Friction One Finalizes Acquisition of Legendary Raybestos Brand

Shaking up the foundational architecture of the North American friction landscape, global brake manufacturer Friction One has officially acquired the historic Raybestos brand. 

The definitive transaction includes the absolute absorption of the Raybestos trademark, proprietary friction formulations, engineering blueprints, application data, digital cataloging assets, and all associated technical manufacturing resources.

Moving forward under the executive banner of “Authentic Raybestos,” Friction One—a family-owned enterprise led by Founder and CEO Jim Zhang—seeks to stabilize shifting supply chain dynamics across the North American jobber and warehouse distribution networks. Friction One will leverage its multi-plant advanced automated manufacturing footprint in Mexico and China to backup product delivery pipelines.

Initial Inventory Distribution Set for Q4 2026

For Canadian parts counters, independent repair facilities, and automotive service networks, the operational timeline is immediate. Friction One confirmed that the first wave of newly managed Raybestos-branded lines, focusing initially on core friction components, brake drums, and rotors, is scheduled to hit wholesale distribution channels during the fourth quarter of 2026.

“The concept of ‘Authentic Raybestos’ defines our approach,” stated Jim Zhang, Founder and CEO of Friction One. “Raybestos has earned the trust of the aftermarket over many years. Our commitment is to carry that legacy forward through disciplined engineering, advanced manufacturing capability, and long-term investment.” To guarantee catalog continuity, Friction One has retained Nate Kinkley as Director of Product Engineering. 

Kinkley, who previously directed engineering tracks for former brand parent Brake Parts Inc., will oversee the alignment of the brand’s 15,000+ SKU catalog, protecting its 99% coverage metric across both domestic passenger and light/heavy commercial vehicle applications.