Hartlepool brake pads manufacturer reveals "ambitious" expansion plans with £2m investment

A global automotive manufacturer has revealed “ambitious” plans to expand this year following a £2m investment.

TMD Friction, headquartered in Hartlepool, has secured more than £2m of investment from the TMD Friction Group, which will be used to bring new employees on board and new machinery.

The company, which manufactures brake pads for vehicles, is scaling up production to meet demand and expects to be making around 120,000 parts per week throughout 2021.

Further investment has been made to make the plant Covid-safe, to upskill staff in all areas of the business, improve health and safety performance and in better software and technology to boost internal communications processes.

David Baines, CEO of TMD Friction, commented: “The Hartlepool site has grown massively in the past 12 months, despite the global coronavirus pandemic, and we now have the broadest capabilities in the group at Hartlepool. In fact, the chances are if you are changing the brake pads on your car, they will have been made in Hartlepool.

“To build on that, and really establish this facility as a global centre of excellence, the group has committed significant investment which will support the continued scale up of production.

“Alongside that, we are investing in our existing workforce and bringing new talent into the business which will help us achieve the ambitious plans we’ve put in place for the current financial year.”

Tom Russell, UK operations manager, added: “The growth at the Hartlepool plant over the past 12 months – probably the hardest 12 months we’ve ever faced – is down to the dedication and commitment of our workforce.

“As a team we’ve shown real resilience and as a result only six days of production time were lost during the pandemic – six days where we closed the plant and worked round the clock to get the production areas Covid-safe.

“Since then, production has been significantly upscaled and we’re now making more of the product range here at Hartlepool than anywhere else in the world.

“That’s something we’re incredibly proud of and credit has to go to our staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure we’re consistently meeting production targets.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →