Brake Pad Manufacturer in China Accelerates Global Expansion in 2026, With Brazil As A New Growth Engine
Since the beginning of 2026, Chinese brake pad manufacturers have embraced new opportunities for development, driven by both global expansion and technological upgrading, propelling the industry towards high-quality and internationalized growth. According to the latest data from the General Administration of Customs, China's brake pad export value reached $1.23 billion in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 12.7%. Among them, the Latin American market led the growth, with Brazil, as a core growth point, seeing a demand increase of over 25%.
Capacity and Technology Upgrades in Factories Strengthen the Foundation for Globalization
Leading domestic brake pad manufacturers continue to increase investment in capacity and technology, significantly enhancing their core competitiveness. Wansei Auto Parts Co., Ltd. in Zhejiang is accelerating the construction of its new energy brake pad intelligent manufacturing base with a total investment of 1.36 billion yuan. It is expected that after full production in 2027, it will have an annual capacity of 10 million sets of OEM new energy brake pads, with an annual output value exceeding 1 billion yuan, marking the company's official entry into the core supply chain of new energy vehicles.
Technological innovation has become the core driver for factory development. Data shows that the localization rate of composite brake pads in China has increased to 85% in 2025, among which the localization rate of ceramic-based composite brake pads has reached 78%, and that of carbon-ceramic composite brake pads has exceeded 40%. New technologies such as laser cladding and gradient density pressing are widely used, extending the service life of brake pads by 30%-40%, while promoting product lightweight. It is expected that by 2030, the average weight of composite brake pads for passenger cars will decrease by more than 20% compared to 2025.
Brazil Becomes a Focus of Layout, with Dual Breakthroughs in Certification and Localization
As the largest automotive market in Latin America, Brazil has become a core position for Chinese brake pad manufacturers in their global layout. The National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (INMETRO) of Brazil clearly requires that automotive brake pads are mandatory certified products, and those without certification are prohibited from being sold and circulated in the country. To break through compliance barriers, many domestic brake pad manufacturers have initiated the INMETRO certification process, and their products have gradually obtained market access qualifications in Brazil through durability, salt spray tests, and factory audits.
Localization layout is advancing simultaneously. Many manufacturers have established offices or cooperative distributors in Brazil. Relying on the dividends of the RCEP agreement and the Belt and Road Initiative, they provide customized product solutions to meet the needs of local mainstream models. Aiming at the preferences of Brazilian consumers, manufacturers optimize product colors and packaging, and establish localized after-sales systems to quickly respond to customer needs, with market share continuously increasing.
Opportunities and Challenges Coexist in the Industry, Compliance and Innovation are Key
Currently, the development of Chinese brake pad manufacturers faces both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, the rapid popularization of new energy vehicles drives industry growth. In 2025, China's new energy vehicle production reached 12 million units, accounting for more than 40% of the total vehicle production. The demand for new energy-specific brake pads has surged, with an expected compound annual growth rate of over 15%. On the other hand, fluctuations in raw material prices, international certification barriers, and the impact of counterfeit and shoddy products pose pressures on industry development.
Industry experts point out that Chinese brake pad manufacturers need to focus on three major directions in the future: first, continuously break through high-end material technologies and achieve large-scale application of products such as carbon-ceramic composites; second, deepen global layout and focus on emerging markets such as Latin America and the Middle East; third, strengthen compliance awareness and fully obtain international certifications such as ECE and INMETRO to enhance international brand competitiveness.
As the global automotive industry accelerates its electrification and intelligent transformation, Chinese brake pad manufacturers are gradually breaking the monopoly of international brands and becoming important participants in the global braking industry chain, relying on manufacturing advantages, technological strength, and global layout. It is expected that throughout 2026, China's brake pad export value will exceed $1.4 billion, with Brazil's market contribution continuing to expand, driving the industry to new heights.
