QK Honeycomb Products

What QK Honeycomb Products does

QK Honeycomb Products, trading as QK-TEX, is a UK-based custom manufacturer of lightweight timber-based sandwich panel components with recycled cardboard honeycomb cores and surface laminates. Founded in 1965 by Bert Quinton and Colin Kaines (originally as Quinton & Kaines (Holdings) Ltd) and operating today as a wholly owned subsidiary of Tex Holdings PLC since 1987, the company produces panels for six core product lines: leisure vehicle (RV) panels, lightweight furniture panels, lightweight interior panels, lightweight ceiling panels, retail interior and signage panels, and lightweight exhibition panels. Panels are manufactured in flat, curved, and shaped formats with HDF, MDF, laminate, or card facing options, achieving up to 66% weight reduction versus alternatives through honeycomb-core bonded face-sheet construction. Manufacturing is anchored at a 25,000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility in Brigg, North Lincolnshire (completed 2022 with £2 million of CNC, membrane press, multi-daylight platen press, and curved press equipment), supported by design services using SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD at the Ipswich head office. QK-TEX holds a claimed position as the UK's No.1 caravan and motorhome interior panel manufacturer, with anchor OEM customer Bailey of Bristol consuming 30-40 panels per caravan, and additional case-study customers spanning retail (Tesco, Adidas, Thorntons), finance (HSBC), technology (IBM), auction houses (Christie's), heritage venues (Millennium Dome), and architecture (Cottrell & Vermeulen).

The company generates revenue through B2B custom panel manufacturing contracts, priced via quote-based pricing with minimum order values for one-off and low-volume orders and multi-year contracts for medium-to-high volume production. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with a consultative model: customers engage through showroom visits at the Brigg facility, factory tours, and direct consultation with the in-house design team, supported by an organic digital presence (website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) and participation in customer events such as the Bailey of Bristol Behind the Scenes Live Tour. Distribution is exclusively UK-domestic (GBR), targeting leisure vehicle manufacturers (primary), contract furniture manufacturers, interior designers and architects, retail display and signage designers, and exhibition stand designers. QK-TEX positions its offering around the weight-reduction value proposition (66% lighter than alternatives), recyclability of honeycomb cores, suitability for electric recreational vehicles (E-RVs), and a sustainability profile underpinned by Phase 1 solar installation (488 panels, 213MWh annual output, 41.28t CO2 saved) and Cyber Essentials Plus certification.

Name

QK Honeycomb Products

Legal name

QK-TEX LTD

Website

https://qkhoneycomb.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

QK-TEX (QK Honeycomb Products) is a UK-based custom manufacturer of lightweight timber-based sandwich panels with recycled cardboard honeycomb cores, primarily serving leisure vehicle OEMs (notably Bailey of Bristol) and contract furniture, interior, retail, and exhibition panel customers from its 25,000 sq ft Brigg facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Composite Panel Manufacturing

NAICS

Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (3212), Wood Product Manufacturing (321), Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212)

SIC

Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430), Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Timber Panels & Components (DLT, NLT, Hybrid Panels) (IMAMACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engineered Wood Underlayment & Subfloor Panels (IMAMACAK), Joinery, Millwork & Casework Installation (Cabinetry, Built-Ins) (IMAFANAJ)

Keywords

• Lightweight honeycomb panels
• Composite panel manufacturing
• Leisure vehicle panels
• Timber-based sandwich panels
• Curved interior panels

Headquarters

HQ city

Stowmarket

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Panel Component Manufacturing: B2B manufacturing revenue generated from producing custom lightweight honeycomb panel components to customer specifications. Revenue is project-based with medium to high volume production contracts. One-off and low volume orders subject to minimum order value.
2. Fully Finished Panel Products: Sale of fully finished panels with custom surface laminates, edging, machining, and finishing applied according to customer specifications.
3. Vacuum Formed Panels: Custom vacuum formed panels including roof light/window surrounds, furniture fronts, feature panels, and curved panels with various finishes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

QK-TEX designs and manufactures custom lightweight timber-based composite panel components with recycled cardboard honeycomb cores for B2B customers. Products include flat, curved and shaped panels with custom surface laminates, edging, machining and finishing produced to customer specifications across leisure vehicles, furniture, interior fit-outs, ceilings, retail displays/signage, and exhibition stands. Manufacturing is carried out at a 25,000 sq ft UK facility in Brigg using CNC machinery and SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD design.

Product overview

QK-TEX is a UK-based manufacturer of custom timber-based interior panel components with lightweight honeycomb cores and surface laminates. The company operates as the UK's No.1 caravan and motorhome interior panel manufacturer, offering six main product lines: Leisure Vehicle (RV) Panels, Lightweight Furniture Panels, Lightweight Interior Panels, Lightweight Ceiling Panels, Retail Interior & Signage Panels, and Lightweight Exhibition Panels. Panels typically achieve up to 66% weight reduction compared to alternatives using recycled cardboard honeycomb cores. The portfolio includes product variants differentiated by facing materials (HDF, MDF, Laminate, Card) and shapes (flat, curved). Quikaboard represents the original standard-size panel brand. All products are custom-manufactured to specifications with an infinite range of colours, patterns, textures, and finishes including laminates, decorative papers, vinyl, PVC, and PET.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quikaboard: Original brand name for standard-sized lightweight honeycomb boards manufactured by the company.

Products and services

• Leisure Vehicle (RV) Panels UK's No.1 lightweight honeycomb panel offering for the caravan and motorhome industry, supplying composite worktops, tabletops, locker doors and feature panels built from timber-based composites with honeycomb cores offering up to 66% weight reduction for leisure vehicle OEMs.
• Lightweight Furniture Panels Custom panel components for contract furniture manufacturers providing flat, curved and shaped components that are lightweight, fully finished and dimensionally stable for tables, extending tables, desks, office furniture and shelves.
• Lightweight Interior Panels Custom-built interior panels for inner partition non-load bearing walls and screens, including restaurant chain interiors, honeycomb core panels, composite laminated interior panels, laminated wall panels, and contemporary wall panels for interior designers and architects.
• Lightweight Ceiling Panels Lightweight honeycomb panels ideal for suspended ceiling panels, acoustic coffered ceilings, parametric interior design, and hospitality interiors, available as flat or curved panels with limitless surface finish options.
• Retail Interior and Signage Panels Durable, lightweight honeycomb panels for retail interiors and signage, suitable for suspended ceiling features, retail display, POS/POP, signage, suspended signage, and commercial interiors, available in an infinite range of colours and finishes.
• Lightweight Exhibition Panels Bespoke honeycomb core panels for exhibition stand designers, lightweight for easy installation and transport, strong and durable for erecting, dismantling and transporting repeatedly, and suitable for vinyl, wall graphics and screen printing.
• HDF Faced Honeycomb Panels Honeycomb panels with high-density fibreboard (HDF) facing materials for enhanced durability and surface quality.
• Card Faced Honeycomb Panels Honeycomb panels with card facing materials, offering a lightweight and economical solution for various applications.
• Laminate Faced Honeycomb Panels Honeycomb panels with laminate surface finishes providing durable and decorative surfaces in various colours and patterns.
• MDF Faced Honeycomb Panels Honeycomb panels with medium-density fibreboard (MDF) facing for smooth surface finish and versatile applications.
• Curved Honeycomb Panels Custom honeycomb panel components with curved shapes providing excellent rigidity at minimal weight using timber-based sandwich panel construction.
• Printed and Vacuum Formed Panels Custom vacuum formed panels including roof light/window surrounds, furniture fronts, feature panels, fascia panels and curved panels with various finishes, offered alongside the company's wood-based honeycomb panel range.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% weight reduction compared to alternative timber-based boards
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bailey of BristolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 May 2022Bailey of Bristol is a major leisure vehicle manufacturer and key customer of QK-TEX. QK-TEX supplies 30-40 lightweight panels per Bailey caravan including worktops, table tops, locker doors and feature panels. Bailey participated in the Behind the Scenes Live Tour hosting event at QK-TEX's new manufacturing plant in Brigg. Photography by Alan Bond Photography courtesy of Bailey of Bristol.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• SWEDEVOLD AB: European converter of lightweight panels and core materials for transport, marine, and industrial applications. Comparable as a custom panel converter with similar end-market exposure in transport and leisure vehicles.
• EconCore: Belgian technology company specialising in honeycomb panel production technology licensing, including thermoplastic honeycomb cores. Comparable technology stack focused on lightweight sandwich panels, though their business model is licensing rather than direct manufacturing.

Broad incumbents

• Gurit Holding AG: Swiss-based supplier of composite materials, core materials, and engineered wood products including balsa core and structural foam. Comparable in the engineered wood and composite core space for industrial applications.
• Hexcel Corporation: Global leader in advanced composite materials including honeycomb cores for aerospace, wind energy, and industrial applications. Comparable as a honeycomb core manufacturer, though Hexcel serves far higher-end markets (aerospace) compared to QK-TEX's timber-skinned commercial panels.
• Kingspan Group: Irish building materials giant with insulated panel systems for roofing, walls, and facades. Comparable in the panel manufacturing space, though Kingspan focuses on construction envelope rather than interior/component panels.
• Diab Group: Swedish manufacturer of sandwich composite core materials (PET, PVC, balsa) for wind, marine, and industrial applications. Comparable as a structural core manufacturer serving weight-critical applications, though with foam and balsa rather than paper honeycomb cores.
• 3A Composites (Alucobond): Global manufacturer of composite panels including ALUCOBOND, DIBOND, and FOREX brands for architecture, display, and transport. Comparable in the lightweight composite panel space with overlapping use cases in retail display, signage, and exhibition sectors.

Direct peers

• Plascore: US-based manufacturer of honeycomb cores and sandwich panels for industrial, marine, and architectural applications. Directly comparable as a honeycomb panel manufacturer with custom engineering capabilities, though serving primarily North American markets.
• DUNA Corrado: Italian manufacturer of polyurethane panels and sandwich panels for industrial, RV, and construction applications. Comparable as a European sandwich panel manufacturer serving leisure vehicle and commercial interior markets.
• Gilman Brothers Company: US manufacturer of foam board, paper-faced foam core, and lightweight panel products for displays, exhibits, and signage. Comparable in lightweight panel products for retail display and exhibition end uses, with similar custom specifications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QK_Honeycomb
• Facebookfacebook.com/QKHoneycombProducts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qk-honeycomb-products-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 QK Honeycomb Products