What Sekisui Voltek does

Sekisui Voltek, LLC is a U.S.-based manufacturer of closed-cell, cross-linked polyolefin foam products headquartered in Coldwater, Michigan. Founded in 1969 as a joint venture between Japan's SEKISUI Chemical and High Voltage Engineering Corporation, the company has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of SEKISUI Chemical Co., Ltd. since 1975 and operates as part of the parent's High Performance Plastics division. Its core products include Volara (irradiation cross-linked roll foam), Volextra (extrusion-coated foam composites), and VolaraBLOCK (laminated block foam), supplemented by Alveosoft, Alveosport, Artilon, Minicel, Youngboard, and Thermobreak sub-brands sourced from the SEKISUI global network.

The company's underlying technology is physical (irradiation) cross-linking of extruded polyolefin sheets, performed entirely in-house at the Coldwater facility along with extrusion and foaming processes. The product line serves transportation (automotive, aerospace, marine, rail), tape and healthcare (FDA- and ISO 10993-compliant medical device foams), general industrial, and construction end markets across North and South America. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU MDR, REACH, RoHS, and ISO 13485 certifications, and operates 3 patents on foam manufacturing processes.

Sekisui Voltek generates revenue through B2B direct sales of foam materials in roll, sheet, and block form to enterprise customers in transportation, medical device, construction, and industrial segments. Pricing is quote-based with no public disclosure, and distribution runs through U.S.-based sales offices shipping directly from Coldwater, MI. The go-to-market emphasizes trade show presence (Foam Expo, CAMX, MD&M West, The Battery Show, TISE), content marketing via the Volara blog, and technical selling supported by an in-house R&D team that develops custom solutions for specific applications.

Name

Sekisui Voltek

Legal name

SEKISUI Voltek, LLC

Website

https://sekisuivoltek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sekisui Voltek manufactures closed-cell, cross-linked polyolefin foam products including Volara, Volextra, and VolaraBLOCK for transportation, healthcare, general industrial, and construction markets. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan's SEKISUI Chemical, it operates from Coldwater, Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Polyolefin Foam Manufacturing

NAICS

Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing (326150)

SIC

Plastics Foam Products (3086)

akta.pro primary industry

Polyethylene (PE) Foam Manufacturing (IMANAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Polymer Foams & Cellular Materials (PU Foams, EPS/XPS, Structural Foams) (IMAEANAL), Foam Conversion & Fabrication (Cutting, Laminating, CNC, Packaging Inserts) (IMANAIAJ)

Keywords

• Cross-linked polyolefin foam
• Closed-cell foam manufacturing
• Industrial foam materials
• Medical grade foam
• Automotive foam components

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Polyolefin Foam Product Sales: B2B manufacturing and sale of closed-cell, cross-linked polyolefin foam products including Volara, Volextra, VolaraBLOCK, and related foam products. Products are sold to manufacturers and industrial customers in transportation, healthcare, general industrial, and other markets. Revenue is generated through direct sales of foam materials in various forms (rolls, sheets, blocks) with customization options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SEKISUI Voltek manufactures closed-cell, irradiation cross-linked polyolefin foam products sold as roll, sheet, and block stock to industrial customers. The portfolio centers on three core product lines — Volara (cross-linked foam rolls), Volextra (extrusion-coated foam composites), and VolaraBLOCK (laminated thick block foam) — supplemented by additional foam products including Alveosoft, Alveosport, Artilon, Minicel/Youngboard, and Thermobreak. All extrusion, cross-linking, and foaming are performed in-house at the Coldwater, MI facility.

Product overview

SEKISUI Voltek is a manufacturer and supplier of closed-cell, cross-linked polyolefin foam solutions with over 55 years of experience. The company offers a portfolio of foam products centered around three main product lines: Volara (irradiation cross-linked roll foam), Volextra (extrusion-coated foam composites), and VolaraBLOCK (laminated block foam). Beyond these core offerings, the company provides additional specialized foam products including Alveosoft, Alveosport, Artilon, Minicel, Youngboard, and Thermobreak. All products are manufactured in the USA with facilities in Michigan. The company serves transportation, healthcare, general industrial, construction, and recreation markets across North and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Volara: Closed-cell, irradiation cross-linked polyolefin foam available in roll form, used across transportation, tape and healthcare, general industrial, construction, recreation and leisure markets
• Volextra
• VolaraBLOCK
• Alveosoft
• Alveosport
• Artilon
• Minicel
• Youngboard
• Thermobreak

Quantifiable outcome

• 31% reduction in GHG emissions (over 45,000 metric tons CO2e reduced) through transition to 100% renewable electricity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (CBPU)coreOthers · 1 April 2024SEKISUI Voltek transitioned to 100% renewable electricity through CBPU's EcoSmart Choice program as of April 2024. This partnership enabled the company's transition to renewable power contributing to their 31% GHG emissions reduction.
• Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)coreOthers · 1 October 2023MEDC provided economic incentives for the company's $39M expansion project (Project Endeavor) in Coldwater, MI, contributing to tax base and job growth in the community.
• Branch County Economic Growth AllianceminorOthers · 1 October 2023Partnered with for economic incentives supporting the company's expansion project in Coldwater, MI.
• City of ColdwaterminorOthers · 1 October 2023City provided economic incentives for expansion project. Mayor Tom Kramer participated in groundbreaking ceremony and ribbon cutting for Project Endeavor.
• Gage Rodgers / Fast Track Racing TeamminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2023SEKISUI Voltek was primary sponsor of Gage Rodgers in the Henry Ford Health 200 at Michigan International Speedway. Sponsorship included primary sponsor on No. 10 car for the ARCA race. Part of community outreach and local athlete support.
• SEKISUI Chemical GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEKISUI Voltek is a subsidiary of SEKISUI Chemical Co., Ltd. and part of the SEKISUI Chemical Group's High Performance Plastics Company. SEKISUI Chemical brought foam making technology to the original 1969 joint venture, while High Voltage Engineering provided radiation equipment. The relationship enables access to global network of foam manufacturing units in Australia, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, and Thailand.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pregis: US-based protective packaging manufacturer producing foam-based packaging solutions including custom foam inserts for shipping. Comparable to Sekisui Voltek in protective foam and conversion for industrial customers.
• Armacell: Global leader in engineered foams including PET and polyolefin-based insulation foams for industrial, construction, and transportation markets. Direct competitor to Sekisui Voltek's cross-linked polyolefin foam portfolio in HVAC, automotive, and construction insulation.
• Zotefoams: UK-based specialist manufacturer of cross-linked polyolefin and other polymer foams using a unique nitrogen-driven autoclave process. Competes head-to-head with Sekisui Voltek in high-performance cross-linked foam for aviation, automotive, and sports applications.
• Recticel: Belgian polyurethane foam specialist serving automotive, bedding, and insulation markets. Overlaps with Sekisui Voltek on automotive interior foam and acoustic/vibration-damping applications across transportation and industrial segments.
• JSP Corporation: Japanese foam manufacturer producing expanded polypropylene (EPP) and cross-linked polyolefin foams for automotive, construction packaging, and consumer goods. Direct global competitor, particularly in Asia-Pacific markets where Sekisui Chemical parent also operates.
• Trocellen: European manufacturer of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) foams used for automotive, sports, and industrial applications. Closely comparable to Volara as another PE cross-linked foam maker with similar target markets.

Broad incumbents

• Sealed Air: Global packaging giant with foam-in-place and polyethylene foam protective packaging products. Competes with Sekisui Voltek on packaging foam applications though Sealed Air is broader and serves food packaging as well.
• Sonoco Products: Global packaging manufacturer with protective foam products and flexible packaging offerings. Overlaps with Sekisui Voltek in protective foam applications but is a much broader diversified packaging company.
• BASF SE: World's largest chemical company with a broad polymer foams portfolio including Basotect melamine foam and polyurethane systems. Larger incumbent across the same broad industrial foam category but not specializing in cross-linked polyolefin.

Regional players

• INOAC Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of polyurethane, polyethylene, and specialty foams for automotive, construction, and consumer applications. Competitor in the broader foam market, primarily operating in Asia-Pacific while Sekisui Voltek leads in the Americas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sekisui-voltek-llc

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

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 Sekisui Voltek