What Gabriel Ride Control makes

Gabriel Ride Control designs and manufactures shock absorbers and struts for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, sold to both the aftermarket and to original equipment manufacturers. The current catalog spans passenger and light-truck ride control, commercial-vehicle damping, and specialty applications: FleetLine and GasSLX heavy-duty commercial shocks, LTV Severe Duty load carriers, MaxControl monotube shocks, the air-adjustable HiJackers line, ReadyMount complete strut assemblies, and the Ultra, ProGuard, Guardian, and Classic shock ranges. The company says its coverage reaches about 96 percent of vehicles on the road.

Gabriel operates under the Gabriel brand in the United States and Canada and the GRC brand in Mexico. The company positions itself as a full-line ride control manufacturer and states that it fits super-finished chromed piston rods on every shock and strut it builds, across its good, better, best, and premium tiers. Its AnswerGarage program provides North America-based technical support, installation guidance, and product training for installers and distributors.

Ownership and history

Gabriel traces its origin to 1907, when Claude H. Foster invented "The Snubber," a direct-acting automotive shock absorber and, by the company's account, the first of its kind. Over the following century Gabriel introduced a series of ride control firsts, including an early adjustable shock, the air-adjustable HiJackers, and a US-produced twin-tube shock, and expanded into heavy-duty commercial applications beginning in the 1950s. The company added struts to its line in the early 1980s and marked its 100th anniversary in 2007.

The operating entity is Ride Control, LLC, headquartered at 39300 Country Club Drive in Farmington Hills, Michigan. OpenGate Capital acquired the business in 2009 and rebuilt it into a stand-alone company before selling it to MAT Holdings, Inc. in December 2012. MAT Holdings, a diversified manufacturer and distributor in the automotive, hardware, and power equipment sectors, has owned Gabriel since then. At the time of that acquisition the company reported more than $210 million in North American sales and more than 1,400 employees across the United States, Canada, and Mexico; more recent estimates place the workforce near 1,500.

Manufacturing and locations

Gabriel's principal US plant is at 700 N. Industrial Blvd in Chickasha, Oklahoma, where shock absorbers have been produced since construction began in 1972. The company marked the facility's 40th anniversary in 2012 and has invested in operator training and lean manufacturing programs there in partnership with the Canadian Valley Technical Center and the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance. Corporate, engineering, and commercial functions run from the Farmington Hills, Michigan headquarters. The 2012 ownership announcement also listed offices in Troy, Michigan; Brentwood, Tennessee; and Queretaro, Mexico, the last of which anchors the GRC-branded Mexican business.

Known customers

Most of Gabriel's OEM and retail customer relationships are not individually disclosed, which is typical for a ride control supplier serving both channels. One relationship is on the public record:

Beyond that, Gabriel sells through national and regional aftermarket distribution and supplies ride control components to commercial, industrial, and recreational-vehicle OEM programs. The company reports roughly 96 percent coverage of vehicles on the road, a scale consistent with broad retail and warehouse-distributor placement.

Sourcing evidence

Gabriel's US import record shows 282 sea shipments on record into its Chickasha, Oklahoma entity, with the most recent logged in September 2026. The named foreign suppliers point to an integrated ride control supply base rather than finished-goods resale: bills of lading list Gabriel India, part of India's Anand Group and a longstanding Gabriel-brand affiliate; Zhejiang Luoshi Vibration Control, a Chinese damper and vibration-control maker; and Gabriel De Colombia. That mix, components and sub-assemblies flowing in from affiliated and specialist ride control producers, is the signature of a manufacturer running North American assembly and finishing while sourcing globally.

A separate importer named simply "Ride Control" in Lake Zurich, Illinois carries a much larger shipment count and appears tied to the broader MAT Holdings import operation rather than to the Gabriel plant specifically, so it is not attributed here.

Coverage caveats: these are US ocean-freight records only. Air, truck, and rail movements, including most cross-border flows with the Queretaro, Mexico operation, do not appear; some records name freight intermediaries rather than manufacturers; and product categories come from declared manifest codes, which are noisy. Absence of a record is not evidence of absence.

Frequently asked questions

What does Gabriel Ride Control manufacture?

Gabriel Ride Control manufactures shock absorbers and struts for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, serving both the aftermarket and OEM segments. Product lines include FleetLine and GasSLX heavy-duty commercial shocks, HiJackers air shocks, ReadyMount strut assemblies, and the Ultra, MaxControl, ProGuard, and Classic shock ranges. The company invented the first direct-acting automotive shock absorber, "The Snubber," in 1907.

Who owns Gabriel Ride Control?

Gabriel Ride Control, which operates as Ride Control, LLC, has been owned by MAT Holdings, Inc. since December 2012. MAT Holdings is a diversified manufacturer and distributor in the automotive, hardware, and power equipment sectors. OpenGate Capital owned the business from 2009 until the MAT Holdings purchase.

Where is Gabriel Ride Control headquartered?

Gabriel Ride Control is headquartered at 39300 Country Club Drive, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331. Its principal US manufacturing plant is at 700 N. Industrial Blvd in Chickasha, Oklahoma, which has produced shock absorbers since 1972. The company also runs a GRC-branded operation in Queretaro, Mexico.

How many employees does Gabriel Ride Control have?

Gabriel Ride Control employs roughly 1,500 people across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. At its 2012 acquisition by MAT Holdings the company reported more than 1,400 employees and more than $210 million in North American sales. It does not publish audited current figures.

Who are Gabriel Ride Control's customers?

Gabriel sells to the automotive aftermarket through national and regional distribution and supplies OEM ride control programs for commercial, industrial, and recreational vehicles. A documented retail relationship is AutoZone, which recognized Gabriel with its Extra Miler Award. Most individual OEM and retail relationships are not publicly disclosed.

What brands does Gabriel Ride Control sell under?

Gabriel Ride Control sells under the Gabriel brand in the United States and Canada and under the GRC brand in Mexico. Sub-brands include HiJackers air shocks, FleetLine and GasSLX heavy-duty shocks, ReadyMount strut assemblies, and MaxControl monotube shocks.

Last verified September 27, 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.