Textar: A Century of German Brake Friction Technology

History

Textar's roots in brake friction technology reach back to 1913, when the company began developing brake linings in Germany; its manufacturing heritage is tied to a former production plant in Nuremberg. Over the following decades Textar grew alongside the German automotive industry, supplying friction materials for both passenger cars and, later, commercial vehicles. The brand eventually became part of TMD Friction, a friction-materials group that also owns the Mintex, Don, Pagid and Cobreq brands and today operates 16 manufacturing plants in nine countries out of its headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany. TMD Friction's ownership has changed hands more than once: the Japanese industrial group Nisshinbo Holdings owned the company from 2011 until August 2023, when it sold TMD Friction to AEQUITA SE & Co. KGaA, a Munich-based industrial holding company. Throughout these ownership changes, Textar has remained TMD Friction's premium brake brand and kept its own identity and formulation programme rather than being folded into a generic house brand.

What they make

Textar's core product line is friction material for vehicle braking systems: disc brake pads, drum brake linings (shoes), and related accessory kits such as wear sensors and mounting hardware. According to TMD Friction, Textar's engineers have developed roughly 50,000 distinct friction formulations over the decades, testing hundreds of raw ingredients to balance stopping power, noise, dust and pad wear for different vehicle types. The range spans everyday passenger cars, vans and light commercial vehicles, and Textar advertises coverage of the large majority of vehicles in circulation in Europe — TMD Friction states a figure of 99.7% vehicle coverage for the brand's aftermarket catalogue, which is why the brand is a common reference point for cross-checking pad specifications against other suppliers.

Where they fit — OE vs aftermarket

Textar operates on both sides of the automotive supply chain: TMD Friction supplies original-equipment brake friction material to a number of European vehicle manufacturers, while the same Textar name is sold through the independent aftermarket as a replacement-parts brand for workshops and retailers. This dual role is common among long-established German friction brands, and it means that a Textar aftermarket pad is typically manufactured to the same specification and on the same production lines as parts originally fitted at the factory, rather than being a separate, lower-tier product built only for resale.

Buying guidance

When choosing Textar brake pads or linings, match the exact part number to your vehicle's brake system rather than relying on the vehicle model alone, since brake calipers and disc sizes can vary between trim levels and production years. Because Textar is positioned as a premium-tier brand within TMD Friction's portfolio, it is generally priced above the group's other brands (such as Don or Cobreq) but is a reasonable choice for buyers who want OE-equivalent braking performance rather than a budget replacement. As with any brake component, pads should be replaced in axle sets and checked against disc wear and thickness at the same service interval.