National Seating
National Seating, a brand of publicly traded Commercial Vehicle Group (NASDAQ: CVGI), manufactures American-made commercial vehicle seating—heavy-duty and medium-duty truck seats, FMVSS-compliant school bus driver seats, refuse vehicle seats, and air-ride suspensions—sold to fleets, dealers, and OEMs across North America and select international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1935
- HeadquartersNew Albany, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What National Seating does
National Seating is a 90-year-old American manufacturer of commercial vehicle seating, operating as the seating brand of publicly listed Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVGI). Founded in 1935 and headquartered within CVG in New Albany, Ohio, the company designs and produces seats for heavy-duty trucks (Class 7-8), medium-duty trucks (Class 6-7), school buses, and specialty refuse vehicles. Its product line spans the Ensign, Captain, Commander, Corsair, Commodore, Admiral, and Admiral CT truck seats, the Routemaster series of FMVSS-compliant school bus driver seats, the Refuse Seat, plus supporting HiPro 95 and HP-series air-ride suspensions, fittings, swivels, and accessories. Differentiated technologies include the proprietary BackCycler continuous lumbar support system (developed with the University of Vermont), the ComforTEK ventilation and heat system, the modular tubular-frame Refuse Seat design, and a patent-pending Truck-Tough Adaptor Plate Kit for cross-make fitment.
The business sells both directly to commercial vehicle OEMs — notably Navistar, where the unit earned Diamond Supplier status in 2015 — and through a broad aftermarket channel comprising authorized distributors and OE dealerships across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and India, supplemented by online parts sales via aftermarkettruckparts.com and a direct seat configurator on nationalseating.com. Pricing is almost entirely quote-based for built-to-order seats; accessories carry fixed unit pricing. National Seating is not independently capitalized — it has no funding rounds, no M&A activity of its own, and operates as a strategic brand within CVG's cab-products portfolio with manufacturing in Vonore, TN; Piedmont, AL; and Saltillo, MX, employing 500+ people in Tennessee alone.
Revenue mechanics are entirely transactional (one-time unit sales of seats, suspensions, and parts), with no subscription, licensing, or recurring-service component. Customer concentration skews toward enterprise fleets and OE truck/bus manufacturers, with reliance on channel partners as the dominant go-to-market vehicle; the company does not disclose brand-level financials.
National Seating firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- National Seating
- Legal name
- Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://nationalseating.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1935
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- National Seating, a brand of publicly traded Commercial Vehicle Group (NASDAQ: CVGI), manufactures American-made commercial vehicle seating—heavy-duty and medium-duty truck seats, FMVSS-compliant school bus driver seats, refuse vehicle seats, and air-ride suspensions—sold to fleets, dealers, and OEMs across North America and select international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
National Seating industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Vehicle Seating
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Seating and Interior Trim Manufacturing (33636)
- SIC
- Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Automotive Seating Systems Manufacturing (Frames/Mechanisms/Foam/Complete Seats) (IMACAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bus & Coach Interior Systems Manufacturing (Seating/Flooring/Accessibility) (IMACADAJ), Automotive Interior Comfort & Convenience Components Manufacturing (Armrests/Cupholders/Storage/Interior Hardware) (IMACAKAJ)
Keywords
Where National Seating is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Albany
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
National Seating business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Truck Seat Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling aftermarket replacement seats for commercial trucks, including semi-truck seats, heavy-duty truck seats, and medium-duty truck seats. Seats are sold through dealer/distributor network as built-to-order or configurable products.
- Bus Seats: School bus driver seats and motor coach seats sold to transportation companies, school districts, and fleet operators through the same dealer network.
- Seat Accessories and Parts: Replacement parts, fitting kits, adapter plates, suspensions, swivels, seat covers, air compressors, and other components sold to support existing seat installations and maintenance.
- Fleet Solutions: Bulk fleet seating solutions for fleet managers requiring hundreds of replacement seats, with dedicated support for fleet procurement and configuration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Built Seats - Quote-based pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories and Parts - Fixed pricing available |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spacers and Minor Parts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
National Seating product offering
Product offeringCore offering
National Seating manufactures and sells aftermarket and OE-quality seating systems for commercial vehicles, including heavy-duty and medium-duty truck seats, school bus driver seats, and specialty refuse vehicle seats. Products are built-to-order with proprietary comfort technologies such as the BackCycler continuous lumbar support and HiPro air suspension systems, and are sold through an extensive dealer network across North America and internationally.
Product overview
National Seating is a manufacturer of commercial vehicle seating solutions, operating as part of Commercial Vehicle Group (CVG). The product portfolio includes a comprehensive line of truck seats (Ensign, Captain, Commander, Corsair, Commodore, Admiral, Admiral CT), specialty refuse seats, and school bus driver seats (Routemaster series). Supporting products include seat suspensions (95 Air-Ride, HP2 Air-Ride), fitting kits and adapter plates for vehicle compatibility, and replacement parts and accessories. The company also offers the proprietary BackCycler continuous lumbar support technology. Products are designed for heavy-duty trucks (Class 7-8), medium-duty trucks (Class 6-7), school buses, and refuse vehicles. All products are manufactured in the United States in Vonore, Tennessee and Piedmont, Alabama.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BackCycler: Continuous lumbar support technology developed over 10 years of research with the University of Vermont and funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research. An active air-powered device that cyclically inflates and deflates an air bladder in the lumbar area to reduce back pain and fatigue.
Products and services
- Ensign Affordable heavy-duty truck seat built on the same platform as top-selling truck seats. Features 95 seat suspension with 6 inches of vertical travel, air lumbar support, ergonomic seat foam with cushion extension, and tracks with 7 inches of fore-aft travel. Designed for Class 7-8 heavy-duty trucks.
- Ensign LO Low-profile medium-duty truck seat ideal for pick-up and delivery routes with frequent in-and-out cab access. Features 97 air suspension with 3 inches of vertical travel, suitable for Class 6-7 medium-duty trucks.
- Captain
- Captain LO
- Commander
- Corsair Mid-range priced heavy-duty truck seat with premium features built on 95 suspension. Standard features include triple-chamber air lumbar, contoured cushion, 6-way cushion adjustment, and impact isolator. Premium features available include adjustable armrests, bellow suspension cover, heater, and BackCycler system.
- Commodore
- Admiral
- Admiral CT
- Refuse Seat
- Routemaster 310
- Routemaster 350
- Routemaster 650
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced driver fatigue - drivers report feeling less fatigue at end of day and ability to drive full day without back pain
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use National Seating
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
National Seating technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
National Seating partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- NavistarcoreNational Seating serves as an OE supplier to Navistar, providing commercial truck seating for their vehicles. In January 2015, CVG's National Seating team was awarded Diamond supplier status by Navistar at their world headquarters in Lisle, IL. This recognition represents Navistar's highest honor in supplier excellence, placing CVG's seating group in the top 2% of all suppliers. The award specifically recognizes CVG's facilities in Vonore, TN and Saltillo, MX.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
National Seating competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sears Seating: North American manufacturer of aftermarket and OE commercial vehicle seating, including air-suspension seats. Competes directly with National Seating in heavy and medium-duty truck aftermarket channels.
- Bostrom Seating: A direct sibling brand under Commercial Vehicle Group focused on truck and commercial vehicle seating. Operates from the same parent, overlapping heavily in heavy-duty truck aftermarket seating, and is the closest comparable to National Seating in product line and customer base.
- Freedman Seating Company: U.S. manufacturer of seats for buses, paratransit, and commercial vehicles. Directly comparable to National Seating in the school bus and motor coach seating categories, with overlapping fleet customers.
- ISRI (Isri): German-founded manufacturer of truck and commercial vehicle seats for OEMs and the aftermarket globally. A direct head-to-head competitor to National Seating in heavy-duty truck seating, especially in Europe and increasingly in North America.
- Grammer AG: Global supplier of commercial vehicle, agricultural, and off-highway seating. Overlaps directly with National Seating in truck and bus seating, particularly in OEM seating programs and premium ergonomic features.
Broad incumbents
- Adient: World's largest pure-play automotive seating manufacturer. Comparable to National Seating in seat technology, foam/mechanism know-how, and OEM-grade manufacturing processes, but primarily focused on passenger vehicles.
- Faurecia (FORVIA): Global automotive seating and interiors Tier 1 with a commercial vehicle seating portfolio. Comparable to National Seating on the commercial vehicle OEM side but with vastly broader passenger car exposure and a different scale profile.
- Lear Corporation: Global automotive seating and electronics supplier with E-Systems exposure. Comparable to National Seating in seat engineering and global manufacturing, though dominated by passenger car seating programs.
Emerging players
- IMMI (Indiana Mills & Manufacturing): U.S. manufacturer of commercial vehicle safety and seating products, including school bus and specialty vehicle seats. Comparable to National Seating in school bus seating and fleet safety-driven seating requirements.
Others
- Commercial Vehicle Group (CVG): National Seating's publicly traded parent company (Nasdaq: CVGI). Relevant as the broader corporate entity aggregating National Seating alongside other cab-related commercial vehicle product lines.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
National Seating social profiles
Digital presenceNational Seating compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
National Seating financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
National Seating leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
National Seating funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
National Seating M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about National Seating
What does National Seating do?
National Seating manufactures and sells aftermarket and OE-quality seating systems for commercial vehicles, including heavy-duty and medium-duty truck seats, school bus driver seats, and specialty refuse vehicle seats. Products are built-to-order with proprietary comfort technologies such as the BackCycler continuous lumbar support and HiPro air suspension systems, and are sold through an extensive dealer network across North America and internationally.
Is National Seating a public or private company?
National Seating is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was National Seating founded?
National Seating was founded in 1935. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is National Seating based?
National Seating is headquartered in New Albany, United States, in the North America region.
How does National Seating make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Truck Seat Sales are the primary driver. The others are bus Seats, seat Accessories and Parts and fleet Solutions.
Who are National Seating's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sears Seating, Bostrom Seating, Freedman Seating Company, ISRI (Isri) and Grammer AG. Broad incumbents are Adient, Faurecia (FORVIA) and Lear Corporation. IMMI (Indiana Mills & Manufacturing) is listed as an emerging player. Commercial Vehicle Group (CVG) is listed as an others.
Does National Seating have an API?
No public API is recorded for National Seating.
What industry is National Seating in?
National Seating's product category is Commercial Vehicle Seating. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAKAA, Automotive Seating Systems Manufacturing (Frames/Mechanisms/Foam/Complete Seats), with a secondary code of IMACADAJ, Bus & Coach Interior Systems Manufacturing (Seating/Flooring/Accessibility). Its NAICS code is 33636 and its SIC code is 3714.