Highland Plastics

What Highland Plastics does

Highland Plastics, Inc. is a US-based custom polymer compounding and extrusion manufacturer founded in 1991 by Steve Simmons in Alma, Michigan and now headquartered in a nearly 3x-expanded facility in Shepherd, MI. The company operates under family ownership with Ben Simmons (son of the founder) serving as CEO, running a 24-hour, five-day operation that has supplied nearly every major automaker over a 30-year operating history. Its core capabilities span custom compounding of thermoplastics, elastomers and engineered plastics; multilayer coextrusion (A/B, A/B/A, A/B/C constructions) up to 80 inches wide and 0.015"-0.390" thick; lamination of films, foams, carpets, foils and non-wovens; corona surface treatment; and custom R&D co-design with customers.

The company's branded product portfolio comprises three lines: Adensa NVH Barriers (mineral-filled thermoplastics, low fog/low VOC blends, compounds 6000-6018 series), Kelvinite flame-retardant polypropylene (Kelvinite 2100 halogen-free HFFR and Kelvinite 2200 halogenated FRPP, plus Composite Flame Shields for EV battery protection validated to UL 2596), and Komodo TPO abrasion-resistant surfaces. Materials are qualified to Ford WSS-M99P32, GM GMW14171, MSDC259, UL94 V-0/VTM-0, RoHS, and REACH standards, with manufacturing certified to ISO 9001:2015.

Highland operates a quote-based B2B custom manufacturing model with no public pricing, generating revenue from custom compounding, extruded sheet/roll stock, lamination services, and custom R&D/prototyping. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers primarily, with secondary verticals in construction (soundproofing), signage/printing, and consumer appliances. The company ships globally via FOB Shepherd, MI, with a 4-week lead time on Kelvinite products versus a 16-week industry standard for legacy FRPP, and is reportedly referenced by world-class household-name customers worldwide.

Name

Highland Plastics

Legal name

Highland Plastics, Inc.

Website

https://highlandplastics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highland Plastics is a US-based custom polymer compounder and extruder founded in 1991, serving automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers primarily, with secondary applications in construction, signage, and appliances through its Kelvinite, Adensa, and Komodo material lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineered Polymer Compounding and Extrusion

NAICS

Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261), Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (326), Laminated Plastics Plate, Sheet (except Packaging), and Shape Manufacturing (326130)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081)

akta.pro primary industry

Commodity Plastic Compounds (PE/PP/PS/PVC) (IMANABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Polyolefins (PE, PP) (IMAEANAA), Fiber- & Mineral-Filled Reinforced Compounds (Glass/Carbon/Talc/CaCO3) (IMANABAI)

Keywords

• Custom polymer compounding
• Plastic extrusion services
• Flame retardant polypropylene
• NVH barrier materials
• Thermoplastic olefin surfaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Shepherd

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Compounding Services: Formulation and compounding of custom polymer blends tailored to customer specifications. Revenue generated through material development fees and production volume of custom compounds.
2. Extruded Sheet and Roll Stock: Production and sale of extruded plastic sheets and rolls in various gauges (0.015" to 0.390") and widths up to 80 inches. Products available in compound pellets, sheet, and roll stock formats.
3. Lamination Services: Application of laminations (carpets, films, foams, foils, scrims, non-wovens) to extruded products. Additional value-add service for customers requiring finished or semi-finished material constructions.
4. Custom R&D and Prototyping: Partnership with customers in co-design process for new material development. Includes prototype development and sample runs for R&D purposes.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Highland Plastics is a custom polymer compounding and extrusion manufacturer that formulates and produces specialty plastic materials in compound pellet, sheet, and roll stock formats. Its product portfolio centers on three branded material families — Kelvinite flame-retardant polypropylene (including the halogen-free Kelvinite 2100), Adensa NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) barrier materials, and Komodo abrasion-resistant thermoplastic olefin (TPO) surfaces — supported by in-house compounding, multi-layer extrusion, lamination, surface treatment, and custom R&D services.

Product overview

Highland Plastics is a custom polymer solutions manufacturer offering a portfolio of branded material products supported by manufacturing services. The core product lines include: Adensa NVH Barriers (mineral-filled thermoplastic sound abatement materials available in multiple formulations from 6000 to 6018 series); Kelvinite Flame Retardant Polymers (including Kelvinite 2100 halogen-free FRPP and Kelvinite 2200 halogenated FRPP for thin-gauge UL94 V-0 applications); and Komodo TPO Surfaces (abrasion-resistant thermoplastic olefin surfaces for automotive interiors). Manufacturing services encompass compounding, extrusion (up to 80 inches wide), lamination, surface treatment, custom R&D, and multilayer coextrusion (A/B, A/B/A, A/B/C constructions). The company serves automotive, construction, signage, and appliance industries with custom material engineering capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Adensa NVH Barriers: Mineral-filled thermoplastics for noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) automotive applications. Includes Adensa 6000-6018 compound and barrier product lines.
• Kelvinite
• Komodo TPO Surfaces

Products and services

• Adensa NVH Barriers

Quantifiable outcome

• UL94 V-0 and VTM-0 flame retardancy at 0.010" gauge (0.25mm) with Kelvinite 2100
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• RTP Company: RTP Company is a global custom thermoplastic compounder specializing in engineered compounds, flame retardant formulations, and color/additive masterbatches serving automotive, electrical, and industrial OEMs. Direct peer to Highland Plastics given identical compounding/extrusion model and overlapping automotive FRPP and specialty material portfolios.
• Teknor Apex: Teknor Apex is a privately held custom compounder of thermoplastics, elastomers, and specialty PVC/TPV compounds serving automotive, construction, and industrial markets. Highly comparable to Highland as a multi-generational, family-influenced specialty compounder with similar automotive OEM focus and custom formulation services.
• Avient Corporation: Avient (formerly PolyOne) is one of the largest specialty polymer materials companies globally, offering custom colorant and additive formulations plus engineered thermoplastic compounds including flame retardant, NVH, and abrasion-resistant grades for automotive. Closest large-scale peer to Highland given direct overlap in FRPP, NVH barriers, and specialty compounding for automotive OEMs.
• Americhem: Americhem is a custom thermoplastic compounder and masterbatch manufacturer serving automotive, construction, and consumer durable end markets. Direct peer given matching custom compounding, color/additive masterbatch, and flame retardant formulation capabilities targeted at OEM specifications.
• Asahi Kasei Plastics North America: Asahi Kasei Plastics produces engineered thermoplastic compounds and modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) foams used in automotive NVH, lightweighting, and interior applications. Direct peer to Highland given overlap in automotive NVH barriers, foam-based thermoforming feedstocks, and OEM specification compliance.
• Ascend Performance Materials: Ascend Performance Materials is a fully integrated producer of specialty plastics, fibers, and chemicals with engineered thermoplastic compounds serving automotive, electrical, and industrial markets. Direct peer given custom compounding capabilities and overlap with Highland in flame retardant and specialty automotive materials.

Broad incumbents

• SABIC: SABIC is one of the world's largest petrochemical and polymer producers, with broad polypropylene and engineered plastics portfolios including flame retardant and specialty grades for automotive. Broad incumbent competitor to Highland given the much larger scale and global reach, though SABIC competes less on custom compounding and more on base resin and stock grades.
• LyondellBasell Industries: LyondellBasell is a global polyolefins and polymers leader producing polypropylene, polyethylene, and compounded grades (including flame retardant and filled compounds) for automotive, packaging, and construction. Broad incumbent peer given scale advantage in base PP and FRPP, overlapping customer base, and ability to compete on price across automotive NVH and flame retardant applications.

Emerging players

• Soundown Corporation: Soundown manufactures noise and vibration control materials including mass-loaded vinyl and specialty acoustic barriers used in marine, transportation, and industrial applications. Adjacent/emerging peer to Highland given direct overlap with Adensa NVH barriers in the acoustic barrier category, though Soundown is smaller and serves marine more heavily.
• Mearthane Products Corporation: Mearthane Products is a specialty manufacturer of polyurethane and TPU/TPE elastomer products including abrasion-resistant surfaces, rollers, and custom molded/extruded parts for industrial and transportation markets. Comparable peer to Highland's Komodo TPO abrasion-resistant surfaces product line given the shared focus on wear-resistant thermoplastic surfaces for transportation interiors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/highlandplasticsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-plastics-inc
• Xx.com/HighlandPlastic

Compliance1 record

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 Highland Plastics