Helistrand

What Helistrand does

Helistrand, Inc. is a family-owned custom manufacturer of high-temperature wire and cable, established in 1972 in Santa Barbara, California. The company specializes in fluoropolymer insulation systems using FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene), PFA (Perfluoroalkoxy), ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene), and TFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) resins, employing manufacturing processes including extrusion, twisting and cabling, braided and foil shielding, tape-wrapped jacketing, and striping and printing. Helistrand holds Qualified Product List (Q.P.L.) status on four military wire specifications (AS22759/16, /17, /18, /19) and manufactures products meeting Mil-Spec (M16878/11, /12, /13; NEMA WC 27500; M55021) and nuclear-industry (IEEE 383-1974 with DuPont TEFZEL) standards. Its product portfolio spans ETFE hook-up wire in standard and lightweight variants, shielded and unshielded multi-conductor cables, radiation-resistant constructions, and fully custom builds for specialty applications including automotive, racing, and motorcycles.

Helistrand serves four primary end markets: aerospace and aviation (ETFE-insulated hook-up wire), defense and military (qualified Mil-Spec constructions), energy/power/industrial (radiation-resistant wire for nuclear facilities, refineries, steel mills, and fossil fuel plants), and specialty applications (custom automotive, racing, and motorcycle cables). The company sells exclusively through qualified wholesale distributors rather than direct to end users, with a small internal sales team (Kevin Henning, Manny Quezada) directing potential customers to distribution partners for pricing and availability. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time hardware sales of specialized wire and cable products; no subscription, licensing, or recurring-revenue model is present, and pricing is not publicly disclosed.

The company operates with 1-10 employees and is led by the Gomez family's second generation: Anthony Gomez (President & CEO), Anna Tetherow (VP & CFO), and John Gomez (VP & Director of Operations), all of whom grew up in the business. Helistrand celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 and remains privately held with no external institutional investors, no M&A activity, and no documented funding rounds. Its operating geography is limited to North America (USA), and the company maintains a minimal marketing presence through a standard business website.

Name

Helistrand

Legal name

Helistrand, Inc.

Website

https://helistrand.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Helistrand is a family-owned custom manufacturer of high-temperature wire and cable using fluoropolymer insulations (FEP, PFA, ETFE, TFE), serving aerospace, defense, nuclear, industrial, and specialty applications exclusively through qualified wholesale distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Wire and Cable Manufacturing

NAICS

Communication and Energy Wire and Cable Manufacturing (33592), Other Communication and Energy Wire Manufacturing (335929)

akta.pro primary industry

Fluoropolymers & High-Barrier Resins Manufacturing (PTFE, PVDF, ETFE, EVOH) (IMANAAAF)

Keywords

• High-temperature wire
• Fluoropolymer cables
• Military specification wire
• Aerospace cable manufacturing
• Custom wire and cable

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. High-Temperature Wire and Cable Sales: Helistrand manufactures and sells custom high-temperature wire and cable products through qualified wholesale distributors. Products include hook-up wire, shielded and unshielded multi-conductor cables, and custom constructions. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales of specialized wire and cable to distributors who serve aerospace, defense, nuclear, industrial, and specialty application customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Helistrand is a custom manufacturer of high-temperature wire and cable for aerospace, defense, nuclear, industrial, and specialty applications. The company specializes in fluoropolymer insulations and jackets (FEP, PFA, TFE tape wrap, ETFE) and produces hook-up wire, shielded and unshielded multi-conductor cables, Mil-Spec cable constructions, and radiation-resistant wire. Products are sold exclusively through qualified wholesale distributors.

Product overview

Helistrand is a custom manufacturer of high-temperature wire and cable for demanding aerospace, defense, nuclear, industrial, and specialty applications. Their product portfolio centers on FEP, PFA, TFE tape wrap, and ETFE insulations and jackets. The core offerings include ETFE Hook-Up Wire (AS22759/16, /17, /18, /19) in standard and lightweight variants, Multi-Conductor Cables meeting NEMA WC 27500 specifications with various shield and jacket options, Mil-Spec Cable Constructions for defense and military applications, Radiation-Resistant Wire and Cable for nuclear and power generation using DuPont TEFZEL®, and Custom Wire and Cable Constructions for specialty applications. The company supports both short and long production runs through manufacturing capabilities including extrusion, twisting and cabling, braided and foil shielding, tape-wrapped jackets, and striping and printing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ETFE Hook-Up Wire

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

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Carlisle Interconnect Technologies: CarlisleIT manufactures specialty wire and cable for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. Directly comparable to Helistrand in serving QPL-qualified and Mil-Spec wire customers, though at significantly larger scale across multiple facilities.
• Harbour Industries: Harbour Industries (a Shawcor company) manufactures specialty wire and cable for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. Comparable in fluoropolymer and high-temperature insulation expertise, with overlapping AS22759 and Mil-Spec product lines.
• Judd Wire: Judd Wire is a specialty high-performance wire and cable manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. Directly comparable as a niche QPL-qualified Mil-Spec wire producer with fluoropolymer insulation capabilities.
• New England Wire Technologies: New England Wire Technologies manufactures custom specialty wire and cable, including high-temperature and fluoropolymer constructions for aerospace, defense, and medical applications. Comparable in custom short-run specialty cable work.
• Axon' Cable: Axon' Cable is a specialty manufacturer of custom wire, cable, and interconnect solutions for aerospace, defense, and medical applications. Directly comparable to Helistrand in custom high-temperature and Mil-Spec constructions, though with a European footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Alpha Wire: Alpha Wire (a Bel Fuse company) is a broad specialty wire and cable manufacturer serving industrial, aerospace, and military markets with a wide catalog. Overlaps with Helistrand in hook-up wire and multi-conductor constructions, but operates as a catalog-driven incumbent.
• TE Connectivity: TE Connectivity is a global incumbent in connectors and wire/cable for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. Comparable in serving the same QPL and Mil-Spec customer base, though at vastly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Lapp Group: Lapp Group manufactures industrial cables and wire, including fluoropolymer-insulated products for harsh environments. Comparable in serving industrial and high-temperature applications, but as a broad European-rooted global incumbent.
• Belden: Belden is a global wire and cable manufacturer serving industrial, broadcast, and specialty markets. Comparable as a broad specialty cable producer, though with a much wider portfolio and different customer mix than Helistrand.
• Nexans: Nexans is one of the world's largest wire and cable manufacturers serving energy, telecom, transportation, and aerospace/defense. Comparable in fluoropolymer and high-performance cable offerings, but at massively greater scale and broader market reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Helistrand