Raybestos

Raybestos is a US brake-parts brand founded in 1902 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, by Arthur H. Raymond and Arthur F. Law, who patented the woven brake lining in 1906. The brand name is a portmanteau of "Raymond" and "asbestos," reflecting the friction material technology of its era; modern Raybestos products use non-asbestos friction formulations.

For most of the aftermarket era, Raybestos was marketed by Brake Parts Inc (BPI), which was acquired by First Brands Group (also owner of FRAM and Autolite) in 2020. First Brands Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025, and in early 2026 announced it would wind down Brake Parts Inc as a going concern. During the bankruptcy process, Friction One acquired the Raybestos brand name, product formulations, engineering specifications, and related intellectual property, with the first Raybestos-branded products under Friction One's ownership expected in distribution in Q4 2026.

Raybestos's catalog spans rotors (R-Line, Element3, Specialty, and Professional Grade lines), pads, brake hydraulics (calipers, wheel cylinders, master cylinders), and drums, sold through major retailers including Amazon, AutoZone, O'Reilly, NAPA, and Advance Auto Parts. Existing Raybestos-branded inventory manufactured under Brake Parts Inc remains available through retail channels while the brand transitions to Friction One.