What Jack’s Plastic Welding does

Jack's Plastic Welding is a privately held US manufacturer founded in 1983 that specializes in plastic-welded inflatable products built primarily from PVC and urethane. The company serves a diverse customer base spanning consumer outdoor recreation (whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly fishing, camping), government and aerospace (NASA capsule recovery, US Navy anti-piracy devices, NOAA tsunami warning enclosures), medical simulation (METI/CAE Healthcare patient simulator lungs), entertainment (Cirque du Soleil props), and industrial applications (spa lift bags, environmental containment, blimp pontoons).

The company's product platform is anchored by proprietary plastic welding technology that the company claims produces stronger, more durable bonds than glued alternatives, along with differentiated designs including leather-gasket Class V River Pumps, drop-stitch self-bailing raft floors, and co-developed bellows systems for medical simulators. Core product lines include Paco Pads (self-inflating waterproof sleeping pads in multiple sizes), Dry Bags and Mesh Bags, inflatable boats (catarafts, frameless catarafts, self-bailing whitewater rafts, and specialty craft), Class V Pumps, repair materials (THF solvent and repair kits), environmental products (culvert and pipe plugs, spill containment), and a custom industrial line that includes NASA Recovery Raft 2.0, Stabilization Collars for Dragon and Orion capsules, and bespoke theater structures. Product life is documented as decades: Hatch Expeditions' bags average 90 river days per year, and Daddy Cats have been in commercial service on Class IV+ rapids for over 28 years.

The business operates on a one-time unit-sale revenue model with three distribution motions: direct e-commerce through jpwinc.com with publicly disclosed pricing across the consumer catalog, a western-US dealer/distributor network for whitewater gear accessible via a 'Find a Retailer' function, and direct enterprise sales with custom quoting for government, aerospace, and specialty industrial customers. Pricing ranges from approximately $22 (THF solvent) to $55,973 (NASA Recovery Raft 2.0), with a separate multi-year contract cadence for specialty and government products. The company is founder-led, has no disclosed institutional investors, no subsidiaries, and no public listing, and appears to operate from a single Arizona base.

Name

Jack’s Plastic Welding

Legal name

Jacks Plastic Welding

Website

https://jpwinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jack's Plastic Welding is a privately held US manufacturer, founded in 1983, that uses proprietary plastic welding to produce inflatable boats, dry bags, sleeping pads, pumps, and custom industrial products for consumer outdoor, aerospace (NASA), military, medical simulation, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Aztec

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (B2C and B2B): Direct sales of manufactured inflatable boats, dry bags, sleeping pads, pumps, and repair materials to consumers and businesses through e-commerce and dealer network.
2. Custom/Industrial Product Manufacturing: Custom product development and manufacturing for specialized applications including NASA space recovery equipment, medical simulators, and government/military projects. Higher-margin bespoke products.
3. Repair Services and Materials: Sales of repair kits, THF solvent, and professional repair services for their products and competitor inflatable equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Jack's Plastic Welding manufactures welded inflatable products using proprietary PVC and urethane plastic welding techniques. The company sells consumer outdoor gear (self-inflating Paco Pads, dry bags, Class V river pumps), inflatable whitewater and fly fishing boats, environmental products (culvert plugs, spill containment), repair materials, and bespoke engineered inflatables for aerospace, military, medical simulation, and industrial customers. Products are sold direct via e-commerce and through a dealer network, with custom industrial work handled via direct consultation.

Product overview

Jack's Plastic Welding is a manufacturer specializing in welded inflatable products and outdoor gear. The product portfolio centers on Paco Pads (self-inflating waterproof sleeping pads in various sizes), Dry Bags & Mesh Bags (waterproof storage in multiple configurations), Inflatable Boats (catarafts, frameless catarafts, self-bailing whitewater rafts, and specialty craft including NASA capsule recovery equipment), Class V River Pumps (heavy-duty inflation pumps with leather gasket technology), Repair Materials (THF solvent and repair kits), and Environmental Products (culvert plugs, spill containment). The company also produces custom industrial inflatables for diverse applications. Products are primarily sold direct-to-consumer via the online store with additional distribution through retail partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paco Pads: Self-inflatable waterproof sleeping pads made with high-density foam and PVC coated polyester
• Class V Pumps
• Jack's Bags

Products and services

• Paco Pads Self-inflating waterproof sleeping pads made with 18 oz PVC coated polyester and high-density foam (firm or soft urethane), with R-value of 3.42/in. Available in multiple sizes from Small (52x24x1.5 in) up to Truck Pad Grande (72x48x3 in), including 4-inch-thick Silverback options. Designed for outdoor and river expedition use.
• Dry Bags & Mesh Bags Waterproof dry bags and mesh bags for outdoor and marine use, including Buckets (Mesh Bottom, Collapsible), Duffels (Roll Down SM/LG), Flat Bottom bags (Guitar Bag, Kayak Stow, Tent Stow, Canoe Stow, LG Gear Stow), Mesh Bags (Anchor, Medium, Large), and Round Bottom Outfitter bags. Constructed with 18-32 oz PVC coated polyester with roll-down and stow closures.
• Inflatable Boats Comprehensive range of inflatable boats including Catarafts (Daddy Cat, Royal Flush, El Tigre, Cutthroat series, Pack Cat, Fat Pack Cat), Frameless Catarafts (Culebra, Culebra Grande, Outfitter Culebra, Rescue Culebra), Self-Bailing Whitewater Rafts (Dragonfly, 15 Ft, Fat Boy), and Specialty boats (Mosquito fly fishing raft, Capsule Recovery products for NASA).
• Class V River Pumps Heavy-duty PVC river pumps featuring a proprietary thick leather gasket design (replacing flimsy rubber O-rings) for superior sealing and longevity in demanding whitewater conditions. Available in 4-inch and 6-inch diameters, Standard and Shorty heights, with volume per stroke of 0.75-1.9 gallons and a 10-year warranty.
• Repair Materials Boat and inflatable repair products including THF (Tetrahydrofuran) solvent in Quart and Half Pint sizes for PVC and Urethane solvent welding, and a Repair Kit containing valve tool, patch material, UR 1087 adhesive, 32 oz boat material, and carry case.
• Environmental Products Industrial environmental products including custom-designed Culvert Plugs, Pipe Plugs, Rapid Deployment Emergency Spill Containment, and Foam Wall Spill Containment systems for environmental response and infrastructure applications.
• Capsule Recovery Products NASA and commercial space program recovery equipment including Recovery Raft 2.0 ('The Front Porch') at $55,973.03 with rain/splash canopy, Stabilization Collar for Dragon Capsule at $26,349.78, and Stabilization Collar for Orion Capsule at $32,775.79. Designed in-house and tested at Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL).
• Custom Industrial Products Custom inflatable manufacturing for specialized applications including Yacht Racing Marks, Spa Lift Bags, Tsunami Warning Bags, Sluice Gate Plugs (City of Detroit), Rope Ascender Floats (anti-piracy for Navy SEALs), Giant Blimp Pontoons (70 ft long, 59 in diameter), Inflatable Theater Structures, Cirque du Soleil light-weight inflatables, Master Blaster Water Park rides, and patient simulator lungs for METI.
• Apparel Branded apparel including JPW Hats.

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Landmark CreationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to build inflatable theater structures for Elumanati's projector systems. JPW manufactures the inflatable dome structures while Landmark Creations serves as the integration partner. Structures create immersive visual experiences for customers.
• METI (CAE Healthcare)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development partnership for patient simulator components. METI engineers collaborated with JPW to solve complex bellows system challenges for achieving maximum lung volume while maintaining life-like response. JPW manufactures lungs for adult and baby simulators plus blood bladders.
• Almar ManufacturingminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAlmar Manufacturing serves as the customer contact for spa lift bag sales. JPW manufactures custom lift bags for the spa industry that lift spas onto carts for transport. Contact for pricing through Almar's website www.spadolly.com.
• US Navy / UN Coalition ForcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJPW Rope Ascender Floats developed as UN Sanctioned project in cooperation with China, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and the USA. US Navy SEALs use these flotation devices to re-board pirated ships using grappling hooks and ascenders.
• West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTsunami Warning Center commissioned JPW to build pressure transducer enclosures for monitoring Cook Inlet near Augustine Volcano. Bags tested successfully for 5 years in extreme weather conditions from 80s to -20 degrees F.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maravia: Custom and standard whitewater raft and cataraft manufacturer. Comparable as a small, specialty welded-inflatable builder serving commercial outfitters and serious private boaters.
• Kokatat: Specialty paddlesports manufacturer of dry wear, PFDs, and related gear with strong whitewater and outfitter channel presence. Comparable as a specialty, durability-focused brand serving the same whitewater rafting customer base.
• NRS (Northwest River Supplies): Direct competitor in whitewater and paddlesports gear, selling dry bags, rafts, pumps, PFDs, and cataraft equipment through direct e-commerce and dealer network. Most comparable peer by customer overlap, channel model, and category.
• Hyside Inflatables: Specialty cataraft and inflatable raft builder serving whitewater outfitters and private buyers. Directly comparable to JPW's cataraft and self-bailing raft product lines with similar pricing and outfitter channel focus.
• Outcast Sporting Gear: Manufacturer of inflatable fishing boats, pontoon boats, and river craft, overlapping with JPW's specialty fly-fishing Mosquito raft. Comparable customer overlap in fly fishing and river-based inflatable craft.
• Aire: Manufacturer of inflatable rafts, catarafts, and river-running boats, directly competing with JPW's inflatable boat line including self-bailing rafts and catarafts. Comparable product portfolio and dealer-based distribution.
• Sea Eagle Boats: Inflatable boat manufacturer (kayaks, SUPs, rafts, motormount boats) selling direct to consumer via e-commerce. Comparable in inflatable boat category and DTC channel approach, though broader and more mass-market than JPW.
• SOTAR: Manufacturer of high-end whitewater rafts and catarafts using welded PVC and urethane construction. Closest technical peer in welded-inflatable process and competing in the same premium outfitter segment.

Broad incumbents

• Achilles Inflatable Boats: Established inflatable boat maker (tenders, kayaks, SUPs) with broader recreational boating focus. Comparable inflatable boat manufacturing capability, though product mix skews toward saltwater tenders rather than whitewater rafts.
• RAVE Sports: Larger water-sports and inflatable product company (water trampolines, towables, docks) with broader recreational focus. Comparable as an inflatable manufacturer using welded PVC/urethane, but serves a wider, more mass-market portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jacksplasticwelding

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 Jack’s Plastic Welding