To streamline its brand profile in the Automotive and Industrial divisions, the Schaeffler Group will manage all of its friction facing activities exclusively under the LuK brand as of January 1, 2009.

This change particularly affects the friction facings previously produced and sold under the Raybestos brand name by Raybestos Industrie-Produkte GmbH in Morbach, Germany, and Raybestos Friction Products (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. in Suzhou, China.

With the acquisition of Raybestos, the world’s largest independent clutch facing manufacturer, in January 2008, the Schaeffler Group once again significantly expanded its product portfolio and strengthened its market presence in the field of technologically advanced clutch facings and friction technology. Today, the Schaeffler Group manufactures high-performance friction facings at the previous Raybestos locations in Morbach (Germany), Suzhou (China), Port Elisabeth (South Africa), and Hamm/Sieg (Germany). More than 50 million facings have been manufactured for the automotive and industrial sector worldwide in 2008.