TMD affirms commitment to the aftermarket with launch of R&D facility
Leading braking product manufacturer TMD Friction has launched a new research and development facility in Seaton Ross, East Yorkshire as part of its investment strategy into the independent aftermarket.
The Seaton Ross research and development site comprises new offices, a high specification vehicle workshop, a technical training area, and a track enabling non-public road brake specific evaluation, carried out at low and high speed, plus calibration and testing of new brake pads and products in development.
Ian Featherstone, research and development director at TMD Friction, said: “TMD Friction’s new facility opened earlier in the summer and is now fully operational to support the product research and development processes that ultimately deliver high-end friction material out of our global manufacturing plant.
“We have had a successful start to our research and development programme at our new facility, which supports the development of safety critical components, constantly develops our collective knowledge, and reinforces the need for innovation in braking friction material to deliver OE-equivalent parts to the automotive aftermarket.”
TMD Friction has already started to welcome its customers to the UK research and development site, and carries out continual professional development courses at the premises to ensure its technical training teams working across the independent aftermarket remain equipped to support customers in the commercial vehicle and passenger car markets.
Scott Irwin MIMI, head of technical training at TMD Friction, said “The expansion to our technical training capabilities, brought by the move to our new facility at Seaton Ross, means we can deliver accredited training courses for our staff and customers, so that we are all fully safety conscious when maintaining and servicing brake products.”
The launch of TMD Friction’s new premises at Seaton Ross follows a move from its previous proving ground at Elvington. The new facility carries out an important part of TMD Friction’s quality focus with safety-critical tests carried out all day on the test track.