Fras-le North America Inc. has started producing brake disc pads for the off-highway market at its manufacturing facility in Prattville, Ala.
Production began this month and marks the first time the company has manufactured products for the off-highway market in the U.S. The announcement represents a substantial investment in equipment and the addition of jobs to the local economy in Prattville and is in response to growth demands in the North American and global off-highway markets.
Earlier this year, Fras-le announced that the company would move part of its block production for the heavy-duty market to Prattville, adding nearly 100 employees over the next two years and representing an $11 million U.S. investment.
Off-highway products, primarly brake pads, are produced by Fras-le for OE and OES customers and are are used in agricultural, mining, construction and earth moving equipment. Off-highway materials are currently manufactured by Fras-le in Brazil. The addition of off-highway manufacturing in Prattville provides added capacity for the company to serves its customers.
"Adding production in the U.S. helps reinforce Fras-le's position as a global leader in off-highway dry friction," said Daniel Randon, Fras-le CEO and president. "It also puts us closer to our North American customer base, allowing us to drastically reduce lead time to customers."