Allied Nippon reinforces its legacy of trust in Ireland
‘World Class’. It’s a term most often heard in footballing parlance to describe an act of brilliance or the performance of the latest Premier League star, but it’s also the tagline adopted by the Allied Nippon braking brand. But what gives Allied Nippon, self-proclaimed purveyors of ‘World Class Braking’, the confidence to make this bold statement?
AutoTrade.ie went under the bonnet of the brand to learn more about the performance of its products and to examine Allied Nippon’s successful, long-standing partnership with FG7 here in Ireland.
Global presence
Braking is at the core of Allied Nippon’s DNA and since its formation more than four decades ago, braking has been the brand’s focused and dedicated specialism. A manufacturer of considerable repute, Allied Nippon not only produces brake pads for its own-brand product range, but also provides tailored braking solutions to a broad range of OE, private label, and aftermarket customers around the globe.
Here in Europe, Allied Nippon brake pads are also complemented by an equally impressive range of coated brake discs, with the two ranges combining for a truly compelling product offering.
It’s clear to see that Allied Nippon is a brand with a global presence, but that alone doesn’t account for its ‘World Class’ claim. To deliver on this promise, the product on offer must also firmly live up to the billing. But with millions of units sold worldwide each year, and scores of satisfied customers, not least here in Ireland, there seems little doubt that Allied Nippon braking is living up to this billing with considerable aplomb.
Proven in Ireland
More locally here in Ireland, Allied Nippon’s primary route to market is via its long-term partnership with FG7 – it’s an alliance that dates back almost 20 years and one which has yielded considerable success. Allied Nippon pads and discs are central to the FG7 product portfolio and consistently among the most in-demand and best-selling ranges with its network of members across the region.
Currently, the braking market in Ireland is hugely competitive and more congested than ever before. New brands are emerging in the sector, all trying to steal a march on the competition and claim market share. However, FG7 Managing Director, Kevin O’Kane, is quick to reinforce why Allied Nippon remains the right choice, pointing to a legacy of trust in Ireland, and a reputation that has been hard-earned through consistently delivering products that perform time and again.
“In my view, installers should always be cautious when selecting a braking brand. With so much choice on the market it’s understandable that technicians may be tempted by the next new offering, but I believe there’s a lot to be said for installing a brand that you know can be relied upon.”
Kevin went onto say: “Here at FG7, we’ve seen first-hand the widespread acclaim for Allied Nippon and the overwhelming sense of trust that has built behind the brand. Put simply, Allied Nippon braking is proven here in Ireland and there’s no better endorsement for the brand than that!”
But what is it about Allied Nippon products that has brought about such unanimous acceptance from the Irish market? To find out more we took a more in-depth look at the technical elements, features and benefits of Allied Nippon brake pads and coated discs.
Brake pads engineered for performance
When you think Allied Nippon it’s highly likely that brake pads are the product that first spring to mind. As a world-renowned brake pad manufacturer, Allied Nippon has forged its reputation around the World, and here in Ireland, on the strength of its brake pad offering. The brand claims ‘One of the biggest ‘E’ certified brake pad ranges in the World’, meaning each reference within its range is fully compliant with ECE R90 regulations, and every pad is carefully engineered to deliver impressive performance.
Allied Nippon pad performance begins with the brand’s proprietary friction compound which has been developed as the ideal all rounder for the automotive aftermarket. Of course, the first priority of any brake pad is stopping power, and the compound formulation from Allied Nippon assures this with every push of the pedal. The material composition also features excellent wear properties for consistent, reliable performance throughout the service life of the part, and is also proven to have a low-noise profile across a range of speeds, temperatures, and pressures.
Further enhancing the low-noise properties on offer from Allied Nippon brake pads are the brand’s so-called ‘RMR’ backing shims, which are prevalent throughout its range. These multi-layer shims are an OE-type feature that use a rubber-metal-rubber construction, hence RMR, to reduce audible vibrations within the caliper. With brake noise being such a sensitive and emotive issue, the combination of low-noise properties from the friction compound, coupled with the noise-reducing attributes of an RMR shim, see Allied Nippon pads truly excel in this area.
And noise is just one of the areas that Allied Nippon tests as part of an exhaustive programme of checks that are designed to validate the quality of every brake pad bearing the marque. Of course, testing is a legal requirement under ECE R90 regulations, but in the quest for performance and consistency Allied Nippon demands more.
The brand’s Director of Braking Product Development, Dr Keith Ellis, picks up the story: “We push Allied Nippon brake pads beyond R90 minimums with additional dyno and on-vehicle tests. This includes hot-shear testing, wear testing, which examines durability across a range of temperatures up to 500°C; and, of course, noise testing.”
Ellis went on to say: “Putting our pads through this comprehensive test procedure helps elevate overall quality and ensures that Allied Nippon pads are equipped to deal with the rigours of real-world braking conditions.”
This exacting test regime underpins Allied Nippon’s performance credentials, but the brand is quick to point out another very significant attribute of its brake pads – copper free formulation. Copper has been eradicated from the entire Allied Nippon braking range in Europe in response to research data published in the United States, which concluded that copper found in ‘run off’ from brake pad material was seeping into the marine ecosystem and having a directly harmful effect. Whilst not a legal requirement to remove copper here in Europe, Allied Nippon has taken the proactive and responsible step to do so.
It seems clear that the decision to choose and install Allied Nippon brake pads can be made with a high-degree of confidence. The final word on this goes to Dr Keith Ellis who had this to say regarding the brand’s ability to deliver quality time and again:
“We firmly believe in the quality of an Allied Nippon pad but, perhaps more importantly, we are confident in the quality on offer from every single pad we manufacture. Making one set of high-quality pads is relatively simple but making many millions of sets to the same quality is what sets the Allied Nippon product apart.
“Product consistency is the key advantage of our manufacturing, and this means Allied Nippon customers can supply and fit our product with absolute confidence and peace of mind.”
Coated disc advantages
Allied Nippon is also keen to educate mechanics in Ireland about the clear advantages of fitting its coated brake discs. Each disc is finished with an advanced formulation coating designed to prevent corrosion and this delivers two notable benefits. Firstly, the coating removes the need for a mechanic to clean or degrease prior to fitment, saving valuable time and money for the installer.
Furthermore, the protective coating delivers a premium, long-lasting, and corrosion-free appearance, which is a clear selling point for the workshop in appealing to the vehicle owner. Undoubtedly, motorists will appreciate the aesthetics behind the alloy wheel every bit as much as the outstanding stopping power on offer.
With the coating carefully applied to all areas of the disc, including the hub and friction surface, to a maximum thickness of 25 microns, Allied Nippon’s water-based coating formula is proven to offer superior corrosion protection versus traditional brake disc options.
The brand is also keen to stress that coating the friction surface has no impact on performance. Tests have shown that the coating quickly dissipates during early use, exposing the friction surface with no drop-off in braking efficiency. With an Allied Nippon coated disc, instant and impressive performance is assured.
Together, Allied Nippon brake pads and coated discs are an impressive combination. With each part packaged in the brand’s distinctive and much-loved ‘blue wave’ livery, the products make a strong and lasting impression.
All makes prowess
One of the core principles of the Allied Nippon offering is its coverage of all popular makes and models. The range spans European, Japanese, and Korean passenger cars, plus light-commercial vehicles.
Of course, the vehicle parc here in Ireland is all its own, but the product experts at Allied Nippon have worked closely with their FG7 counterparts to ensure the Allied Nippon range on offer from FG7 members is perfectly tuned to the needs of the market. Here are just a few of the notable Allied Nippon references that are fast-moving with FG7 and big here in Ireland:
Brake Pads
ADB32529 Front Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson (2015->2020)
ADB02388 Front VW Crafter (2016->)
ADB02156 Rear Audi A1 (2016->), A3 (2016->), Q3 (2016->)
Coated Brake Discs
AND6745 Front Nissan Qashqai (2013->), X-Trail (2013->), Renault Kadjar (2015->), Koleos (2017)
AND6195 Front BMW 1 Series (2011->), 2 Series (2012->), 3 Series (2004->2020), 4-Series (2013->), X1 (2011->2015)
AND6160 Front Ford Tourneo Custom (2012->), Transit (2013->), Transit Custom (2012->)
For more information
To discover more about the Allied Nippon range and learn more about the brand’s world class braking DNA, installers can download a comprehensive product brochure at https://tinyurl.com/Allied-Nippon-Brochure.
Alternatively, find out more about the range from your local FG7 member.