What Composite Applications Group does

Composite Applications Group (CAG) is a privately held B2B consortium, founded in 2021 and headquartered at 3137 Waterfront Drive, Chattanooga, Tennessee, that connects OEMs with vetted technology and supply chain partners across the composites industry. The firm operates a Connect-Collaborate-Commercialize service model, helping manufacturers in transportation, rail, infrastructure, and aerospace replace traditional materials (steel, aluminum, wood) with composites and advanced materials to achieve weight reduction, improved thermal efficiency, extended battery life, and corrosion resistance. CAG does not sell a discrete product; rather, it orchestrates a non-competitive ecosystem of partners that includes Structural Composites (co-developer of patented CoCure Technology), BASF, Interplastic, MVP, IACMI, the University of Tennessee, and specialized engineering and installation firms.

The firm's core commercial engagements to date are the Wabash National 53' Composite Trailer (claimed doubled thermal efficiency and over 20% weight reduction, commercialized within approximately three years), a lightweight composite rail car with Trinity Rail, and a composite bridge deck deployed by the Morgan County (TN) Department of Transportation with a stated 100+ year service life and embedded Luna fiber optic structural monitoring. The underlying technology centers on patented composite material systems and a curated supply chain rather than on proprietary software or automation tooling, though partner MVP contributed automated/continuous composite manufacturing equipment for the Wabash program.

CAG is owned by Top Five Inc., a Chattanooga-based private equity firm whose co-founder, Jeff McCay, also serves as CAG's President and founder. The firm operates with 1-10 employees, generates revenue through quote-based professional services engagements with enterprise OEMs and government clients, and discloses no public pricing, ARR, or financial figures. Its go-to-market is sales-led direct engagement supplemented by website case studies and industry event presence; geographic scope is currently North America / USA only.

Name

Composite Applications Group

Legal name

Composite Applications Group

Website

https://compositeapplicationsgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Composite Applications Group (CAG) is a privately held B2B consortium founded in 2021 in Chattanooga, TN, that connects OEMs in transportation, rail, infrastructure, and aerospace with a vetted, non-competitive network of composites technology and supply chain partners to commercialize advanced material solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mcdonald

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consortium Services: CAG operates as a consortium providing composite solutions for OEMs. Revenue is generated through collaborative engagements where CAG connects OEM companies with technology and supply chain partners to commercialize composite solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Composite Applications Group (CAG) operates as a consortium that connects OEM manufacturers with vetted members of the composites supply chain to help OEMs replace traditional materials with composites and advanced materials. The company delivers collaborative engagements through a Connect-Collaborate-Commercialize service model, addressing weight reduction, thermal efficiency, battery life, and corrosion resistance for transportation, rail, infrastructure, and aerospace OEMs. CAG brings together non-competitive technology and supply chain partners to enable holistic composite solutions from concept through commercialization.

Product overview

Composite Applications Group (CAG) is not a product company but rather a consortium/collaborative organization that provides composite solutions for OEMs. CAG operates through a Connect-Collaborate-Commercialize service model, connecting OEMs with the composites supply chain to help them replace traditional materials with composites. CAG brings together non-competitive technology and supply chain partners to deliver value propositions including weight reduction, improved thermal efficiency, extended battery life, corrosion resistance, and other advanced material benefits. The company does not appear to offer named software products or modules but rather functions as a collaborative consortium service organization facilitating composite technology adoption and commercialization for OEM partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Connect-Collaborate-Commercialize Consortium Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Doubled thermal efficiency and 20%+ weight reduction for Wabash composite trailer
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wabash NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWabash National is a key OEM partner that collaborated with CAG on the 53' Composite Trailer project. This partnership resulted in doubled thermal efficiency and 20%+ weight reduction, achieving commercialization in 3 years.
• Trinity RailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrinity Rail partnered with CAG to develop lightweight composite rail cars. CAG provided technology connections, framework planning, and commercialization support for this first-of-its-kind composite rail car.
• Structural CompositescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStructural Composites serves as a key technology partner delivering engineering specifications, material development, and functional prototypes for CAG collaborative projects.
• BASFmajorTechnology or IntegrationBASF supplies key materials for composite solutions, particularly polyurethane foam and other chemical inputs used in CAG collaborative projects.
• InterplasticmajorTechnology or IntegrationInterplastic provides resin and composite material solutions as part of CAG's supply chain collaboration for various projects.
• IACMImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIACMI (Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation) provides technical expertise and workforce training support for CAG collaborative network projects.
• Morgan County Department of TransportationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorgan County DOT collaborated with CAG on the composite bridge deck project, serving as the engineering requirements setter and end-user for the infrastructure solution.
• MVP (Manufacturing Partner)majorTechnology or IntegrationMVP provided automated composite manufacturing equipment and collaborated on machine design for continuous manufacturing processes in the Wabash trailer project.
• CompsysmajorTechnology or IntegrationCompsys manufactured composite preforms that passed AASHTO/Federation Highway Administration testing standards for the bridge project.
• Schaeffer Civil EngineeringmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSchaeffer Civil Engineering provided bridge code compliance verification and construction oversight for the Morgan County composite bridge project.
• McKinney ExcavatingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMcKinney Excavating handled civil construction, old bridge removal, and new bridge installation for the Morgan County project.
• University of TennesseemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Tennessee provided research support, data analysis, and connected sensing equipment with motion capture and live streaming data for bridge performance research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IACMI (Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation): Composites manufacturing innovation consortium with similar model of connecting OEMs with composites technology and supply chain. Also listed as a CAG partner, indicating overlapping mission and ecosystem.
• America Makes: Additive manufacturing consortium operating a similar member-based model to accelerate manufacturing technology adoption. Direct peer in consortium-driven manufacturing enablement services.
• SAMPE (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering): Professional society for composites and advanced materials industry providing industry services, education, and networking that connects materials technology developers with manufacturers.
• ACMA (American Composites Manufacturers Association): Trade association representing the North American composites manufacturing industry, providing industry advocacy, education, and networking with similar mission to CAG's composites adoption focus.
• NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): Federal program that helps US manufacturers adopt new technologies and improve competitiveness. Operates a hub-based service model analogous to CAG's consortium approach.

Broad incumbents

• SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers): Broad manufacturing industry organization providing education, resources, and networking across all manufacturing sectors. Larger and more general than CAG but addresses similar manufacturing enablement.
• Hexcel: Major advanced composites manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets with carbon fiber and composite materials. Operates at scale as a manufacturer in the same materials space CAG facilitates.
• Kaman Aerospace: Aerospace and industrial manufacturer producing composite structures and components. Operates as a manufacturer in the aerospace composites market that CAG serves.

Others

• Composites One: Leading North American distributor of composite materials, supplying resins, fibers, and equipment. Part of the supply chain ecosystem that CAG helps OEMs navigate.
• Altair Engineering: Engineering simulation and software company enabling materials design and structural analysis for composites applications. Adjacent technology enabler in the composites ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Composite Applications Group