What Clearwater Composites does

Clearwater Composites, LLC is a privately held, US-based specialty manufacturer of carbon fiber and composite components, founded in 2008 by Jeff Engbrecht and headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. The company produces roll-wrapped carbon fiber tubes in five geometric profiles (round, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal) and multiple modulus grades (standard, high, ultra-high), as well as carbon fiber plates in standard, high-modulus, ultra-high-modulus, and foam-core sandwich variants, plus custom parts up to eight feet in length. Manufacturing uses pre-impregnated carbon fiber, fiberglass, and aramid materials processed via roll wrapping, resin transfer molding, bladder molding, vacuum bagging, compression molding, and trapped rubber molding, with the Duluth facility certified to AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015.

The company generates revenue through two streams: direct e-commerce sales of stock tubes, plates, and clearance items (priced per unit with volume discounts and a 15% education discount), and quotation-based custom manufacturing services that include design and engineering, prototyping, reverse engineering, CNC machining, exterior finishing, and bonding and assembly. The no-minimum-quantity policy on roll-wrapped tubes enables prototype and low-volume runs, while larger customers (hundreds to thousands of components) are served through the same manufacturing base.

Clearwater sells to a diversified set of US customers across industrial equipment, robotics, UAVs and drones, sporting goods, and aerospace and defense, with no international footprint and no disclosed distribution partners. Distribution is direct, shipping via UPS and FedEx from the single Minnesota facility, with same-day shipping available for orders placed before noon Central Time. The company is founder-owned, has no disclosed institutional funding or parent company, and operates with a small staff (11–50 employees).

Name

Clearwater Composites

Legal name

Clearwater Composites, LLC

Website

https://clearwatercomposites.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clearwater Composites is a US-based, founder-owned carbon fiber manufacturer in Duluth, Minnesota, producing tubes, plates, and custom composite parts for industrial equipment, robotics, UAVs, sporting goods, and aerospace and defense customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

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

Revenue model

1. Carbon Fiber Product Sales: Sale of manufactured carbon fiber tubes (round, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal in various moduli), carbon fiber plates (standard modulus, high modulus, ultra-high modulus, foam core), and clearance/cosmetic second products. Products sold in standard sizes as well as custom specifications. Revenue generated through direct e-commerce transactions and quotation-based sales for custom orders.
2. Custom Manufacturing Services: Engineering and manufacturing services for custom carbon fiber and composite parts including prototyping, design and engineering, exterior finishing, machining, bonding and assembly. Services priced based on complexity, size, diameter, tolerances, and volume. Add-on services include cutting, sanding, clearcoat finishing, and bonding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Clearwater Composites manufactures carbon fiber tubes (round, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal in standard, high, and ultra-high modulus grades), carbon fiber plates (standard modulus, high modulus, ultra-high modulus, foam core), and custom carbon fiber parts up to 8 feet in length. Production is performed in-house at an AS9100D and ISO9001:2015 certified facility in Duluth, Minnesota using roll wrapping, RTM, bladder molding, vacuum bagging, compression molding, and trapped rubber molding. The company also delivers ancillary manufacturing services including prototyping, design and engineering, CNC machining, exterior finishing, and bonding/assembly.

Product overview

Clearwater Composites is a carbon fiber and composite materials manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and manufacturing services. The core product lines include carbon fiber tubes in five geometric profiles (round, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal) across multiple modulus grades (Standard, High, Ultra High), carbon fiber plates in Standard Modulus, High Modulus, Ultra High Modulus, and Foam Core variants, and custom carbon fiber parts up to 8 feet in length. Supporting the product portfolio are manufacturing services including Roll Wrapping (primary production method), Carbon Fiber Prototyping, Design and Engineering (including reverse engineering), CNC Machining, Exterior Finishing (cello-wrap, sanded, ground, clearcoat, painted), Bonding and Assembly, and various Add-On Services (cutting, sanding, clearcoating, bonding). The company operates manufacturing facilities in Duluth, MN certified to AS9100D and ISO9001:2015 standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carbon Fiber Tubes (Round) Roll-wrapped round carbon fiber tubes offered in Standard Modulus, High Modulus, Ultra High Modulus, Ferrule, and Colored Tubing variants for industrial, robotics, UAV, and aerospace applications. Sold in standard sizes and custom specifications.
• Carbon Fiber Tubes (Square) Roll-wrapped square carbon fiber tubes in Standard Modulus and High Modulus variants for structural applications requiring flat mounting surfaces.
• Carbon Fiber Tubes (Rectangular) Roll-wrapped rectangular carbon fiber tubes in Standard Modulus and High Modulus variants for applications requiring specific geometric profiles.
• Carbon Fiber Tubes (Hexagonal) Roll-wrapped hexagonal carbon fiber tubes in Standard Modulus and High Modulus variants for specialized geometric requirements.
• Carbon Fiber Tubes (Octagonal) Roll-wrapped octagonal carbon fiber tubes in Standard Modulus variant for applications requiring eight-sided profiles.
• Carbon Fiber Tubes (Clearance) Discounted roll-wrapped carbon fiber tubes including overstocks, cosmetic seconds, and miscellaneous sizes for budget-conscious applications, sold via the online storefront.
• Carbon Fiber Plates Carbon fiber plates in Standard Modulus (0°/90° cross-ply or quasi-isotropic, 90% aluminum stiffness at 60% weight), High Modulus (1.5x aluminum stiffness, similar strength to standard), Ultra High Modulus (2.5x aluminum stiffness for low-stress high-stiffness needs), and Foam Core (Divinycell H80 foam core with carbon fiber faces for stiffness-critical lightweight builds).
• Custom Carbon Fiber Parts Custom-manufactured carbon fiber parts in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and materials up to 8 feet (96 inches) in length, produced using molds and tools with finishing and assembly services included. Supports prototyping through volume production of thousands of components.
• Roll Wrapping Manufacturing Service Manufacturing process using pre-impregnated carbon fiber or fiberglass materials wrapped onto mandrels, producing tubes with maximum strength and stiffness, precise fiber orientation control, and no minimum quantities. Engaged via custom order and project basis.
• Carbon Fiber Prototyping Service Rapid prototyping service for carbon fiber components, including process development for custom requirements. Lets customers test and validate designs before committing to larger production runs.
• Design and Engineering Service Engineering capabilities including product design, reverse engineering of existing composite parts (material identification, ply orientation analysis, thickness and void content analysis), manufacturability assessment, and laminate tailoring for specific applications.
• CNC Machining Service Precision machining services for carbon fiber components including cutting and drilling, from simple holes to complex high-tolerance CNC operations. Turnkey solutions available.
• Exterior Finishing Service Exterior finish options including cello-wrap (standard textured), sanded (matte grey), ground (precision OD tolerance), clearcoat (glossy UV-resistant), and painted finishes. Capable of clearcoating tubes up to 72 inches in length.
• Bonding and Assembly Service Professional bonding services for carbon fiber tubes (ferrules), composite-to-metal joints (steel and aluminum), and carbon fiber to plastic (PEEK, nylon) assemblies, with design consultation.
• Composite Manufacturing Methods (RTM, Bladder Molding, Vacuum Bagging, Compression Molding, Trapped Rubber Molding) Multiple composite manufacturing processes available in-house including Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), Bladder Molding, Vacuum Bagging, Compression Molding, and Trapped Rubber Molding, alongside secondary operations such as centerless grinding and complex bonded assemblies. Supports carbon fiber, fiberglass, aramid, thermoset, and thermoplastic composites.

Quantifiable outcome

• Standard modulus carbon fiber: 1.5x stiffer than aluminum; High modulus: 3x stiffer than aluminum (equivalent to steel stiffness) at 60% the weight
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Rock West Composites: Closest direct competitor: US-based manufacturer and distributor of carbon fiber tubes, plates, and custom composite parts via both e-commerce stock catalog and custom fabrication. Operates in identical end markets (aerospace, industrial, sporting goods) with a similar hybrid DTC + custom services model.
• Composite Envisions: US manufacturer and supplier of carbon fiber, fiberglass, and composite materials including tubes, plates, and fabrics. Targets similar engineering and prototyping customer base with stock and custom offerings.
• East Coast Fiberglass Supplies: US-based composite materials and supplies retailer offering carbon fiber tubes, fabrics, and resins for hobbyist and prosumer buyers. Competes for the same small-order stock-product customer segment.
• ACP Composites: California-based custom composites manufacturer offering carbon fiber tubes, plates, and custom parts with design and fabrication services. Closely comparable hybrid e-commerce + custom-manufacturing approach.
• Carbon Fiber Store: Direct-to-consumer carbon fiber tubes, plates, and sheets retailer with stock SKUs comparable to Clearwater's standard modulus/high modulus offerings. Competes for the same hobbyist, education, and small-engineering-customer segment.
• US Composites: US distributor and manufacturer of composite materials (fiberglass, carbon fiber, resins) and finished tubes/plates for industrial, marine, and DIY customers. Overlaps in stock-product e-commerce and small-volume custom sales.
• Fibre Glast Developments: Composite materials supplier and custom parts manufacturer focused on fiberglass and carbon fiber products. Serves prototyping, education, and small-business customers in similar use cases to Clearwater's e-commerce channel.

Broad incumbents

• Hexcel: Large publicly traded aerospace composite materials and parts manufacturer. Supplies carbon fiber, prepregs, and finished composite parts to commercial aerospace, defense, and industrial customers globally at significantly greater scale.
• Toray Composite Materials America: Major global carbon fiber and prepreg producer (formerly TCA, part of Toray Industries). Operates far upstream of Clearwater in fiber and prepreg, but increasingly supplies finished parts as well, exerting downstream competitive pressure.
• Janicki Industries: Large US-based composite parts manufacturer specializing in large, high-tolerance tooling and structures for aerospace, marine, and wind energy. Represents the scale end of the market Clearwater is targeting from below.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Clearwater.Composites
• Instagraminstagram.com/clearwatercomposites
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clearwater-composites-llc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Clearwater Composites