Tangent

What Tangent does

Tangent Technologies, LLC is a US-based manufacturer of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic lumber, founded in 2003 by Guy DeFeo, Francisco Morales, and Andy Stephens — veterans of predecessor firms Eaglebrook Plastics and Eaglebrook Products. The company processes post-consumer and post-industrial recycled plastics through three distinct manufacturing methods (molded, continuous extrusion, and multi-stage extrusion) to produce dimensional lumber, fiber-reinforced structural members, marine piling and decking, and food-grade sheet products. Its product portfolio spans 170+ sizes and 100+ colors, including 8 patented woodgrain patterns protected by US utility patent 10,981,350 and four design patents. Tangent operates 9 manufacturing facilities across Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia, and Ontario, employs 500+ people, and is in the process of consolidating into a new 1.5 million square-foot Montgomery, Illinois facility with 50 additional extrusion lines. The company diverts approximately 15,000 tons of plastic waste annually and holds GreenCircle Recycled Content and Closed-Loop Product certifications as well as the first PFAS-Free NSF/ANSI Standard 51 and NSF 537 food-grade certifications for its PolySheet CB product.

The company's business model is exclusively B2B and manufacturer-direct, with no public retail channel. Tangent sells HDPE plastic lumber to OEMs, fabricators, contractors, and government agencies under a quote-based pricing system, supplemented by an authorized marine dealer network for TanDeck products and a third-party distributor (Vinyl Tech) that fulfills small-quantity and one-off project inquiries that fall below Tangent's minimum-order thresholds. Customer segmentation is organized by vertical use case — residential, commercial, structural, marine, fencing, industrial, parks & recreation, OEM, agricultural, and animal & equine — with named anchor customers including Millwest Amish Furniture (Berlin Gardens and Levi's Leisure brands), ForeSight Designs, and Texas A&M Veterinary Facility. Custom color matching, in-house tool making for rapid prototyping, and closed-loop scrap take-back programs create deep operational integration with OEM customers and contribute to switching costs. The company has been private equity-backed since Sterling Group LP partnered with the founders in 2018, and Platinum Equity LLC announced a definitive agreement in June 2026 to acquire Tangent from Sterling, with closing expected in Q3 2026 at a reportedly high single-digit EBITDA multiple against approximately $60 million of EBITDA.

Name

Tangent

Legal name

Tangent Technologies, LLC

Website

https://tangentmaterials.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Tangent Technologies, LLC manufactures recycled HDPE plastic lumber — including dimensional lumber, structural members, marine decking, and food-grade sheet — selling exclusively B2B to OEMs, fabricators, contractors, and government agencies across residential, commercial, structural, and marine markets in North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recycled HDPE Plastic Lumber Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (326), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112)

SIC

Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081)

akta.pro primary industry

Recycled Plastic Lumber & Construction Products (IMANAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recycled & Reprocessed Polymer Resin Manufacturing (rPET, rPP, rPE; PCR/PIR resins) (IMANAAAH)

Keywords

• Recycled plastic lumber
• HDPE lumber manufacturing
• Structural plastic lumber
• Marine decking products
• Wood alternative materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. HDPE Plastic Lumber Sales: B2B manufacturer selling recycled plastic lumber materials directly to OEMs, fabricators, and commercial customers. Products include dimensional lumber, structural lumber, marine products, fencing, and custom engineered materials. Revenue generated through product sales with no minimum order requirements for custom projects.
2. Custom OEM Solutions: Custom color matching, profile creation, and engineered solutions for specific customer applications. In-house tool making allows rapid prototyping of new cross-sections and products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tangent manufactures recycled HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) plastic lumber products sold to OEMs, fabricators, contractors, distributors, and government agencies. Its portfolio includes dimensional lumber, structural molded and extruded lumber, high-density sheet, marine decking (TanDeck), marine piling/timber (SeaPile/SeaTimber), horse fencing, and food-grade cutting board sheets, all made from post-consumer and post-industrial recycled plastic.

Product overview

Tangent is a manufacturer of high-performance recycled plastic lumber (HDPE) products serving residential, commercial, structural, marine, fencing, industrial, parks & recreation, OEM, agricultural, and animal & equine markets. The product portfolio centers on Dimensional Lumber (non-structural) and High Density Sheet, alongside structural offerings including Structural Molded and Structural Continuously Extruded products. Marine applications are served through TanDeck™ marine decking and SeaPile®/SeaTimber® piling and timber products. The company holds patents on its proprietary woodgrain technology (8 patterns). Tangent recently launched High-Density Sheet (2025) and Tangent PolySheet™ CB (2026), the latter being NSF 537 certified as the first PFAS-Free NSF Standard 51 Food Equipment Material. The company operates 9 manufacturing facilities in the US and Canada and holds GreenCircle certifications for recycled content and closed-loop recycling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tangent PolySheet™ CB: Food-grade synthetic cutting-board sheet certified to NSF 537, the first PFAS-Free NSF Standard 51 Food Equipment Material.
• TanDeck™
• TANDECK™
• SeaPile®
• SeaTimber®
• PolyTuf Premium
• FORESITE DESIGNS®

Products and services

• Dimensional Lumber Non-structural plastic lumber manufactured from recycled HDPE, serving as a wood alternative for fabricators and OEMs. Available in over 170 sizes and 100+ colors, including patented woodgrain patterns.
• High Density Sheet Durable, all-weather HDPE sheet material for high-performance applications, designed for CNC machining and standard woodworking tools. Available in multiple colors with UV stabilizers and made from recycled content certified by GreenCircle.
• Structural Molded Lumber Structural-grade plastic lumber created using a proprietary hard tool molding process, producing exceptionally strong and durable material for load-bearing applications such as horse paddocks and enclosures.
• Structural Continuously Extruded Lumber Continuously extruded structural plastic lumber formulated to project requirements with various loading levels of reinforcing fibers, including fiber-reinforced and bar-reinforced options for structural applications.
• TanDeck Marine Decking Marine decking product made from recycled plastic lumber, highly durable and low-maintenance. Available in 1"x6" and 2"x6" cross-sections with wood-grain embossed finish and backed by a 50-year limited product warranty.
• SeaPile and SeaTimber Marine Piling Advanced composite plastic marine piling and timber products engineered for the marine industry, including bridge pier protection, pier and wharf fenders. Available in sizes up to 16" cross-sections with pultruded rebar and reinforcing structural fibers.
• Tangent PolySheet CB Food-grade synthetic cutting-board sheet certified to NSF 537, the first PFAS-Free NSF Standard 51 Food Equipment Material. Designed for food-contact applications.
• Horse Fencing HDPE plastic fencing designed for equine applications, ultra-durable, easy to clean, and resistant to moisture, chemicals, and horse cribbing. Includes Lexington and Wellington installation systems.
• ForeSight Designs Benches Commercial-grade bench products using Tangent's structural materials, sold as part of the site amenities product category.
• PolyTuf Premium (Woodgrain Lumber) Patented woodgrain dimensional lumber with internal grain pattern that replicates real hardwood aesthetics, available in 8 patterns including Antique Mahogany, Birchwood, Brazilian Walnut, Coastal Gray, Driftwood Gray, Natural Teak, Walnut, and Seashell.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products last in excess of 50 years based on studies and real-world applications
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Bedford TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Tangent acquired Bedford Technology in March 2020, combining two industry leaders with robust product lines. The acquisition created the largest player in plastic lumber industry with expanded manufacturing capacity and product offerings. Bedford Technology was founded in 1998 by Brian Larson in Worthington, MN.
• Millwest Amish FurniturecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMillwest Amish Furniture distributes outdoor furniture made from Tangent materials through brands Berlin Gardens and Levi's Leisure. Collaboration demonstrates circular economy approach where plastic waste is continuously collected, processed, and repurposed into new furniture.
• GreenCircle Certified, LLCstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party certification firm that audits and provides annual certification of Tangent's environmental claims. Certifications include recycled content certification and closed-loop product certification, qualifying FTC Green Guidelines compliance.
• Vinyl TechminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for small quantity and one-time project inquiries. Homeowners and small projects redirected to Vinyl Tech ([email protected]) for fulfillment when Tangent's minimum order requirements don't apply.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Renew Plastics: Recycled HDPE plastic lumber manufacturer serving similar OEM, marine, and agricultural markets. Closely comparable technology and feedstock base to Tangent.
• Trex Company: The largest U.S. manufacturer of wood-plastic composite decking and railing. Competes most directly with Tangent's residential decking and outdoor living products, although Trex sells through retail/DIY channels while Tangent focuses on OEM/fabricator distribution.
• Fiberon (Fortune Brands Innovations): Composite decking and railing brand under Fortune Brands Innovations. Directly comparable to Tangent's wood-replacement lumber products for residential and commercial outdoor applications.
• PlasTEAK: Recycled HDPE lumber manufacturer focused on marine decking, boardwalks, and outdoor furniture applications. Competes head-to-head in the marine decking channel where Tangent sells TanDeck™.
• MoistureShield (Oldcastle APG): Composite decking manufacturer owned by Oldcastle APG (CRH). Competes in the same wood-alternative decking category as Tangent's residential and commercial dimensional lumber products.
• AXION International: Manufacturer of recycled plastic structural lumber and railway ties using recycled HDPE. Most direct competitor to Tangent's Structural Molded and Structural Continuously Extruded product lines serving marine, infrastructure, and industrial applications.
• TimberTech (Crane NXT): Premium composite decking and railing manufacturer owned by Crane NXT (formerly AZEK). Overlaps with Tangent's commercial and residential decking applications with a similar wood-alternative product positioning and shared focus on durability and aesthetics.

Broad incumbents

• CertainTeed (Saint-Gobain): Large building products manufacturer under Saint-Gobain offering decking, railing, fence, and siding products. Competes with Tangent in commercial building materials and offers wider category coverage including fiber-cement and vinyl alternatives.

Emerging players

• Westech Building Products: Building products distributor and manufacturer of recycled plastic lumber profiles. Overlaps with Tangent's fencing, agricultural, and OEM product categories through a similar HDPE-based product portfolio.
• Bedrock Lumber: Emerging supplier of recycled structural HDPE lumber for marine, industrial, and transportation applications. Competes in the same structural-grade plastic lumber segment as Tangent's Structural Molded products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tangentmaterial
• Facebookfacebook.com/TangentMaterials
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tangentmaterials

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tangent