Suspension components directly influence the way a vehicle feels on the road, how much grip it has, and how it can handle corners. Eibach is one of the world’s most famous suspension manufacturers with more than 50 years of experience in the automotive industry.
Even with such immense popularity, the question is Eibach OEM still remains. In this article, we’ll answer this question by covering Eibach’s history, product range, its main buyers, and involvement in motorsports.
If you’re here to find out is Eibach OEM or an aftermarket suspension parts manufacturer, this is what you need to know.
History of Eibach
Unlike most of the popular parts manufacturers in the automotive industry, the history of Eibach isn’t as long. Eibach has been founded in 1951 by Heinrich Eibach, in Ronkhausen, Germany. Contrary to popular opinion, Eibach wasn’t part of the automotive industry as soon as it was founded.
For the first 20 years, Eibach was manufacturing springs for industrial applications only. Eibach entered the automotive industry at a time when the German car tuning scene began evolving rapidly. Eibach’s involvement in the automotive industry was a great success and the company founded subsidiaries in North America in 1987, Japan in 1994, the United Kingdom in 1996, and Australia in 1997.
Today, Eibach employs more than 500 people, has clients in more than 80 countries worldwide, and has production facilities in Germany, China, and the United States, as well as subsidiaries in England, Japan, South Africa, and Australia.
Eibach’s Area of Expertise
The automotive industry has evolved greatly, and many of today’s leading car parts manufacturers started in other industries. Eibach hasn’t started in the automotive industry, but the products it started manufacturing were adapted to the needs of the automotive industry.
Today, Eibach provides four key categories which include industrial springs, automotive parts, suspension components for car racing, as well as surface technology.
The automotive parts Eibach is most famous for include springs, shocks, stabilizer bars, and wheel spacers. All of these components can be used as replacement aftermarket parts, for modification, and are used as OEM parts by many car manufacturers.
Eibach’s Involvement in Motorsports
Racing teams and enthusiasts are fully aware of the importance of a high-quality suspension system. Eibach has focused on improving stability and grip on various racing vehicles and can offer a wide variety of products for this purpose.
Eibach’s product catalog includes complete racing spring systems, circle track springs, off-road springs, helper and tender springs, as well as accessories.
Some of the most reputable racing teams using Eibach suspension components include AMG, BMW, Audi, Toyota, Renault F1, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Porsche, Ford, Honda, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and many more.
Is Eibach OEM or Aftermarket?
For decades, Eibach has been an OEM supplier to some of the world’s leading car manufacturers. BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and many more have been using Eibach as an OEM supplier, but with a large involvement in motorsports, the company has realized the potential of the aftermarket.
Quickly after beginning production for the automotive industry, Eibach realized that a different suspension setup can significantly alter the way a car drives. Initially, Eibach became involved in motorsport suspension components and quickly started offering aftermarket parts to enthusiasts all across the globe. Initially, the aftermarket segment was focusing on German car models, but the product range expanded to other markets as well.
The OEM product catalog includes suspension modules, helical compression springs, stabilizers, and bump stops. The aftermarket catalog is significantly larger and includes performance springs, wheel spacers, coilovers, electronic suspension modules, full suspension systems, and anti-roll performance stabilizer bars.
With such a wide offering of replacement parts and a number of car brands using Eibach components as OEM, the answer to the question is Eibach OEM or aftermarket is that it’s both.
Quality and Testing
One of the main reasons why Eibach became one of the biggest suppliers of suspension components in the automotive industry is its dedication to quality and proper product testing. Both development and production are done in-house according to OE guidelines.
CNC manufacturing allows Eibach the highest precision in production, and optimum product quality. A large stock of raw materials allows Eibach to quickly produce large quantities of products. Aside from this, Eibach does research, development, production, and testing in-house. Product testing includes testing under different weather circumstances, durability testing, and dyno testing.