 2004 Environmental Management Systems. The company also practices TQM, TPM, and Lean Manufacturing systems to achieve World Class standards. SBL holds the distinction of being the first friction material company worldwide to be awarded the prestigious Deming Application Prize.
Promoter holding in Sundaram Brake Linings Ltd decreased to 63.93% as of March 2025 from 65.54% as of June 2024. The current promoter holding stands at 63.9%.
The company continues to focus on innovation and expansion within the friction materials industry, while maintaining its leadership position in asbestos-free manufacturing technology.
