Liverpool city region supercar brake disc maker Surface Transforms, which employs 170 people and owes the city region more than £13.5m, says loss of its biggest customer has ‘material impact on the company’s ability to trade’. Tony McDonough reports
Carbon fibre brake disc maker Surface Transforms (ST) is in peril after losing its biggest customer.
Knowsley-based ST, which employs around 170 people, has called in corporate restructuring advisers after losing a contract with global automotive giant General Motors (GM). In 2025 GM accounted for £15.3m in sales – 84% of ST’s revenues and 85% of all its brake discs.
In a statement to the stock exchange on Tuesday, ST said: “The company has been informed by GM that it is re-sourcing its supply of brake disks with effect from March 31, 2026.
“GM is the company’s most significant customer and was under contract until 2030. Additionally, since November 2024 GM has provided the company with operational support and financial assistance including advance payments of £14.4m.
“The company has not yet had the opportunity to speak directly with GM about the termination, but the loss of this contract has a material impact on the company’s ability to trade and as a result the directors intend to immediately engage corporate restructuring advisers to protect stakeholder’s interests.
“Further information will be provided as appropriate.”
This devastating blow for ST also brings into question the repayment of a £13.2m ERDF loan from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority which it has already drawn down. It also owes around £400,000 from an earlier £1m Combined Authority loan.
A trading statement in early January indicated ST had finally turned a corner after a long troubled period
It revealed revenues for the 12 months to December 31, 2025, had come in at £18m, more than double the £8.2m reported a year earlier. Operating loss was £8.7m, significantly lower than last year’s £23.4m.
ST added revenues in the second half of the year had been a record £9.9m. It is projecting further revenue growth for 2026, saying it is on track to achieve sales of around £27m for the full year.
However, this latest news casts significant doubt over the future of the business.
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It manufactures carbon fibre reinforced ceramic automotive brake discs for high performance cars. Customers of the business include, or have included, Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin.
It had a forward order book of £390m and its prospective customer pipeline was worth around £700m.