As part of an in-depth interview and an extensive tour through the foundry, Sebastian Simon, Steffen Sasse, and Jan-Christopher Schwehn provided fascinating insights into the strategic repositioning and technical advancement of Breyden GmbH – formerly Buderus Guss – under its new owner AEQUITA.
New Brand, New Values – Breyden Repositions Itself in the SME Sector
“We had to rediscover ourselves to some extent,” says Jan-Christopher Schwehn regarding the renaming to Breyden GmbH. The new name references the location Breidenbach and emphasizes regional roots – while also aiming to have a more international appeal. The rebranding was necessary to break away from the company’s former image as a heating systems supplier and position it as an innovative partner for the automotive industry. Initial feedback – out of the region but also from customers – has been very positive.
New Owners, New Momentum
Following the ownership transfer from Bosch to AEQUITA in May 2024 and the rebranding to Breyden GmbH in late October 2024, the traditional foundry site in Breidenbach presents itself with a new name, a clear focus, and ambitious investment plans.
Sebastian Simon, Director at AEQUITA and project lead for the site, describes the new corporate culture as “agile, fast, entrepreneurial.” Decision-making is now significantly more flexible. The goal is to deliver more than just castings – the company aims to offer technologically advanced products with real value-added depth.
Investments with Substance – New Aluminum Casting Line
The entire brake disc production is to be consolidated at the Breidenbach site.
One example of this new strategic direction is the investment in a new horizontal aluminum casting line, designed to manufacture lightweight brake discs combining grey cast iron, stainless steel, and aluminum. The line is scheduled to go into operation during the first half of the year 2026 and is expected to run in three shifts in the future. The initiative was market-driven and targets major OEMs and their electric platforms. For a traditional iron foundry, this represents a true innovation – and underscores the strategic relevance of this development: lightweight composite brake discs will be produced by casting an aluminum hub onto a grey cast iron friction ring with embedded stainless-steel pins.
In parallel, a comprehensive modernization project for “Foundry 1” is underway in cooperation with GEMCO under the guiding principle “Make the Concept Stronger.” The aim is to automate processes, increase efficiency, reduce CO₂ emissions, and meet economic requirements.
Key Metrics and Focus
Currently, Breyden GmbH produces 13–14 million brake discs annually (capacity: up to 16 million across 15 shifts) – around 60,000 to 65,000 units per day. With the planned consolidation of brake disc production at the Breidenbach site, efficiency is expected to improve further.
Steffen Sasse, Foundry Director since 2018, emphasizes the technological flexibility of the facility. Nevertheless, the clear focus remains on brake discs: “Foundries that try to cover too broad a market struggle during times of overcapacity.”
Digitization with a Sense of Proportion
Rather than engaging in digital activism, the leadership at Breyden GmbH is pursuing targeted digitization with tangible benefits. Process data is collected from existing control systems, analyzed, and used, among other things, for AI-supported scrap analysis. In the melting shop, intelligent material composition also enables more efficient production.
The Future of the Brake Disc
Brake discs remain essential even in electric mobility – in some cases, even larger ones are needed due to increased vehicle weight. Challenges such as corrosion from reduced brake wear or flash rust remain – but also present opportunities for innovation. The lightweight composite brake disc is a direct response to the demand for weight reduction.
The topic of fine dust (keyword: Euro 7 standard) is still ongoing with iDisc II. OEMs are currently focusing on series release, but in the long run, the focus will shift toward cost reduction while maintaining environmental performance. New powders, processes, and close development cooperation with TMD Friction – another company in the AEQUITA portfolio – are driving this advancement.
Germany as a Production Location: Clear Positioning Despite Challenges
AEQUITA and Breyden GmbH are firmly committed to Germany as a production location. However, much depends on political framework conditions such as electricity prices and CO₂ certificates. Mr. Simon warns: “Foundries are part of the industrial backbone – if we lose that know-how, we lose more than just a product.”
Strategic Alignment & Collaboration as Key Success Factors
A defining element of the conversation was the company's collaborative mindset. During the rebranding process, customers reportedly stated that “Breyden is easy to work with.” The goal is to become involved even earlier in the development processes of OEMs.
Breyden GmbH sees itself not merely as a foundry, but as a technology and development partner, one that also integrates more deeply into the value chain. Nevertheless, the core business of cast blanks remains essential to ensure capacity utilization. Innovation and new business models are intended to build upon that foundation.
Conclusion
Breyden GmbH demonstrates how tradition, technology, and transformation can be successfully integrated. Under the umbrella of AEQUITA, the company is evolving into a future-ready, technologically ambitious foundry operation with a clear position in the European brake disc market – and with a strong commitment to innovation, quality, and its domestic production site.
Interview: Foundry-Planet | Interviewees: Sebastian Simon, Steffen Sasse, Jan-Christopher Schwehn
About Breyden – The Brake Disc Company
Founded in 1913, Breyden operates multiple sites in the German state of Hesse, including state-of-the-art foundries, production and machining facilities in Breidenbach and Lollar, as well as our Brake Disc Innovation Center in Ludwigshütte.
- Employees: 560
- Brake discs produced in 2024: approx. 13 million
- Product portfolio:
- EU7 coated brake discs (iDisc II)
- Lightweight brake discs
- Grey cast iron brake discs (ventilated and solid)
