Sunstar Supplies Evolved Eco-Friendly Brake Discs and Pads for Third Consecutive Year at Suzuka 8 Hours

Sunstar Group (hereinafter 'Sunstar') will supply brake discs and brake pads with reduced environmental impact during manufacturing to 'Team Suzuki CN Challenge (race vehicle: Suzuki GSX-R1000R)', competing in the Experimental Class of the '47th FIM* World Endurance Championship 'Coca-Cola' Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race 2026', to be held from Friday, July 3 to Sunday, July 5, 2026. This is the third consecutive year of adoption, and this year's brake pads have been further improved to deliver braking performance exceeding last year's model while maintaining excellent controllability.

'Team Suzuki CN Challenge' is an initiative by Suzuki Motor Corporation (hereinafter 'Suzuki') aimed at completing the Suzuka 8 Hours race while tackling various challenges under the theme of 'challenges toward carbon neutrality (CN) and reduced environmental impact', with the goal of advancing environmental performance technologies. Since 2024, the team has competed using motorcycles equipped with components such as tires, oil, fairings, and brakes developed through environmental performance technologies, including sustainable fuel blended with bio-based raw materials.

Sunstar, in agreement with Suzuki's collaborative proposal, is participating as one of the partner companies, supplying brake discs and brake pads that combine environmental performance with braking performance through innovative technologies such as eliminating the heat treatment process in disc manufacturing. Rather than being a one-year initiative, Sunstar has continuously conducted performance verification and improvements. This year, braking effectiveness and controllability have been enhanced to a level comparable to conventional products, resulting in a third consecutive year of adoption.

Sunstar has established medium- to long-term environmental goals across the group, aiming to contribute to achieving carbon neutrality (net-zero CO2 emissions) and a circular economy (resource-recycling economy). The company is advancing initiatives to reduce environmental impact across all areas, including product development and business operations. This project is positioned not only as supplying race-specific components but also as part of technological development aimed at future mass-produced products, and Sunstar will continue its efforts toward developing products for general vehicles.

*FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

[Features of Environmentally Optimized Race-Specific Brake Discs and Brake Pads]

<Features of Environmentally Optimized Race-Specific Brake Discs>

- By eliminating the heat treatment process of brake discs, CO2 emissions during manufacturing are reduced by approximately 50%

- The sliding surface features dimple micro-holes (concave shape), achieving both pad cleaning effect and crack durability

<Features of Environmentally Optimized Race-Specific Brake Pads>

- Specialized brake pads developed in conjunction with the elimination of the disc's heat treatment process

- While maintaining braking effectiveness and controllability equivalent to conventional products, wear is reduced by approximately 15% (low dust)

◆ About Sunstar's Motorcycle Brake Discs

Sunstar entered the motorcycle disc component business in 1961, supplying brake discs and sprockets (gear components) as OEM parts to various two-wheeler manufacturers, achieving top-tier market share. The company also develops and supplies race-specific brake discs, adopted by top teams in the world's most prestigious motorcycle races, contributing to their victories. Since 1993, Sunstar has also sold aftermarket custom parts, offering product lines compatible with 12 domestic and international motorcycle manufacturers. The 'Works Expanded' series, incorporating the design philosophy of the race-spec 'Type-OMEGA (Type Omega)' brake disc, is popular among motorcycle racing enthusiasts.

◇ Sunstar Motorcycle Racing Support: https://www.sunstar-engineering.com/en/drive/racing

◇ Sunstar Aftermarket Brake Discs: https://www.sunstar-kc.jp/product-information/discrotor/

[About Sunstar Group]

The Sunstar Group is a corporate group centered on the holding company Sunstar SA (Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland), with Sunstar Switzerland SA (Switzerland) overseeing consumer products and services such as oral care, health foods, and cosmetics globally, and Sunstar Singapore Pte. Ltd. (Singapore) overseeing industrial products and services such as adhesives and sealants for automotive and construction, and metal components for motorcycles and automobiles.

◆ Sunstar's Origins and Business Expansion

Sunstar was founded in 1932 as a manufacturer and seller of bicycle parts and rubber cement for puncture repairs. Subsequently, leveraging the manufacturing equipment for metal tube containers used for rubber cement, the company launched a toothpaste product during an era when powdered toothpaste was dominant, marking the beginning of its expansion into consumer goods such as oral care, cosmetics, and health foods. Meanwhile, the business in bicycle parts and rubber cement shifted toward metal components for motorcycles and automobiles, and adhesives and sealants for automotive, construction, and electronic devices—industrial goods sectors with greater market growth potential—evolving into a producer of industrial materials.

◆ About Sunstar's Sustainability Activities: https://www.sunstar.com/en/sustainability/