Caroflex Kft. (Hungary)

CAROFLEX Fekbetetgyar Kft. is the largest friction element manufacturer in Hungary. The company has been focused on the production and development of modern friction materials, as well as the development and adaptation of advanced processing and manufacturing technologies since its establishment. It is one of the largest employers in the Upper Szabolcs microregion and has promising prospects for the future. The company's history dates back to 1971 when the Villamosszigetelő és Műanyaggyár factory in Kisvarda was established as a greenfield investment. Initially, they manufactured friction elements from their own developed brake material, primarily for bus and truck brake pads, for domestic and Soviet Union exports. In 1978, they acquired a license from the British company DON, enabling them to expand their exports to Western Europe. In 1985, they started producing a new type of asbestos and asbestos-free brake material using a manufacturing process from a Canadian partner. The development of their own brake material accelerated. In 1991, the company became an independent state-owned enterprise under the name CAROFLEX Fékbetétgyár Kft., separating from the Villamosszigetelő és Műanyaggyár corporation. They purchased a license for asbestos-free brake material from AlliedSignal (now Federal-Mogul Bremsbelag GmbH) and signed a 10-year commercial agreement. In 1993, the company was privatized, and since 1998, it has been owned by six individuals, making it a 100% Hungarian-owned company. In 2000, they expanded their production profile to include passenger vehicle brake manufacturing, and in 2007, they added truck disc brake manufacturing.