Advanced Fiber Technology

What Advanced Fiber Technology does

Advanced Fiber Technology (AFT) is a Bucyrus, Ohio-based manufacturer of cellulose insulation and specialty industrial fibers produced from recycled wastepaper. Operating since 1988 (with predecessor FiberChem activity dating to 1976), the company runs a 61,500 sf manufacturing facility plus a 30,000 sf off-site warehouse and serves customers across the United States and export markets. Its product portfolio comprises four lines: AFT Carbon Smart and AFT Carbon Smart Plus cellulose insulation for residential and commercial applications (attics, walls, ceilings, floors, crawl spaces), SMA Paving Fibers for Stone Mastic Asphalt road construction, and Industrial Fibers for roof coatings, mastics, sealants, rubber composites, and structural steel fireproofing. Core technology centers on patented fiberization processes, gravimetric micro-processor-controlled fire retardant application, and an in-house R&D pilot line — assets described as unique among North American cellulose insulation manufacturers.

The company generates revenue through product sales (cellulose insulation SKUs and specialty fibers) and historically through professional services for system design, equipment fabrication, installation, and startup. GTM is hybrid and direct: enterprise sales to builders, contractors, and architects with installation training and technical support; direct-to-homeowner outreach via phone, web forms, and DSIRE database referrals for state incentives; and global direct sales of industrial fibers from its Bucyrus warehouse. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution benefits from AFT's status as part of the Installed Building Products (IBP) Family of Companies, a national building products installation and distribution platform with over 10,000 employees.

AFT's commercial positioning is built on differentiated sustainability claims: products contain 85%+ recycled content, manufacturing uses carbon-free electric supply since May 2021, and the company holds USDA BioPreferred 100% Biobased certification, Low VOC certification, and third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations prepared with Sustainable Minds. Quantified performance claims include R-values of 13–60, NRC of 0.8+, STC up to 70, 36% tighter seals versus fiberglass, and 22–55% fire resistance improvement per National Research Council Canada testing. The company is a voting member of ASTM Technical Committee C16 on Thermal Insulation and a member of CIMA, positioning it to influence industry standards.

Name

Advanced Fiber Technology

Legal name

Advanced Fiber Technology

Website

https://advanced-fiber.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Advanced Fiber Technology is a Bucyrus, Ohio manufacturer of cellulose insulation and specialty industrial fibers made from recycled wastepaper, serving residential builders, contractors, asphalt paving firms, and industrial manufacturers across the US and export markets as part of the Installed Building Products family.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cellulose Building Insulation Manufacturing

NAICS

Pulp Mills (322110), Nonwoven Fabric Mills (31323)

SIC

Pulp Mills (2611), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)

akta.pro primary industry

Cellulose (Recycled Fiber) Insulation (IMADAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recycled Fiber Pulp (Deinked/Recovered Paper Pulp) (IMAMADAF), Bio-based Materials & Fibers (e.g., cellulose derivatives, lignin-based materials, nanocellulose) (EUAAAIAD)

Keywords

• Cellulose insulation manufacturing
• Recycled fiber products
• Industrial specialty fibers
• Asphalt paving fibers
• Building insulation materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Bucyrus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cellulose Insulation Products: Sale of cellulose insulation products (AFT Carbon Smart and AFT Carbon Smart Plus) for residential attics, walls, ceilings, floors and crawl spaces. Products available in loose fill or stabilized form, installable dry or wet.
2. Specialty Industrial Fibers: Sale of specialty fibers for industrial applications including SMA Paving Fibers (approximately 90% recycled content) for asphalt paving and Industrial Fibers (nearly 100% recycled) for roof coatings, mastics, fillers and absorbents.
3. System Design, Equipment Fabrication, Installation and Startup Services: Complete system design, equipment fabrication, installation, and startup services for manufacturing solutions. AFT began in this area in 1988.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Advanced Fiber Technology manufactures cellulose insulation (AFT Carbon Smart and AFT Carbon Smart Plus), SMA paving fibers for asphalt, and custom specialty industrial fibers, all produced from recycled waste paper using a patented proprietary fiberization process. The products are sold to homeowners, builders, contractors, architects, and industrial partners for thermal/acoustic insulation, paving reinforcement, and specialty industrial applications.

Product overview

Advanced Fiber Technology is a manufacturer of cellulose insulation and specialty industrial fibers made from recycled waste paper. The product portfolio consists of four main offerings: AFT Carbon Smart® and AFT Carbon Smart Plus® (cellulose insulation products for residential and commercial use in attics, walls, floors, and crawl spaces), SMA Paving Fibers (fibers for Stone Mastic Asphalt road surfacing applications), and Industrial Fibers (specialty fibers for industrial applications including roof coatings, mastics, sealants, and rubber composites). The company operates from Bucyrus, Ohio with markets spanning across the United States and export markets worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AFT Carbon Smart®: Cellulose insulation made from minimum 85% recycled fibers with ammonium-free fire retardants. Certified by USDA BioPreferred Program® to contain 100% Biobased materials. Used in attics, walls, ceilings, floors and crawl spaces.
• AFT Carbon Smart® Plus
• SMA Paving Fibers
• Industrial Fibers

Products and services

• AFT Carbon Smart Cellulose insulation manufactured from recycled waste paper using AFT's proprietary fiberization process, marketed for residential and commercial building applications with a verified negative carbon footprint. Intended for builders, contractors, architects, and homeowners.
• AFT Carbon Smart Plus Premium cellulose insulation product offering enhanced performance characteristics over AFT Carbon Smart, targeting residential and commercial construction projects where higher-spec insulation is required.
• SMA Paving Fibers Cellulose fibers produced by AFT for use as an additive/reinforcement in asphalt paving mixes, sold to paving contractors, asphalt producers, and infrastructure buyers.
• Industrial Fibers (custom specialty fibers) Custom cellulose-based specialty fibers developed and manufactured by AFT for industrial partners, using the company's R&D pilot line and proprietary fiberization capability to meet specific end-use application requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85%+ recycled content in cellulose insulation products
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASTM InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFT is a voting member of ASTM and technical committee C16 Thermal Insulation, participating in industry standards development.
• Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFT is a member of CIMA, the industry association for cellulose insulation manufacturers.
• Ohio Manufacturers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFT is a member of the Ohio Manufacturers Association for state-level industry representation.
• National Association of Home BuildersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFT is a member supporting the residential construction industry through this national trade organization.
• Sustainable MindscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAFT contracted with Sustainable Minds to prepare third-party validated life cycle assessment and carbon footprint baseline for Carbon Smart products.
• DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAFT refers homeowners to DSIRE database operated by N.C. State University to learn about state-specific insulation incentive programs and tax credits.
• Installed Building Products (IBP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdvanced Fiber Technology is part of the Installed Building Products Family of Companies, a national leader in installation and distribution of building products with over 10,000 employees.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greenfiber: Greenfiber is one of the largest U.S. cellulose insulation manufacturers, producing blown-in and spray-applied cellulose for residential and commercial buildings. It is AFT's closest direct competitor in cellulose fiber insulation made from recycled paper.
• Applegate Insulation: Applegate manufactures cellulose insulation from recycled newsprint for residential and commercial markets, including wall-spray applications. Competes directly with AFT in cellulose-based building insulation products.
• National Fiber Technology: National Fiber (formerly known in cellulose reprocessing) supplies recycled cellulose fiber for various industrial applications. Comparable to AFT in processing recycled paper into specialty cellulose-based products for industrial buyers.
• International Cellulose Corporation: International Cellulose manufactures spray-applied cellulose insulation and acoustic coatings for commercial, institutional, and residential projects. Comparable to AFT as a cellulose-based building material producer serving contractors and specifiers.
• Nu-Wool Company: Nu-Wool produces cellulose insulation from recycled paper for residential and light commercial applications, distributed through insulation contractors. A direct competitor to AFT in the cellulose insulation category.

Broad incumbents

• ROCKWOOL: ROCKWOOL is a global leader in stone wool insulation products for buildings, industrial, and marine applications. Competes with AFT in building insulation and overlapping industrial fiber applications like fireproofing.
• Thermafiber (Owens Corning): Thermafiber is the mineral wool insulation brand of Owens Corning, serving commercial, industrial, and residential markets with fire- and acoustic-rated products. Overlaps with AFT in insulation and fireproofing categories but at much larger scale.
• Johns Manville (Berkshire Hathaway): Johns Manville is a broad building products manufacturer offering fiberglass and mineral wool insulation plus commercial roofing systems. Competes with AFT in insulation generally and overlaps with its industrial fibers used in roofing applications.
• Knauf Insulation: Knauf Insulation is a global manufacturer of glass mineral wool, rock mineral wool, and other insulation products serving residential and commercial markets. A broad incumbent that competes with AFT across insulation categories.
• CertainTeed (Saint-Gobain): CertainTeed manufactures fiberglass and spray-foam insulation, building products, and roofing systems as part of Saint-Gobain. A broad incumbent in the same building insulation space as AFT, with overlapping contractor and builder channels.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/advanced-fiber-technologies

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 Advanced Fiber Technology