Sheldahl
Sheldahl manufactures flexible printed circuits, aerospace thermal control materials, and specialty thin-film/coating products (Novaclad®, Q-Prime®, BusBond®) for automotive, aerospace & defense, healthcare, and industrial OEMs from Northfield, MN, now operating as a Chase Corporation subsidiary.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersNorthfield, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sheldahl does
Sheldahl Flexible Technologies, Inc. is a Northfield, Minnesota-based specialty manufacturer of flexible electronics, thin-film materials, and engineered substrates serving automotive, aerospace & defense, healthcare, industrial, and consumer end markets. The company's core technology stack centers on vacuum deposition (depositing gold, aluminum, ITO, SiOx, TiOx, and germanium onto substrates), proprietary adhesiveless laminate processes (Novaclad® leveraging vacuum deposition, mSAP, and photolithography for fine-line circuitry), thermal management adhesives (Q-Prime® variants with measured thermal impedance as low as 1.3°C-cm²/watt), and a library of more than 700 proprietary adhesive and curative formulations for unidirectional splicing tapes. Its product portfolio spans seven solution areas: flexible printed circuits, aerospace thermal control (multi-layer insulation blankets, radiator materials, vacuum-deposited coatings), printed electronics, electronic materials (BusBond® insulation tapes, fuel cell gasket materials, shielding materials), unidirectional splicing tapes, optical materials (patterned and flood-coated ITO and PEDOT), and industrial abrasive materials. The company holds SGS certifications to ISO 14001:2015 and IATF 16949:2016, underpinning its qualification with automotive OEMs and aerospace primes; its flight heritage includes NASA's Project Echo (1958), Apollo 11, Voyager, and the James Webb Space Telescope sunshield (2021).
The business operates a direct B2B enterprise sales model with an engineering-led consultative GTM motion: products are quote-based, custom-manufactured to customer specifications, and delivered through long-cycle engagements involving prototype development and high-volume production. Customer concentrations span virtually every major automotive OEM, NASA programs, fuel cell vehicle OEMs (over one million membrane electrode assemblies supplied), and medical device manufacturers across verticals. Sheldahl's 800+ employees staff a 350K+ sq ft primary manufacturing footprint in Northfield, MN and a partner site in Cavite, Philippines, producing more than 25,000 miles of product annually.
Following June 2026, Sheldahl is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chase Corporation (NYSE-listed), having been divested by Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX). The acquisition transition includes Sheldahl employees joining Chase's broad-based employee ownership program. The company continues to operate under its established brand identity and proprietary product platforms while operating as a business unit within the parent.
Sheldahl firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sheldahl
- Legal name
- Sheldahl Flexible Technologies, Inc.
- Website
- https://sheldahl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Sheldahl manufactures flexible printed circuits, aerospace thermal control materials, and specialty thin-film/coating products (Novaclad®, Q-Prime®, BusBond®) for automotive, aerospace & defense, healthcare, and industrial OEMs from Northfield, MN, now operating as a Chase Corporation subsidiary.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sheldahl industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Flexible electronics and thin-film materials manufacturing
- NAICS
- Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (334419), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Electronic Components & Accessories (3670), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electronics/Additive Electronics Printers (Printed Circuit & Functional Materials) (IMAAAAAH)
Keywords
Where Sheldahl is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sheldahl business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Flexible Printed Circuits Manufacturing: Design and manufacture of flexible printed circuits for automotive, medical, industrial, aerospace, and defense industries. Revenue generated through direct B2B sales of custom-engineered circuit solutions.
- Thermal Control Materials: Aerospace thermal control materials including MLI blankets, blanket closure tapes, radiator materials, and vacuum deposited coatings for space missions
- Industrial Abrasive Materials: Unidirectional splicing tapes, adhesives, and curatives for industrial belt manufacturers
- Optical Materials: ITO coatings, PEDOT solutions, and transparent conductive materials for touch sensors, displays, and solar cells
- Electronic Materials: Copper laminates, coverlays, busbar insulation tapes, free-film adhesives, and shielding materials for electronics manufacturers
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom manufacturing quotes |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Sheldahl product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sheldahl designs and manufactures flexible printed circuits, vacuum-deposited thin-film coatings, and specialty electronic materials for aerospace, automotive, healthcare, industrial, and consumer markets. The company's offerings center on custom-engineered flex circuits, multi-layer insulation materials for spacecraft, printed electronics, and a broad portfolio of electronic materials (BusBond® insulation tapes, Novaclad® laminates, coverlays, fuel cell gaskets). Production is B2B custom manufacturing with engineering collaboration from prototype through high-volume production.
Product overview
Sheldahl is a technology company specializing in flexible materials and printed circuit solutions. The product portfolio centers on seven core solution areas: Flexible Printed Circuits (including adhesive-based circuits, Novaclad® HDI, transparent circuits, and Q-Prime® thermal management), Aerospace Thermal Control (MLI blanket materials, blanket closure tapes, radiator materials, laminated materials, and vacuum deposited materials), Printed Electronics, Electronic Materials (adhesive-based copper laminates, BusBond® insulation tapes, coverlays, free-film adhesives, FFC insulation, fuel cell gasket materials, Novaclad® laminates, and shielding materials), Industrial Abrasive Materials (unidirectional tapes and splicing solutions), Unidirectional Tapes (coated and uncoated abrasive belt splicing tapes with proprietary adhesives and curatives), and Optical Materials (patterned ITO, flood coated ITO, and PEDOT). These products serve aerospace, automotive, healthcare, industrial, and consumer markets with applications ranging from space exploration (Apollo 11, James Webb Space Telescope) to electric vehicles and medical devices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BusBond: Busbar insulation tapes for aerospace, industrial, and alternative energy applications featuring high-temperature, abrasion, and weather resistance.
- Novaclad
- Q-Prime
Products and services
- Flexible Printed Circuits
Quantifiable outcome
- Custom materials found in more than one million membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), equating to thousands of fuel cell vehicles on the road today
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sheldahl
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sheldahl technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Sheldahl partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX)former parent companySheldahl was previously owned by Flex Ltd. The acquisition by Chase Corporation closed upon signing in June 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sheldahl competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- 3M: Diversified industrial conglomerate with significant overlap in adhesive tapes (BusBond-equivalent), specialty films, flexible electronics, and aerospace materials. Operates as a broad incumbent across all of Sheldahl's key verticals.
- Toray Industries: Japanese advanced materials manufacturer with significant aerospace thermal control (MLI, radiator films), specialty films, and carbon fiber composites. Comparable as a broad incumbent in aerospace thermal and structural materials.
- DuPont: Diversified specialty materials giant with overlapping electronics materials (flexible circuits, photoresists, Kapton films) and aerospace thermal control portfolios. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same end-markets with broader product depth.
- Henkel: Global leader in industrial adhesives and electronic materials with comparable product offerings in BusBond-style insulation tapes, free-film adhesives, and automotive/aerospace electronic materials.
Direct peers
- Boyd Corporation: Thermal management and engineered materials specialist serving aerospace, automotive, and electronics customers. Directly comparable in thermal solutions, EMI shielding, and electronic materials overlapping with Sheldahl's portfolio.
- Rogers Corporation: Specialty materials manufacturer producing high-frequency circuit materials, thermal management solutions, and elastomeric materials. Closely comparable to Sheldahl in serving aerospace, automotive, and electronics customers with engineered substrate and thermal products.
- Nitto Denko: Japanese manufacturer of flexible printed circuits, adhesive films, and specialty industrial tapes. Directly competes with Sheldahl in FPC and electronic materials markets, with similar automotive, electronics, and industrial customer bases.
- Multek: Former sister subsidiary under Flex (like Sheldahl until 2026), producing flexible printed circuits and interconnect solutions. Most direct functional peer in FPC manufacturing with similar technology, customer mix, and scale.
- TTM Technologies: Major North American PCB and flexible circuit manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, automotive, and medical customers. Direct competitor in flexible and rigid-flex printed circuits with broader production scale.
Emerging players
- Park Aerospace (now part of Loar Holdings): Specialty aerospace composite materials and parts manufacturer serving aircraft and spacecraft OEMs. Comparable as an emerging aerospace materials specialist with similar mission-critical qualification dynamics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sheldahl social profiles
Digital presenceSheldahl compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Sheldahl financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sheldahl leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Sheldahl funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sheldahl M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sheldahl
What does Sheldahl do?
Sheldahl designs and manufactures flexible printed circuits, vacuum-deposited thin-film coatings, and specialty electronic materials for aerospace, automotive, healthcare, industrial, and consumer markets. The company's offerings center on custom-engineered flex circuits, multi-layer insulation materials for spacecraft, printed electronics, and a broad portfolio of electronic materials (BusBond® insulation tapes, Novaclad® laminates, coverlays, fuel cell gaskets). Production is B2B custom manufacturing with engineering collaboration from prototype through high-volume production.
Is Sheldahl a public or private company?
Sheldahl is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sheldahl founded?
Sheldahl was founded in 1958. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Sheldahl based?
Sheldahl is headquartered in Northfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sheldahl make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Flexible Printed Circuits Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are thermal Control Materials, industrial Abrasive Materials, optical Materials and electronic Materials.
Who are Sheldahl's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are 3M, Toray Industries, DuPont and Henkel. Direct peers are Boyd Corporation, Rogers Corporation, Nitto Denko, Multek and TTM Technologies. Park Aerospace (now part of Loar Holdings) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sheldahl have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sheldahl.
What industry is Sheldahl in?
Sheldahl's product category is Flexible electronics and thin-film materials manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAAAAH, Electronics/Additive Electronics Printers (Printed Circuit & Functional Materials). Its NAICS code is 334419 and its SIC code is 3670.