Gabriel is a leading brand of Torre Parts and Components. Torre Parts and Components sells premium branded products to the automotive aftermarket in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its marketing, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution operations, based in Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, serve a network of wholesale distributors across South Africa and into Africa. Gabriel has a proud history of innovation and achievement stretching back to 1907 when Claude Foster - the automotive parts pioneer who founded Gabriel in Cleveland, Ohio, USA - developed and patented the first shock absorber called the "Snubber".