Design Composite
Design Composite GmbH manufactures custom-made lightweight sandwich panels for vehicle construction, architecture, and industrial applications. The Austria-based firm uses proprietary honeycomb and foam core technology with thermoplastic and polycarbonate facings, serving enterprise clients across 30+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNiedernsill, Austria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Design Composite does
Design Composite GmbH is an Austrian specialty manufacturer of custom-made lightweight sandwich panels, headquartered in Niedernsill in the Pinzgau region of Salzburg and founded in 1999. The company builds proprietary honeycomb and foam core panels using thermoplastic (PP, PET), polycarbonate, and acrylic facings, combining its in-house core production with a proprietary bonding process that irreversibly welds core and facing layers. Its product portfolio is organized under three commercial divisions — Lightweight, Acoustic, and Architecture — and spans branded lines including AIR-board®, clear-PEP®, TOP-lite®, TOP-air®, TOP-tec®, Terrazza Maxi®, metal AIR-board®, and Greencast® (100% recycled acrylic glass). Technical performance is anchored by up to 30% weight savings versus conventional elements, up to 85% sound absorption (Class C), up to 60% light transmission, B-s1, d0 fire classification, and load capacity of 500 kg/m² on stage-panel variants.
The business model is project-based custom manufacturing. Customers initiate contact via website inquiry forms or email, and Design Composite delivers tailor-made solutions from prototype to series production, with quote-based pricing determined by material, dimensions, and volume under multi-year contracts. Three revenue streams are identifiable: custom sandwich panel manufacturing, standard product sales (TOP-lite, TOP-air, AIR-board, clear-PEP), and dedicated custom design consultation. The go-to-market combines direct sales with an international distribution network spanning more than 30 countries across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia-Pacific, supported by regional partners such as Beltiston (Bangkok), Ravago d.o.o. (Slovenia), CG Schmitt & Co, and Adunic. Named customers span automotive/RV (HYMER), industrial clean rooms (Gastro Star), higher education (Baylor University), cultural and exhibition (Salzburg Easter Festival, Deutsches Museum Munich, World Expo 2017 Astana), real estate (Earl of Devon London), and modular exhibition (mo systeme Berlin).
Design Composite competes on materials innovation and sustainability credentials. Its Lengdorf facility operates at 95% renewable energy (Scope 1 & 2 under GHG Protocol), was built to passive-house standard with positive energy balance, and has a 202 kWp photovoltaic system. The company holds ISO 9001 certification, has been recognized as an ESG Performer, and protects six registered trademarks. Leadership consists of two Geschäftsführer (Managing Directors), Johann Aster and Gerald Pascher. The company is privately held, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, institutional investor, or parent company identified in the source data.
Design Composite firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Composite
- Legal name
- Design Composite GmbH
- Website
- https://design-composite.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Design Composite GmbH manufactures custom-made lightweight sandwich panels for vehicle construction, architecture, and industrial applications. The Austria-based firm uses proprietary honeycomb and foam core technology with thermoplastic and polycarbonate facings, serving enterprise clients across 30+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Composite industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lightweight Composite Sandwich Panels
- NAICS
- Laminated Plastics Plate, Sheet (except Packaging), and Shape Manufacturing (326130), Laminated Plastics Plate, Sheet (except Packaging), and Shape Manufacturing (32613)
- SIC
- Plastics Foam Products (3086), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) & Foam-Core Composite Panel Manufacturing (IMANAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- FRP/GRP & Composite Materials (Resins, Fibers, Core Materials) (IMAJAKAC), Thermoformed Building & Construction Products (Panels, Liners, Covers) (IMANAHAF)
Keywords
Where Design Composite is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Niedernsill
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Design Composite business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Sandwich Panel Manufacturing: Design and manufacture of custom-made lightweight sandwich panels for vehicle construction, industrial applications, caravans, and architecture. From prototype development to market-ready series production. Customers receive tailor-made solutions based on specific project requirements.
- Standard Product Sales: Sale of standard product lines including TOP-lite foam panels, TOP-air honeycomb panels, AIR-board architectural panels, and clear-PEP acoustic panels. Various material combinations and surface options available.
- Custom Design Consultation: Dedicated department for comprehensive consulting, planning, and new development of tailor-made product solutions. From concept to production implementation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Design Composite product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Composite GmbH manufactures custom-made lightweight sandwich panels with thermoplastic (PP, PET), polycarbonate, or acrylic facings bonded to honeycomb or foam cores. Products are produced in three divisions — Lightweight (vehicle and industrial applications), Acoustic (sound-absorbing interior panels), and Architecture (translucent/transparent building elements) — with tailor-made solutions delivered from prototype through market-ready series production for customers worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AIR-board®: Translucent honeycomb core sandwich panels with transparent polycarbonate or acrylic facing sheets, used for architecture, light design, and acoustic applications.
- clear-PEP®
- TOP-lite®
- TOP-air®
- TOP-tec®
- Terrazza Maxi
- metal AIR-board®
Products and services
- AIR-board® Translucent Honeycomb Panels Translucent honeycomb core sandwich panels with transparent polycarbonate or acrylic facings for architecture, light design, and acoustic applications; up to 60% light transmission with high structural stiffness.
- clear-PEP® Translucent Sandwich Panels Translucent sandwich panels with extruded honeycomb cores offering a distinctive depth effect, available with bio-based PC or 100% recycled acrylic glass (Greencast®) facings; load capacity of 500 kg/m² for stage-panel variants.
- TOP-lite® Foam Core Panels Ultra-lightweight foam core sandwich panels including TOP-lite GRP, TOP-lite PP, and TOP-lite GRP ultra variants for vehicle construction and industrial applications such as clean rooms.
- TOP-air® Polypropylene Honeycomb Panels Polypropylene honeycomb core sandwich panels providing high stiffness at low weight, available in various surfaces including anti-slip, for vehicle and industrial applications.
- TOP-tec® Aluminum Honeycomb Panels Aluminum honeycomb core sandwich panels with aluminum or HPL facings for applications requiring high structural stability in lightweight construction.
- Terrazza Maxi® Large-Format Terrace Panels Large-format composite floor panels for outdoor terrace/decking applications within the lightweight construction product line.
- AIR-board® acoustic QUIET Panels Dual-function translucent acoustic panels with one-side micro-perforated and one-side closed facing layers; provide up to 85% sound absorption (Class C) and 28 dB sound insulation, combining acoustics, light design, architecture, and easy cleaning.
- AIR-board® stone light Translucent Stone Panels Translucent real-stone (slate) faced decorative sandwich panels combining natural stone surface with lightweight honeycomb core; used for counters, furniture, illuminated walls and ceilings.
- metal AIR-board® Composite Panels Composite panels combining aluminum honeycomb cores with recycled acrylic glass facing sheets for design-led lightweight applications.
- Custom Sandwich Panel Design & Manufacturing Bespoke design, prototyping, and series production of sandwich panels tailored to customer project requirements across vehicle, industrial, architectural, acoustic, and exhibition applications; supported by a dedicated consulting and new-development department.
Quantifiable outcome
- Weight savings of up to 200 kg per truck body kit through TOP-lite GRP ultra 17 panels
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Design Composite
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Design Composite technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Design Composite partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BeltistoncorePartner representing design composite at Architect Expo 2025 in Bangkok. Handles sample requests and follows up with architecture firms for premium projects in the Asia-Pacific region.
- CG Schmitt & CominorPartner for Baylor University project in Texas. CG Schmitt & Co was responsible for installation and implementation of AIR-board columns at the welcome center entrance.
- Ravago d.o.o.minorRegional partner representing design composite at the 35th Piran Days of Architecture in Slovenia. Successfully engaged with architects at the trade show.
- Space4minorExhibition design firm that selected AIR-board UV PC materials for the 'energy.transitions' special exhibition at Deutsches Museum Munich. Material choice based on flame-retardant properties, robustness, and low weight.
- AdunicminorSwiss company that constructed the 'Museum of Future Energy' at World Expo 2017 Astana using clear-PEP panels from design composite for algae photosynthesis greenhouses.
- mo systeme (Berlin)coreSpecialist for flexible module boxes for trade fairs, roadshows, events, and presentations. Long-standing collaboration with design composite supplying custom sandwich panel configurations for modular exhibition systems.
- Gastro Star AGcoreFood production equipment company using TOP-lite GRP panels for clean room construction at their Dällikon facility. Design Composite developed custom solutions for industrial clean room applications.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Design Composite competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Armacell: Global leader in flexible foam insulation and engineered PET foam cores (ArmaFORM) serving construction, transportation and industrial markets. Overlaps with Design Composite in PET foam cores but with much broader product portfolio and scale.
- Hexcel: US-listed advanced composites manufacturer (carbon fiber, honeycomb cores, prepregs) primarily serving aerospace and wind energy with smaller architectural/industrial exposure. Adjacent composite technology peer at much larger scale.
- Kingspan Group: Large Irish building envelope manufacturer with insulated panel systems and architectural facades for commercial and industrial construction. Competes with Design Composite in architectural panels but at vastly greater scale and with broader offerings.
Others
- Evonik Industries: German specialty chemicals company producing acrylic/PMMA materials (Plexiglas) comparable to Design Composite's Greencast recycled acrylic facing sheets. Acts as a raw material supplier/adjacent in the value chain rather than direct panel competitor.
- SABIC: Global petrochemicals and polymer producer of PP and PET resins used as core materials in Design Composite's TOP-lite and TOP-air panels. Raw material supplier in the sandwich panel value chain rather than competitor.
Direct peers
- Gurit: Swiss-listed composite materials supplier serving wind energy, marine, and transportation markets with sandwich core technology and engineered kits. Comparable technology platform serving overlapping transport and structural end-markets.
- Plascore: US-based manufacturer of honeycomb core sandwich panels using polypropylene, polycarbonate, and aluminum facings for architectural, industrial and transportation applications. Closely comparable technology and customer base to Design Composite.
- Diab Group: Leading manufacturer of sandwich core materials including PET foam (Divinycell) and structural cores used in transportation, wind and construction applications. Direct material-level competitor to Design Composite's PET/PP foam core panels.
- CoreLite: Manufacturer of PET foam core materials (CORELITE) and balsa core panels used in sandwich structures for transportation, marine and architectural applications. Direct foam-core technology peer to TOP-lite panels.
- 3A Composites: Global manufacturer of lightweight composite and sandwich panels (ALUCOBOND, DIBOND, FOREX brands) serving architecture, transport and industrial markets. Direct technology and end-market competitor to Design Composite's architectural and lightweight panel lines.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Design Composite social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Composite financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Composite leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Design Composite funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Composite M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Design Composite
What does Design Composite do?
Design Composite GmbH manufactures custom-made lightweight sandwich panels with thermoplastic (PP, PET), polycarbonate, or acrylic facings bonded to honeycomb or foam cores. Products are produced in three divisions — Lightweight (vehicle and industrial applications), Acoustic (sound-absorbing interior panels), and Architecture (translucent/transparent building elements) — with tailor-made solutions delivered from prototype through market-ready series production for customers worldwide.
Is Design Composite a public or private company?
Design Composite is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Design Composite founded?
Design Composite was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Design Composite based?
Design Composite is headquartered in Niedernsill, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Design Composite make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Sandwich Panel Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are standard Product Sales and custom Design Consultation.
Who are Design Composite's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Armacell, Hexcel and Kingspan Group. Others are Evonik Industries and SABIC. Direct peers are Gurit, Plascore, Diab Group, CoreLite and 3A Composites.
Does Design Composite have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Composite.
What industry is Design Composite in?
Design Composite's product category is Lightweight Composite Sandwich Panels. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANAIAK, Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) & Foam-Core Composite Panel Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMAJAKAC, FRP/GRP & Composite Materials (Resins, Fibers, Core Materials). Its NAICS code is 326130 and its SIC code is 3086.