What Pentaxia does

Pentaxia Ltd is a UK-based advanced composites manufacturer headquartered in Derby, founded in 2008 and acquired by Swedish aerospace and defence group Axvik in July 2026. The company operates from a 70,000 sq ft manufacturing facility on Alfreton Road and provides end-to-end composite solutions covering tooling design, component production, machining, press forming, autoclave curing, painting, and quality inspection. Its technology stack includes four Italmatic autoclaves (up to 2000kg cure, 250°C, 10 bar), four 5-axis CNC machines (CMS Ares, CMS Antares, HAAS UMC 1000SS, HAAS VM3), two Langzauner composite presses, dual Zund G3 kit-cutters, and a CATIA V5 / SmarTeam PLM design environment, with a stated strategic duplication policy across key machinery to minimise downtime.

The company serves four primary verticals — aerospace, defence, automotive, and motorsport — plus a smaller bespoke segment for one-off high-performance projects. Aerospacce and defence customers include GKN Aerospace (partner in the £12m ASPIRE programme with iCOMAT, Carbon ThreeSixty, and the University of Bath), Safran (relationship under exploration), and unnamed Tier 1 defence suppliers. Automotive customers include Briggs Automotive Company (BAC Mono R) and other luxury/EV OEMs, while motorsport customers include multiple front-of-grid Formula 1 teams and endurance racing teams. The business model is project-based B2B manufacturing services with quote-based pricing, multi-year contracts (notably 25-year aerospace programmes), and 7-day multi-shift working capacity for demanding sectors. Pentaxia is certified to AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949, JOSCAR, and Cyber Essentials Plus, and is a member of ADS, the Aerospace Technology Institute, AMRC, Composites UK, Midlands Aerospace Alliance, and the National Composite Centre. The company reports 101-250 employees and is led by Managing Director Mike Willmott, with founder Stephen Ollier now serving as Chairman.

Name

Pentaxia

Legal name

Pentaxia Ltd

Website

https://pentaxia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pentaxia is a UK-based advanced composites manufacturer in Derby providing end-to-end tooling design, component production, autoclave curing, 5-axis machining, and surface finishing for aerospace, defence, automotive, and motorsport OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. It was acquired by Swedish Axvik Group in July 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Derby

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Composite Manufacturing Services: End-to-end composite manufacturing services including tooling design, component production, and surface finishing. Revenue generated from manufacturing services for aerospace, automotive, defence, and motorsport customers. Services span from prototyping to volume production.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pentaxia is an end-to-end advanced composites manufacturer that designs tooling, machines patterns/jigs/fixtures, cures composite components via autoclave and press processes, and delivers finished, painted components. Its services span prototypes through volume production for aerospace, defence, automotive, motorsport, and bespoke sectors, performed in-house at its 70,000 sq ft Derby facility.

Product overview

Pentaxia is an end-to-end solution provider for advanced composites and precision engineering, offering a unified service portfolio from initial concept and design through full-scale production and surface finishing. The core offering integrates six interconnected capabilities: Design Services (tooling design using CATIA V5), Advanced Composite Tooling & Components (autoclave and laminating capabilities), Press Tooling & Components (Langzauner composite presses for volume production), Paint & Lacquering (in-house paint shop), Quality & Inspection (AS9102-compliant inspection), and Machining, Patterns, Jigs & Fixtures (5-axis machining). The company serves aerospace, defence, automotive, motorsport, and bespoke sectors from a single facility in Derby, UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design Services Complete tooling design service for composite products including patterns, moulds, fixtures, and press tooling, executed using CATIA V5, Rhino3D, and SpaceClaim software with full PLM integration via SmarTeam.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-50% growth anticipated following new facility move
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, strategic and core.

• Slingsby Advanced CompositessupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 July 2026Existing business within Axvik Group that Pentaxia will complement following acquisition. Both companies strengthen Axvik's UK composites capability.
• SafranstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Pentaxia was one of only five companies invited to represent UK composites manufacturing sector at British Embassy Paris forum hosted by Safran. Exploring opportunities for collaboration in aerospace and defence supply chains. Managing Director and Aerospace Business Manager engaged with Safran representatives to identify areas for future partnership.
• GKN AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2025Partner in the £12 million ASPIRE R&D programme running from May 2024 through April 2028, focused on advancing composite wing and flap technologies for lightweight, efficient single-aisle aircraft. Pentaxia contributes expertise alongside iCOMAT and Carbon ThreeSixty to develop three full-scale composite wingtip demonstrators.
• iCOMATsupportingTechnology or Integration · 18 June 2025Technology partner in GKN Aerospace's ASPIRE programme contributing to composite wing and flap technology development.
• Carbon ThreeSixtysupportingTechnology or Integration · 18 June 2025Technology partner in GKN Aerospace's ASPIRE programme contributing to composite wing and flap technology development.
• University of BathsupportingTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2025Academic partner in the ASPIRE programme providing research expertise alongside industrial partners.
• Composites UKsupportingOthersIndustry trade association member. Supported Pentaxia's participation at British Embassy Paris event for UK-France collaboration in composites sector.
• Aerospace Technology InstitutesupportingOthersAerospace Technology Institute member, supporting UK aerospace innovation and technology development.
• National Composite CentresupportingOthersMember of the National Composite Centre, a UK facility for composite technology development and collaboration.
• AMRC (Aerospace Manufacturing Research Centre)supportingOthersMember of AMRC, engaging in aerospace manufacturing research and development collaboration.
• ADS GroupsupportingOthersMember of ADS Group, the UK trade organisation for aerospace, defence, security and space companies.
• Midlands Aerospace AlliancesupportingOthersRegional member of Midlands Aerospace Alliance supporting aerospace industry collaboration in the Midlands region.
• The JCB AcademysupportingOthersEducational partnership providing work experience opportunities for students. Brooke Bennetts from The JCB Academy completed Y11 work experience at Pentaxia.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Solvay: Global materials and composites supplier (including the former Cytec aerospace composites business) supplying composite materials, parts and tooling to aerospace, defence and automotive customers. Much larger but competes in the same composite aerostructures space that Pentaxia addresses as a Tier 2 parts supplier.
• Senior plc: UK-listed aerospace and defence components manufacturer with significant composites and fluid conveyance exposure. Comparable as a mid-large UK aerospace/defence peer competing for Tier 1 and Tier 2 programme slots, though with broader fluid systems and structures scope than Pentaxia's composites focus.
• GKN Aerospace: Global Tier 1 aerospace supplier of composite aerostructures, engine components and transparencies, and one of Pentaxia's largest customers. Operates as both customer and competitor at the systems-integration level; consolidation by parent Melrose Industries makes it a key counterparty risk.
• Toray Advanced Composites: Global advanced composites materials and parts supplier (formerly TenCate Advanced Composites) serving aerospace, automotive, motorsport and industrial customers. A much larger incumbent supplying both composite materials and finished parts, directly comparable in aerospace/defence/motorsport end-markets.
• Hexcel Corporation: Global leader in advanced composites materials and parts for commercial aerospace, defence and industrial markets. Significantly larger than Pentaxia and operates at the materials/prime-tier level, but competes for the same advanced-composite aerospace and defence programmes that Pentaxia supplies parts into.

Direct peers

• Prodrive: UK motorsport and advanced composites specialist providing design, manufacturing and operational services to F1, endurance racing, automotive and defence customers. Directly comparable in motorsport DNA, composite component manufacturing, and end-to-end service offering, with similar mid-market UK footprint.
• Williams Advanced Engineering: UK-based advanced engineering business serving motorsport, automotive and aerospace with composites and precision manufacturing. Highly comparable in customer mix (Formula 1, premium automotive) and capability profile (composite components, machining), though with broader electrification and battery focus.
• Slingsby Advanced Composites: UK advanced composites manufacturer now part of Axvik Group alongside Pentaxia. Direct peer in scale, scope, customer mix (aerospace/defence) and capability stack (5-axis machining, autoclave processing, tooling and components) - making it the single most comparable company, and one whose strategic positioning directly affects Pentaxia under the shared parent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pentaxiacomposites
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pentaxia
• Xx.com/pentaxiacomps

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Pentaxia