Bendix celebrates 70 years of Australian manufacturing and innovation

Bendix is this year celebrating its 70th anniversary in Australia. Initially beginning operations in Ballarat, Victoria way back in 1955, seven decades on, the company continues to proudly manufacture from its Ballarat facility which also serves as the company’s research, development and testing headquarters.

Bendix will mark the significant occasion and commemorate its longevity and leading position within the automotive aftermarket industry with several events, culminating in a public open day in November, which will also be attended by the Bendix Racing Team.

Bendix traces its origins in Australia to 1955 when it began manufacturing from a four-acre site in Ballarat, Victoria.

Early days
The company was founded in 1955 as Mintex Limited and began operating from a four-acre site previously used by the Commonwealth Government as an explosives plant. Initial machinery included equipment to produce strip moulded linings as well as pressings. The first linings were produced at the site in September by a team of 30 employees, with product going on sale in November.

In 1963 the Bendix Corporation of United States acquired 51 per cent ownership of the operation, and over the following two years, the company also began to manufacture disc brake pads.

A line-up of rotary automatic presses from the 1950s that were designed and manufactured in-house.

Golden era of Australian auto manufacturing      
A further two years on, Bendix secured its first original equipment (OE) contract, supplying brake linings to General Motors Holden (GMH) and by 1967 was the exclusive supplier of brake linings to this iconic manufacturer. Shortly afterwards, the company secured a second OE contract, this time, producing disc brake pads for the Chrysler Valiant.

Over the years, Bendix has supplied its products to other OEs including Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan, underlining the company’s longstanding relationship and collaboration with major manufacturers.

A Bendix staff member operating a Crosswell Drill Machine in the early 1960s.

Expansion and investment
Throughout Bendix’s Australian history, it’s worked proactively to better serve the needs of customers, and this ultimately reflected in the brand’s growth and expansion over the decades. A Sydney based warehouse was established in 1969 to improve distribution and the early 1970s included diversification into commercial vehicle brake products.

Local know-how also saw the development of home-built ‘Troika’ presses, which formed the backbone of Bendix’s brake pad manufacturing over several years, cementing its position in the market as a leader in the manufacture of automotive friction materials.

In 1967 Bendix secured its first OE contract with GMH and continued to supply products to local auto manufactures until their withdrawal from Australia.

Considering the relatively small size of the Australian market, Bendix began evaluating export opportunities, setting up a distributor in Singapore to develop sales into Southeast Asia. A warehouse in Singapore followed, along with a presence in Thailand. The 1970s also saw Bendix products sold under other brand names into US and Canadian markets. By the early 1980s, Bendix’s workforce had grown to over 300 people.

Other notable achievements of the ‘80s included receipt of an Australian Government Award for Outstanding Export Achievement and construction of a new warehouse. Investment in a new training and briefing facility followed, along with construction of a new tool room, administration building, computer centre, canteen and staff amenities. By the end of the decade Bendix was exporting to over 40 countries.

Bendix was also extremely active in the heavy commercial vehicle space, a sector that it still successfully services today.

The 1990s saw the introduction of a purpose-built laboratory allowing Bendix engineers to test brake materials under simulated working conditions and applications. Access to global technology, heavy ongoing R&D investment – including the region’s first fully equipped noise analysis laboratory – and proactive marketing resulted in widespread uptake of Bendix products, with the company growing its reputation for quality and reliability. By 1994 Bendix employed over 800 people.

The trend continued in the 2000s with the company improving its processes, efficiency and flexibility through plant layout changes and the introduction of new technologies.

Bendix's current manufacturing infrastructure is sleek and modern, with the company continuing to invest in its local capabilities to improve efficiency and quality. 

Adapting and diversifying to changing markets
The gradual demise of the local automotive industry showed Bendix’s capacity for change with the company transitioning and growing its product line-up for the auto aftermarket, while developing new products for emerging markets.

Along with producing brake friction products and related components to suit an ever-increasing number of makes and models – from daily commuters (including EV and Hybrid vehicles) to sports cars, four-wheel drives, light commercial vehicles and trucks – Bendix developed and created brake upgrade kits to further broaden the appeal of the brand amongst recreational off roaders and the auto modification scene.

For keen off-roaders or owners of four-wheel drives who regularly tow or carry heavy loads, Bendix offer many options through its Ultimate 4WD™ range, while also catering to road vehicles through its Ultimate+™ range. Additionally, Bendix has further diversified its product lines with development of its Ultimate™ Electric Brake Controllers and Bendix Moto brake pad range, dedicated to motorcycles.

A recent addition to equipment at the Ballarat facility is a state-of-the-art Comsec Grinder, allowing company technicians and engineers to develop brake pads with more complex angles and edges.

A bright future  
In recent years Bendix has continued to invest in its manufacturing processes and in new technologies to streamline operations and further boost efficiency.

A recent installation in Ballarat includes specialised grinding equipment that allows Bendix technicians and engineers to apply complex grinding geometries in the Bendix range of brake pads including angular groves and chamfers. The shape of brake pads and the angled finish of the friction material can greatly impact overall brake pad performance, especially when it comes to noise, so these added capabilities ensure Bendix continues to set benchmarks in low noise performance.

Last year Bendix also increased its warehouse capabilities allowing it to store additional product and increase the speed of distribution.

Several line efficiencies including additional tooling and robotics have also been applied along with an ‘on line’ boxing system to further increase production efficiency. The company’s warehouse was also recently expanded and further streamlined, and plans are well advanced to increase Bendix’s capabilities to implement low volume, made to order products, which will be a gamechanger for the industry.

Around 120 people are currently employed by Bendix in Ballarat and the company is one of only a few automotive aftermarket businesses that remain committed to manufacturing in Australia, retaining critical sovereign knowledge and local jobs.   

Away from automotive, Bendix’s influence continues to grow in other sectors including light rail, where the company is currently involved in several exciting new projects.