Five Star Fabricating
Five Star Fabricating is a privately held US manufacturer founded in 1978 that designs and produces custom polycarbonate, composite, and thermoformed plastic components for automotive OEMs, heavy equipment makers, mass transit, motorsports, aerospace, and eVTOL programs, using proprietary Fusionite™ coatings and vertically integrated forming, coating, and certification under one roof.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersTwin Lakes, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Five Star Fabricating does
Five Star Fabricating, Inc. is a privately held, vertically integrated manufacturer founded in 1978 by Carl Schultz and headquartered in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. The company designs and produces advanced composite, polycarbonate, and thermoformed plastic components for automotive OEMs, heavy equipment manufacturers, mass transit operators, motorsports, aerospace, and emerging eVTOL programs. Its technology stack is built around proprietary forming processes (Drape Forming), in-house tooling design, large-format 3-, 5-, and 6-axis CNC machining, PVB lamination for bullet-resistant glazing, and the Fusionite™ family of abrasion-, UV-, and anti-fog-resistant coatings validated to 20,000+ wiper cycles with less than 2% haze increase.
The company holds an unusually broad portfolio of safety-critical certifications for a mid-sized fabricator, including ISO 9001:2015, FMVSS 205, FMVSS 226, USDOT, ECE R43, and ANSI standards, and is described as the only North American manufacturer that forms, coats, and certifies polycarbonate under one roof. Named customers include Stellantis, GM, Ford, Toyota, Bobcat, BRP, Kawasaki, Weiler, and NHRA, with a Stellantis case study demonstrating 50% weight reduction and zero passenger ejections in FMVSS 226 crash tests for Sprinter van glazing.
Five Star's business model is direct enterprise field sales with quote-based pricing tied to custom OEM programs on multi-year contracts. Revenue is generated through sale of custom polycarbonate windows and composite body panels, plus ancillary engineering, prototyping, tooling, and coating/finishing services. GTM is sales-led, targeting OEMs and large manufacturers through co-engineering sessions and custom prototyping; distribution is exclusively direct, with no retail, channel partners, or e-commerce. Marketing relies on the company website, case study content, industry trade publications, and organic social media.
Five Star Fabricating firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Five Star Fabricating
- Legal name
- Five Star Fabricating, Inc.
- Website
- https://fivestarfabricating.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Five Star Fabricating is a privately held US manufacturer founded in 1978 that designs and produces custom polycarbonate, composite, and thermoformed plastic components for automotive OEMs, heavy equipment makers, mass transit, motorsports, aerospace, and eVTOL programs, using proprietary Fusionite™ coatings and vertically integrated forming, coating, and certification under one roof.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Five Star Fabricating industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Polycarbonate and Composite Component Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)
- SIC
- Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (3711), Plastics Products, Nec (3089), Aircraft & Parts (3720), Truck & Bus Bodies (3713)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Thermoformed Automotive & Transportation Components (IMANAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Custom Thermoforming & Contract Manufacturing (IMANAHAI), Specialty Vehicle Body Manufacturing (Emergency/Military/Mobile Clinics) (IMACAGAD), Automotive Exterior Body Panels & Closures Manufacturing (Bumpers/Fenders/Hoods/Doors/Tailgates) (IMACAKAD)
Keywords
Where Five Star Fabricating is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Twin Lakes
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Five Star Fabricating business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Custom Polycarbonate Components: Sale of custom thermoformed polycarbonate windows, composite body panels, and formed plastic components to OEMs and manufacturers across automotive, heavy equipment, aerospace, and mass transit industries.
- Engineering and Prototyping Services: Engineering design support, prototyping, and tooling development services for product development programs, supporting production-ready component manufacturing.
- Coating and Finishing Services: Application of proprietary Fusionite™ coatings, hard coatings, screen printing, and surface enhancement treatments for manufactured components.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise OEM Programs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Five Star Fabricating product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Five Star Fabricating designs and manufactures custom thermoformed polycarbonate, advanced composite, and plastic components for OEMs across automotive, heavy equipment, mass transit, aerospace, and motorsports industries. The company operates a vertically integrated facility covering forming, in-house tooling, Fusionite™ coating application, large-format CNC machining, PVB laminating, and lab testing. Offerings include polycarbonate windows, carbon fiber composite body panels, thermoformed plastic components, and supporting engineering design and prototyping services.
Product overview
Five Star Fabricating is a vertically integrated manufacturer offering a portfolio of advanced polycarbonate, composite, and thermoformed plastic solutions. The core offerings include Performance Windows (polycarbonate windows with proprietary Fusionite™ coatings), Advanced Composites (carbon fiber solutions), and Thermoformed Plastics. These products are enhanced by Engineering Design & Prototyping services and complemented by Fusionite™ coating technology. The company serves diverse industries including automotive, racing, aerospace, heavy equipment, mass transit, forestry, robotics, and eVTOL. Their technologies originated from high-performance auto racing, and their vertically integrated approach enables forming, coating, and certification under one roof. Key differentiators include wiper-ready coatings, FMVSS 226 compliance capabilities, and weight reduction of 40-70% versus traditional materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fusionite™ Coatings: Proprietary scratch-resistant, UV-protective, and anti-fog coatings for polycarbonate windows
Quantifiable outcome
- 40-60% weight reduction for window systems vs traditional materials
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Five Star Fabricating
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Five Star Fabricating technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Five Star Fabricating partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- StellantiscoreFive Star Fabricating partnered with Stellantis to develop polycarbonate glazing solutions for Sprinter vans. The partnership achieved FMVSS 226 compliance (zero passenger ejections in crash tests), 50% weight reduction, and scaled to high-volume production. Five Star's engineering expertise and glazing technology were instrumental in meeting safety standards without costly side-impact airbags.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Five Star Fabricating competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Plastic Omnium:
- Covestro: Covestro is one of the world's largest polycarbonate resin producers and supplies Makrolon to automotive glazing and component applications. Comparable to Five Star because both sell polycarbonate-based solutions into automotive and adjacent OEM markets, though Covestro is upstream and at far greater scale.
- SABIC: SABIC is a global petrochemicals and polycarbonate materials major with an automotive glazing business (including the legacy Exatec polycarbonate glazing platform). Comparable to Five Star as a polycarbonate glazing technology provider for OEMs, though SABIC operates at materially larger scale and across many resin and product categories.
- Magna International: Magna is one of the world's largest automotive tier-1 suppliers with a broad portfolio including exterior body panels, glazing, and composite systems. Comparable to Five Star as a tier supplier of lightweight body and glazing components to the same OEM customers, though Magna operates at vastly larger scale across many product lines.
Direct peers
- Webasto Group: Webasto is a leading global supplier of automotive roof systems, including panoramic roof modules and convertible tops, with strong OEM relationships. Comparable to Five Star because both compete for OEM roof/sunroof and upper-body glazing programs where lightweight polycarbonate systems are replacing glass.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Five Star Fabricating social profiles
Digital presenceFive Star Fabricating compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Five Star Fabricating financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Five Star Fabricating leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Five Star Fabricating funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Five Star Fabricating 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 Five Star Fabricating
What does Five Star Fabricating do?
Five Star Fabricating designs and manufactures custom thermoformed polycarbonate, advanced composite, and plastic components for OEMs across automotive, heavy equipment, mass transit, aerospace, and motorsports industries. The company operates a vertically integrated facility covering forming, in-house tooling, Fusionite™ coating application, large-format CNC machining, PVB laminating, and lab testing. Offerings include polycarbonate windows, carbon fiber composite body panels, thermoformed plastic components, and supporting engineering design and prototyping services.
Is Five Star Fabricating a public or private company?
Five Star Fabricating is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Five Star Fabricating founded?
Five Star Fabricating was founded in 1978. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Five Star Fabricating based?
Five Star Fabricating is headquartered in Twin Lakes, United States, in the North America region.
How does Five Star Fabricating make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Polycarbonate Components are the primary driver. The others are engineering and Prototyping Services and coating and Finishing Services.
Who are Five Star Fabricating's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Plastic Omnium, Covestro, SABIC and Magna International. Webasto Group is listed as a direct peer.
Does Five Star Fabricating have an API?
No public API is recorded for Five Star Fabricating.
What industry is Five Star Fabricating in?
Five Star Fabricating's product category is Polycarbonate and Composite Component Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANAHAE, Thermoformed Automotive & Transportation Components, with a secondary code of IMANAHAI, Custom Thermoforming & Contract Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3363 and its SIC code is 3711.