Bendix expands local plant to remake brakes

The Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems plant in Huntington has expanded its brake shoe remanufacturing capabilities.

The expansion adds a salvage operation to the assembly operation that opened in 2012, explains Mike Pogorelc, plant manager of the Huntington facility.

The salvage operation, located at 1230 Sabine St., in Huntington, went online in July.

The $3.2 million investment in equipment and facility upgrades gives the plant an increased capacity and capability for coining - returning used brake shoes to the shape engineered by their original equipment manufacturers.

The new Bendix 1,000-ton coining press reproduces the original manufacturing methods, applying the full tonnage necessary to return the shoe to its proper shape and OE specifications.

Other improvements to the Brake Shoe Remanufacturing Center include a self-contained salvage and de-lining area, which prevents dust and other contaminants from reaching the painting and riveting process; four automated de-liners that remove the friction with greater accuracy and reduce the chance of accidental shoe damage; and two new 24-cubic-foot blasters that clean the shoes in order to provide the best adhesion surface for the new lining. Additionally, a new 2,000-square-foot paint line can handle up to 500 parts per hour.

The Bendix Brake Shoe Remanufacturing Center now handles the complete salvage, coining and assembly processes necessary for the start-to-finish remanufacturing of several million remanufactured commercial vehicle brake shoes each year.

Since opening the assembly portion of the operation in 2012, Bendix has assembled more than 1.9 million brake shoes.

"As the commercial vehicle industry continues to adapt to ever-changing regulations and compliance standards, fleets and owner-operators are turning in greater numbers to high-quality remanufactured brake shoes as a solution in their parts strategy," says Henry Foxx, Bendix director of remanufactured products.

Bendix's Brake Shoe Remanufacturing Center employs 65 people, part of Huntington's total roster of 430 employees. The center's 74,000 square feet bring the Huntington operation's total to 547,000 square feet, comprising four manufacturing and assembly facilities as well as Bendix's primary North American distribution center.