China's auto parts exports kept up strong momentum through the first nine months of 2026. Customs-based industry data shows auto parts exports of about USD 79.6 billion from January to September, up roughly 10 percent year on year, with single-month exports rebounding to USD 9.77 billion in September, up 24 percent. Vehicle exports grew even faster: data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows 8.205 million units in the first three quarters, up 65.8 percent, and full-year vehicle exports are expected to pass 10 million units for the first time.
For brake components, the pull is coming mainly from the replacement, or aftermarket, side in North America and Europe, where distributors continue to restock brake discs and brake drums for popular Japanese, American and European models. As the second half of the year moves into its peak shipping season, buyers are placing larger and earlier orders to secure capacity before the year-end holidays.
Laizhou, where Laizhou Dingzheng Machinery Co., Ltd. is based, remains at the centre of this supply. The city accounts for about 40 percent of China's brake disc output and about 70 percent of China's brake disc exports to the North American market, and its auto parts cluster was recognised as a provincial-level distinctive industry cluster in 2025. That concentration of foundries, machine shops and skilled labour is exactly why overseas buyers keep sourcing disc and drum programs from this region.
Buyers' requirements are also getting tighter. Purchase enquiries increasingly ask for ECE R90 approval and IATF 16949 quality systems, together with tighter dimensional tolerances, better corrosion resistance and stable batch-to-batch quality - especially for European and North American aftermarket programs, where a single returned batch can cost a distributor a whole season.
Laizhou Dingzheng Machinery Co., Ltd. runs its own casting and machining workshops, with more than 50 CNC machine tools, over 6,000 product models and more than 4,000 sets of moulds on hand. The company supplies brake discs and brake drums in grey cast iron such as HT200, HT250, G3000 and G3500, as well as ductile iron from QT400 to QT600, covering passenger cars and commercial vehicles from Japanese, European, American and Chinese brands. Products are shipped in bulk from Qingdao Port with corrosion-protective packing, and the company has set up overseas warehouses to support faster local delivery for its customers.
If you are planning brake disc or brake drum purchases for the coming quarter, contact our sales team for the latest catalogue, stock list and technical specifications.
