Covid Update – Workforce Shortage at StopTech

Why are we blogging about this?

Because during Covid, there has been a labor shortage at Stoptech which has slowed their ability to finish-machine products. So working closely with StopTech we have put together a program to use Centric “blank” brake rotors and finish-machine the drilled holes and slots in our own machine shop according to StopTech specifications.

Did you know that Centric and Stoptech are owned by the same company, APC Automotive Technologies?

Centric and StopTech share engineering and product development teams and many of the Centric and StopTech part numbers share the same raw materials, or blanks.

So what is the difference between Centric and StopTech?

It turns out quite a lot. Each product line has its own unique product characteristics. For example, Centric only makes plain rotors and does not make drilled or slotted rotors. StopTech only makes drilled and slotted rotors or a cryo treated plain rotor. Same goes for brake pads and brake kits. StopTech has brake pad compounds you cannot buy through Centric and vice-versa. And, there are brake kits where the combinations of pads and rotors are unique to each brand.

Why does the company do it this way?

It’s about heritage. Several years ago Centric and StopTech were different companies focused on two different things. Centric was focused on replacement brake pads for everyday use and StopTech was focused on performance braking and racing. When the two companies joined forces, their product managers took a look at the best of both worlds. They were able to expand each product line and create even more unique choices for their growing roster of diverse customers.

What does this mean to you?

If a customer orders a StopTech brake rotor that is going to be backordered for a significant amount of time, we can use the Centric blank rotor and machine it. The helps get our customers their parts faster with all the same guarantees and warranties as a StopTech product. Because the two brands both start with the same blanks, the quality is exactly the same.

How does the process work?

When you place your order we double check every single piece on the order. If it turns out that a StopTech rotor is on an extended backorder we will notify the customer and ask if we may use a Centric blank and machine it into a StopTech rotor. Pricing is the same, because the product costs are based on the exact same blank.

Next, we order the blank brake rotor from Centric and our machine shop picks it up for machining and shipping. The rotor is unboxed, inspected and then drilled or slotted, or both, according to the original order. The rotor is returned to its original box and then packaged and shipped to the customer.

What you will experience when the product arrives?

Everything will be exactly the same as a complete StopTech order, except the machined brake rotors will be in a Centric box. Below are some pictures illustrating the process.

We hope you have found this informative, because we believe in transparency and outstanding customer service. Please let us know if you have any questions.