Company’s History

On February 22, 1954, in Caxias do Sul, in the State of Rio Grande Sul, under a Fran-le brand, Indústria Francisco Stedile & Cia is founded. Francisco Stedile is founder of Fras-le companies, manufacturer of automobile parts, and Agrale, manufacturers of agricultural implements. In the 1960s, it made its first exports.

In the 1970s, Fras-le went public, more precisely in 1971. Also in the 1970s, the Company signed a Technology Agreement in Germany and opened the first Research and Development Center (R&D) in Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil.

In the 1980s, new technology agreements were signed in England and United States. In this period, the first asbestos-free friction materials were launched. The 1980s were also marked by the acquisition of Lonaflex, a manufacturer of friction materials then located in the city of Osasco. Lonaflex`s operations were later on integrated into the Fras-le`s plant of Caxias do Sul, remaining under the “Lonaflex” brand up to the present.

In the 1990s, the subsidiary Fras-le North America Inc. began to operate in the United States, which, at that time, was merely a commercial office located in the city of Northville, Michigan, adding later, a warehouse in the city of Gastonia, North Carolina, and the subsidiary Frans-le Argentina S.A. began to operate with a warehouse in the Province of San Martin, Argentina. In addition, Fras-le Andina Comercio y Representaciones Ltda. also started its activities with a sales office in the city of Santiago, Chile. This period was also marked by quality certifications achieved by the Company (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001)..

In 1996, the shareholding control of the Company was acquired by Randon S.A. Implementos e Participações and the Company became part of Randon companies.

In the years 2000, the Company continued to expand. In 2008, Fras-le`s strategy of becoming a global company was boosted through the opening of the sales offices Fras-le Europe (Germany), Fras-le Mexico, and Fras-Le Middle East (Dubai), and by setting up a plant in China for the production of brake linings and pads for commercial vehicles; in addition, Fras-le acquired the friction material business from the American company Haldex, Alabama, United States.

In early 2012. the Company took over the control and management of Freios Controil Ltda., located in São Leopoldo, in the great Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, a manufacturer of auto parts, brake components and solutions in automotive polymers, thus expanding and diversifying the product portfolio offered by the Company. In this same year, the shipment area of Fras-le plant located in Caxias do Sul, was also expanded by opening its new Logistics Center.

In 2013, the shareholders of the Company resolved, in a General Meeting, to convert all of its preferred shares into common shares.

2014 was marked by a Capital Increase and Share Bonus operation: 24,994,750 new common shares, nominative, book-entry shares with no par value were issued, allocating to shareholders, free-of-charge, as bonus shares, one new share for every four shares of the same class they hold, that is, bonus shares of 25% of the shares they hold. Therefore, the paid-in capital of the Company is now represented by 124,973,750 common shares.

In 2016, as a result of the completion of the Shares Restricted Offering, a new Capital Increase took place in the amount of R$ 300 million, through the issuance of 92,592,593 new common shares. As a result of this increase, the paid-in capital of the Company is now R$ 600 million, represented by 217,566,343 common shares.

In December 2016, the Company signed an Association Agreement with Federal Mogul VCS Holding BV, for the acquisition of 80.10% of the quotas representing the capital stock of Federal-Mogul Friction Products Sorocaba Sistemas Automotivos Ltda., located in the city of Sorocaba, São Paulo, which manufacturers brake pads. With this transaction, the company acquired was re-named Jurid do Brasil Sistemas Automotivos Ltda. Fras-le effectively took over the control and management of the company in early 2018, after fulfilling all precedent conditions.

In November 2017, the Company set up Fras-le Pan-americana, which is a commercial office in Bogotá, and a warehouse in the city of Cartagena, in a free zone. The coverage of this operation, in addition to Colombia, also extends to Peru, Ecuador, Central America and the Caribbean.

In December 2017, the Company acquired the following companies: (a) 100.0% of the capital stock of Armetal Autopartes, which, in turn, holds the shareholding control of Farloc Argentina (76.09% of capital stock), all based in Buenos Aires; and, (b) 100.0% of the capital stock of FANACIF S.A., with headquarters in Montevideo. The three companies operate in the segment of spare parts for light and heavy vehicles; ARMETAL is one of the largest distributors of auto parts in Argentina. This way, a complementary product portfolio was added, which includes components for brake and suspension systems, engine, bottled liquids, and other miscellaneous products for motor vehicles.

In late 2017, the Company signed an Association Agreement with ASK Automotive Private Limited (“ASK”), to set up a company in the town of Manesar, Haryana, India, under the name of ASK Fras-le Friction Private Limited (” ASK Fras-le “), to produce brake linings and brake pads. The new company starts its operations in early 2018, when Fras-le will effectively take over the control of the business, with a stake corresponding to 51.0% of the capital stock.

In January 2018, the Company entered into an association agreement with Federal Mogul VCS Holding BV (“VCS”), for the composition of a joint venture, located in the city of Sorocaba, State of São Paulo, named Jurid do Brasil Sistemas Automotivos Ltda (“Jurid”), with the objective of forming a strategic partnership to better serve assembler and aftermarket customers in the light vehicle market in Brazil and South America. Fras-le effectively assumed control of the business, with participation shareholding corresponding to 80.10%% of the capital stock.

On October 5, 2018, the Company acquired Jofund SA, headquartered in the city of Joinville (SC), which operates in the auto parts market under the Fremax brand, expanding its product portfolio and seeking to consolidate its leadership position. market share in the auto parts segment in Brazil, also reinforcing its product mix for global offer.

On October 1, 2020, the Company acquired Nakata Automotiva S.A., headquartered in the city of Osasco, State of São Paulo, in order to strengthen its operations in the auto parts replacement segment and increase its product portfolio.

In February 2021, the Company moved its Nakata Shock Absorber plant from Diadema/SP to Extrema/MG, with its administrative headquarters and technology center located in Osasco/SP.

In April 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the consolidation of the company Centro Tecnológico Randon – CTR, with Randon’s equity interest. The CTR was created in 2009 and used to concentrate, in the same structure/building, both companies` (the Company`s and Randon`s) assets. The formalization of the company allows CTR to explore new markets and grow in a sustainable way, expanding its products offer.

Finally, in August 2021, the Company disclosed, through a Notice to the Market, the launch of “Fras-le Smart Composites”, a new line of structural components developed in composite materials, with the main purpose of replacing parts currently produced in steel. These materials achieve high performance and bring significant gains in weight reduction, through the use of functional, flexible and innovative designs, specialized engineering and application intelligence, thus helping reduce emissions of polluting gases.

In April 2022, as a result of the completion of the Share Offering, the Company’s Capital was increased in the amount of R$ 629.400.000,00, through the issue of 52,450,000 new common shares. Therefore, the Company’s capital is now R$1.229.400.001,32, comprising 270,016,343 common shares.

In October 2022, the Centro Operativo Garín, located in province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was opened.  The purpose of the new structure is to centralize operations and strengthen the brand. The new space has a logistics sector, auto parts distribution, in addition to administrative and marketing operations.

In February 2023, the Company announced the signing of a stock purchase agreement between the subsidiary Fras-le Europa BV and AML Juratek Limited based in Doncaster, United Kingdom. The structure is made up of three warehouses. The operation is part of the Company’s strategy to expand its business in the replacement sector in mature markets, through product diversification and expansion of brands in its portfolio.

In April, the Company announced its new corporate brand, Frasle Mobility. The construction of the new identity repositions the Company as a house of brands, associated with the intense expansion cycles experienced over the last 10 years, with new companies, geographic growth, products and services incorporated into the portfolio of solutions, projecting a future of new possibilities for evolution and growth.

Also in April, the Company announced its new brand of solutions in composite materials, the Composs, which evolved from the Smart Composites brand, launched in 2021 with the purpose of developing new technologies focused on structural composite materials in a pioneering way in the Latin American market.

In April 2024, the Company closing down of the subsidiary FANACIF S.A. an industrial plant manufacturing friction materials, located in Montevideo, Uruguay. After the closing down, Frasle Mobility will continue operating in the Uruguayan market, maintaining its commercial and distribution operations in the country.