07/15/2025

Inside Raybestos Powertrain: How Our U.S. Paper Mill Powers Friction Clutch Manufacturing

At Raybestos Powertrain, we take pride in building our automatic transmission friction clutch plates from the ground up, literally.

Since 1989, our Crawfordsville, Indiana facility has operated a state-of-the-art paper mill that remains the backbone of our friction material production. This level of vertical integration is rare in the industry and gives us complete control over the performance, consistency, and quality of every clutch plate we manufacture.

A Look Inside the Process

Unlike many manufacturers who source their friction material from third parties, Raybestos Powertrain produces our own. We begin by carefully blending raw materials into a wet slurry. This slurry is then processed through our paper mill to create rolls of friction material paper.

Once the paper rolls are complete, we cut and shape the material into blanks that are further processed into finished friction clutch plates. This tight control over the process ensures durability, heat resistance, and consistency across every part that bears the Raybestos Powertrain name.

Why It Matters

Being a vertically integrated friction clutch manufacturer allows us to:

Deliver consistent quality from batch to batch
Innovate new friction materials quickly
Control supply chain timelines and reduce lead times
Ensure our parts meet or exceed OEM specifications

It also means our products are proudly made in the USA, supporting American jobs and manufacturing jobs from our Crawfordsville location and Sullivan Indiana Locations.