Design Components

What Design Components does

Design Components, Inc. (DCI), founded in 1978 and headquartered in Fayetteville, Georgia, is a privately held designer, engineer, and distributor of metal building accessories serving the U.S. commercial and industrial construction market. The company's product portfolio centers on the trademarked METALWALK® Rooftop Walkway System — an OSHA-compliant walkway and safety handrail specified in CSI Division 07-7246 — and spans roughly a dozen accessory categories including roof curbs and hatches, steel and aluminum canopies, power and gravity ventilation, louvers, snow retention systems with S-5!® clamps, ladders and fall protection, commercial doors, skylights and smoke vents, stairs, and flashings. Technically, the company combines in-house specification work, CAD detailing, and coordination with third-party components (e.g., S-5!® clamps, Bil-Guard® railings) to deliver engineered building accessories wind-rated up to 180 mph with snow load capacities of 26-100 psf.

DCI operates a sales-led, project-based go-to-market: customers (contractors, architects, building owners, and facility managers) request quotes via a toll-free phone line, email, or website form, and outside sales representatives handle estimating, builder meetings, and trade shows. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time product sales tied to individual construction or renovation projects, with no disclosed subscription or recurring revenue component. The company sells nationwide from a single Fayetteville facility, supported by a marketing program that includes a 26+ page blog, monthly email newsletter, product literature PDFs, a CAD Details portal for METALWALK, and active social channels.

The business is family-controlled, with James Fox (son of co-founder John Fox) serving as President since 1996, alongside other family members in marketing/sales and accounting. Headcount is in the 11-50 range and gross annual sales reached nearly $10 million in 2024, up from $3 million in 2008. Customer concentration appears low, with only one named enterprise reference (Aurubis Richmond) and a horizontal mix of small-to-mid commercial and industrial projects across the United States.

Name

Design Components

Legal name

Design Components, Inc.

Website

https://designcomponents.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Design Components is a privately held U.S. distributor and specifier of metal building accessories, founded in 1978 and headquartered in Fayetteville, GA. It sells the trademarked METALWALK® rooftop walkway system plus a full accessory line to contractors, architects, and building owners nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Building Accessories

NAICS

Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing (332322), Ornamental and Architectural Metal Products Manufacturing (33232), Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing (3323)

SIC

Sheet Metal Work (3444), Metal Doors, Sash, Frames, Moldings & Trim (3442), Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440)

akta.pro primary industry

Flashing, Edge Metal & Roof Accessories (IMADAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural & Miscellaneous Metals (Stairs, Railings, Ladders) (IMADACAE), Metal Cladding, Soffits & Trim (Non-Panel Components) (IMADACAM), Metal Roofing Systems (IMADAFAB)

Keywords

• Metal building accessories
• Rooftop walkway systems
• Commercial construction supplies
• Roof curbs hatches
• Snow retention systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Fayetteville

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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Metal Building Accessories Sales: One-time product sales of metal building accessories including rooftop walkways, roof curbs, canopies, ventilation systems, louvers, ladders, fall protection, doors, skylights, and flashing. Revenue generated through direct project-based sales to contractors, building owners, and facility managers for commercial and industrial construction applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Design Components, Inc. designs, engineers, and distributes a complete line of metal building accessories for commercial and industrial construction, with the trademarked METALWALK® Rooftop Walkway System as its flagship OSHA-compliant product. The portfolio spans roof curbs and hatches, steel and aluminum canopies, ventilation systems (power and gravity), louvers, snow retention with S-5!® clamps, ladders, fall protection, commercial doors, skylights, smoke vents, steel stairs, and flashings. Products are sold direct to contractors, building owners, and facility managers nationwide via phone, email, field sales, and website quote requests.

Product overview

Design Components, Inc. (DCI) is a manufacturer and distributor of metal building accessories founded in 1978, serving the commercial and industrial construction markets. The company's product portfolio centers on the proprietary METALWALK® Rooftop Walkway System as its flagship offering, supplemented by a comprehensive range of complementary building accessory categories including roof curbs and hatches (with Bil-Guard® safety railings), steel and aluminum canopies (wind rated to 180mph), ventilation solutions (power and gravity systems), architectural louvers, snow retention systems with S-5!® clamps, OSHA-compliant ladders and fall protection equipment (Rigid Rail, VL Cable, PFAS), commercial doors, skylights and smoke vents, steel stairs, and roof flashings. The product line serves the complete lifecycle of metal buildings from initial construction through ongoing maintenance access and safety compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• METALWALK®: OSHA-compliant rooftop walkway system and safety handrail for metal buildings. The company's flagship trademarked product providing safe rooftop access and roof protection.

Products and services

• METALWALK® Rooftop Walkway System OSHA-compliant rooftop walkway and safety handrail system designed to protect roof surfaces and ensure safe worker access on metal buildings, with non-penetrating attachment via S-5!® clamps to standing seam roofs.
• Roof Curbs & Hatches Structural roof penetration solutions including condensing support platforms, single and double curb systems, floating curb supports, and roof hatches with Bil-Guard® 2.0 safety railing systems for HVAC and equipment installations on metal buildings.
• Steel Canopies Engineered steel entrance canopies constructed of 24 ga. painted steel with 16 ga. galvanized frame, wind rated up to 180mph with snow load capacities from 26psf to 100psf, available in most metal building colors.
• Aluminum Canopies Aluminum canopy solutions available in multiple styles including Cantilever, Lumishade, Super Lumideck, and Super Shade configurations for commercial building entrances and loading dock areas.
• Power Ventilation Mechanical ventilation systems including DCI wall fans and roof fans designed to improve air circulation and temperature regulation in commercial and industrial buildings.
• Louvers Architectural louvers available in steel and aluminum configurations including fixed blade styles, Miami-Dade approved options, and special shapes for ventilation and aesthetic applications in commercial buildings.
• Snow Retention & S-5!® Clamps Snow retention systems including X-Gard, ColorGuard, DualGard, and VersaGard solutions, along with S-5!® clamps (T-Clamp, U-Clamp, Z-Clamp) for securing snow to metal roofs and preventing dangerous snow avalanches.
• Ladders & Fall Protection OSHA-compliant safety access products including fixed steel ladders with and without cages, parapet ladders, bolt-on wall brackets, Rigid Rail fall protection systems, VL Cable systems, LadderUP® safety posts, and Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS).
• Doors Commercial steel doors and frames available in knocked-down and pre-assembled configurations for metal buildings, including storefront door options.
• Skylights & Smoke Vents Natural lighting and smoke evacuation products including Signature™ Series Skylights, mechanical smoke vents, and shrink-out smoke vents for commercial roof applications.
• Gravity Ventilation Passive ventilation systems including low profile ridge vents, large throat ridge vents, continuous ridge vents for typical metal buildings, round gravity vents, and turbine vents.
• Stairs DCI Steel Stair Systems including single stairs and mezzanine stairs for interior and exterior access in commercial and industrial metal buildings.
• Flashings Roof penetration flashings including Dek-Cap flashings, Dekstrip flashings, and Dektite pipe flashings designed to prevent water intrusion at roof transitions and penetrations.
• GripperFix™ S-5!® GripperFix™ attachment solution for securing accessories to metal standing seam roofs.
• Condenser Platform/Condensing Support Condenser platform and support systems for rooftop HVAC equipment, designed to provide stable mounting and structural support.
• Universal Safety Anchor Safety anchor device for fall protection attachment on commercial rooftops.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products wind rated up to 180mph
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Harrell ConstructionnotableImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 August 2024Harrell Construction, based in Jacksonville, FL, served as the installing contractor for the Aurubis Richmond Metalwalk project. DCI provided on-site field technician training to the Harrell Construction team to ensure proper installation of the rooftop walkway system.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Laminators Inc. Manufacturer of metal composite panels, canopies, and architectural products for commercial buildings — overlaps with DCI's steel/aluminum canopy and cladding-adjacent categories, though smaller and more focused on architectural panels.

Broad incumbents

• ABC Supply Co. Largest US distributor of roofing, siding, and metal building products including accessories such as vents, flashings, and snow guards. Competes with DCI primarily on distribution scale and SKU breadth rather than engineered specification.
• Kingspan Group (including Morin and Metl-Span): Global building envelope manufacturer whose Morin and Metl-Span brands produce insulated metal panels, roofing systems, and complementary accessories. A large incumbent operating across the broader metal building envelope space that DCI competes against indirectly through its accessory portfolio.

Direct peers

• Safety Rail Company: Specialist in non-penetrating rooftop safety railings and OSHA-compliant fall protection systems. Competes head-to-head with METALWALK® for rooftop guardrail specification and is comparable in size and niche focus.
• ATAS International: Manufacturer of metal roofing, wall panels, and accessories including louvers, vents, snow guards, and flashing. Overlaps with several DCI accessory categories and serves similar commercial/industrial and architectural metal building customers.
• Kee Safety: Global manufacturer of rooftop safety railings, fall protection systems, and walkway solutions — directly competitive with METALWALK® and DCI's ladders and fall protection category. Serves the same OSHA-driven spec-in use case in commercial/industrial construction.
• BILCO Company: Manufacturer of roof hatches, smoke vents, and Bil-Guard safety railings — overlapping product categories with DCI's roof curbs/hatches and ladder/fall protection lines. Both serve commercial and industrial buildings with OSHA-compliant rooftop access products.
• S-5! (Metal Roof Innovations, Ltd.): Manufacturer of snow retention systems and the S-5-U/T/Z clamps that DCI actually resells and specifies in its METALWALK® installations. Direct peer in metal building roof accessories with overlapping customer base of metal roofing contractors and engineers.
• Babcock-Davis (part of Cierra Products): Manufacturer of roof hatches, smoke vents, safety railings, and ladders/access products — directly competing product categories to DCI's roof curbs/hatches, fall protection, and ladder lines for commercial and industrial buildings.

Regional players

• Eagle Roofing Products: West-coast focused manufacturer and distributor of roofing components including vents, flashings, and metal building accessories. Comparable in product mix to DCI but with a regional go-to-market rather than nationwide specification-led distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designcomponent
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTJpj50xki-CEdWQjKd567A/feed
• Facebookfacebook.com/DesignComponents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-components-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/designcomponentsinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Design Components