What Perspex does

Perspex, now operating as Apex Polymer Solutions (formerly Perspex SA), is a South African polymer sheet manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Johannesburg. Founded in 2007, the company operates an in-house extrusion facility producing a broad thermoplastic portfolio spanning acrylic (APEX™ Cast Acrylic, extruded acrylic, cross-linked/Asterite sanitary ware), engineering plastics (ABS, HDPE, HIPS, PETG, polypropylene, PVC foam, thermoplastic polyolefin, layer board, twinwall/X-Core), specialty solutions (polycarbonate sheeting, multiwall, SIMONA® thermoplastics, LinaShield), and sustainability-led offerings (PolyAl sheets extruded from recycled Tetra Pak aluminium and a zero-waste in-house regrind service). The firm also distributes LED lighting solutions in partnership with SloanLED.

The business serves nine vertical segments within South Africa — architectural, mobility and aviation, health and leisure, petrochemical, retail and entertainment, engineering/mining/industrial, farming and food production, exhibition, and visual communication — through an authorized reseller network accessed via a 'Find a Reseller' portal, supplemented by direct enterprise sales contacts. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Revenue is generated through one-time sale of polymer sheet components to industrial customers; no recurring or licensing model is evidenced. The company is privately held, employs 101-250 staff, has no disclosed funding rounds or M&A history, and pursues sustainability (recycled content, zero-waste regrind, circular PolyAl) as its primary differentiation. Marketing is conducted via organic social channels (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram) plus blog/news content, and the company maintains a socio-economic development partnership with the Bulungula Incubator alongside its core SloanLED strategic alliance.

Name

Perspex

Legal name

Apex Polymer Solutions

Website

https://perspex.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Perspex (operating as Apex Polymer Solutions) is a Johannesburg-based South African manufacturer and distributor of extruded polymer sheets, including acrylic, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and recycled PolyAl products, serving nine industrial verticals through a domestic reseller network and a SloanLED LED lighting partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (except Packaging) Manufacturing (326113), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112)

SIC

Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Optical & Specialty Sheet Extrusion (PMMA/PC Light Diffusers, Lens/Glazing Sheets) (IMANACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Thermoforming Sheet Extrusion (HIPS/PET/PP/ABS Sheets) (IMANACAG)

Keywords

• Polymer sheet manufacturing
• Thermoplastic product distribution
• Acrylic sheet extrusion
• LED lighting solutions
• Sustainable polymer manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Polymer Sheet Sales: Sale of polymer sheets including acrylic, ABS, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polypropylene, PVC foam, and specialty thermoplastics to industrial customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Perspex (Apex Polymer Solutions) manufactures and distributes extruded and imported polymer sheet materials—including cast and extruded acrylic, ABS, HDPE, polycarbonate, polypropylene, PETG, PVC foam, multiwall, and specialty thermoplastics—for industrial customers in South Africa. The company also distributes LED lighting solutions through a partnership with SloanLED. Operations include an in-house zero-waste regrind facility and a proprietary PolyAl cradle-to-cradle extrusion process that converts recycled aluminium from Tetra Pak packaging into reusable sheets.

Product overview

Apex Polymer Solutions (formerly trading as Perspex SA) is a polymer sheet manufacturer and distributor offering a diverse portfolio of thermoplastic materials organized into acrylic products (including APEX™ Cast Acrylic, Extruded Acrylic, and Cross-Linked Acrylic), engineering plastics (ABS, HDPE, High Impact Polystyrene, Polypropylene, PETG, PVC Foam), specialty solutions (Polycarbonate Sheeting, Multiwall, Twinwall Polyprop, Thermoplastic Polyolefin, SIMONA® Thermoplastic Solutions), and value-added offerings (PolyAl Sheets from recycled Tetra Pak packaging, Lighting Solutions via SloanLED partnership). The product line is complemented by sustainability initiatives including PolyAI/Regrind recycling services, creating a closed-loop manufacturing approach. The portfolio serves multiple industry verticals including mobility/aviation, architectural, health & leisure, petrochemical, retail/entertainment, engineering/mining/industrial, farming/food production, exhibition, and visual communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• APEX™: Apex™ Cast Acrylic and other branded polymer products

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SloanLEDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative partnership between SloanLED and Apex Polymer Solutions bringing cutting-edge LED technology to the South African market. The partnership sets a new standard for energy efficiency, environmental responsibility, and community engagement in sustainable lighting solutions. Goals include increasing LED technology adoption, advancing sustainable lighting research, and fostering stronger partnerships with local stakeholders to drive innovation.
• Bulungula IncubatorminorOthersApex Polymer Solutions proudly supports the Bulungula Incubator Program, which aims to sustainably end poverty in a generation while enhancing community life and cohesiveness. The incubator partners with communities, government, NGOs, and innovative thinkers to find synergies between traditional rural-African lifestyle and culture, and external innovations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SABIC: Saudi-headquartered global petrochemicals and polymer materials giant producing polycarbonate, ABS, and engineering thermoplastics. Broad incumbent whose polymer sheet and resin offerings overlap with multiple categories in Apex's portfolio, particularly polycarbonate and specialty materials.
• Covestro: German-headquartered global polymer materials producer offering polycarbonate sheets, specialty films, and engineering plastics. Broad incumbent with overlapping polycarbonate sheet and specialty thermoplastics products serving construction, automotive, and electronics customers.

Regional players

• Safripol: South African producer of polypropylene and polyethylene resins and related polymer products. A regional competitor and potential upstream supplier serving the same South African industrial polymer market with overlapping end-customers.

Direct peers

• Plaskolite: North America's largest manufacturer of acrylic sheet products, also producing polycarbonate, ABS, and PETG sheets. Comparable product portfolio in thermoplastic extruded and cast sheets serving signage, architectural, transportation, and industrial end-markets.
• Lucite International (Mitsubishi Chemical): Global manufacturer of MMA and acrylic sheet products owned by Mitsubishi Chemical. Direct competitor in cast and extruded acrylic sheet manufacturing with global scale and overlapping customer applications in architecture, lighting, and signage.
• Perspex International: UK-based manufacturer of cast and extruded acrylic sheets under the Perspex brand — historically the original Perspex trademark holder. Direct competitor in acrylic and thermoplastic sheet manufacturing with overlapping product categories and similar extrusion-based technology.
• Brett Martin: UK-based manufacturer of plastic sheets including polycarbonate, acrylic, PVC, and foam PVC products. Comparable in thermoplastic sheet extrusion technology and in serving signage, roofing, and architectural applications with similar product breadth.
• Aristech Surfaces: US-based manufacturer of acrylic solid surface and continuous-cast acrylic sheet products. Comparable in cast acrylic production and in serving sanitary ware, architectural, and transportation markets — directly relevant to Apex's Asterite sanitary ware and acrylic lines.
• 3A Composites (Polycasa): Swiss-headquartered manufacturer of plastic sheets including polycarbonate, PETG, and acrylic products under the Polycasa brand. Comparable in extruded thermoplastic sheet portfolio and in serving display, signage, construction, and industrial markets.
• Palram Industries: Israeli-headquartered global manufacturer of polycarbonate and acrylic sheets, including multiwall, corrugated, and solid panels. Directly comparable in polycarbonate sheeting, multiwall products, and thermoplastic extrusion serving construction, agriculture, and DIY markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkAZpb2l6xbmFQbH6dvxdZA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ApexPolymerSolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/perspex-sa
• Instagraminstagram.com/apexpolymersolutions
• Xx.com/perspexsa

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 Perspex