Layup Parts is a California-based manufacturer of custom composite components for aerospace, defense, motorsports, automotive design and consumer products. Layup’s FiberPortal platform lets customers upload digital designs, select materials and fiber orientations, specify manufacturing requirements and obtain quotes for tooling and finished parts. The service covers individual prototypes and production runs, reducing the number of exchanges often required between customers and suppliers before manufacturing can begin. Zack Eakin, founder and CEO, established Layup in 2024 after encountering delays in sourcing custom composite components through his work in motorsports and defense manufacturing.

FiberPortal guides customers through design submission, material selection, and quoting. Users can identify a part’s A and B sides, specify fiber layers and their orientations, and enter special requirements. The platform calculates prices based on the selected lead time and provides access to quality-control records, cure logs, and material out-life tracking. Layup accepts orders without minimum quantity requirements, allowing customers to purchase a single prototype or parts for a production run. Although digital ordering reduces administrative steps, manufacturing time and delivery schedules still depend on part geometry, material availability, tooling and production requirements.

Materials and Production

Layup manufactures components from carbon fiber and fiberglass, materials used when parts require high strength and stiffness without the weight of many metals. Its listed inventory includes twill-weave and plain-weave carbon fiber, unidirectional carbon fiber, S2-glass and E-glass fiberglass. The company also stocks structural core materials, including Rohacell foam and Nomex honeycomb. Material selection depends on the component’s intended use and engineering specifications. Fiber type, resin system, and layer orientation affect the finished part’s mechanical properties, while requests for materials outside the stocked range may require additional sourcing time.

Production capabilities include precision CNC machining, compression molding, large-format 3D printing, and curing inside and outside an autoclave. Published equipment specifications include machining and curing capacity for parts up to 16 feet long. Compression molding accommodates parts up to 30 inches long, 30 inches wide, and 24 inches high. Layup is registered with the U.S. Directorate of Defense Trade Controls and lists AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certifications. The company also identifies compliance with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which govern certain defense-related articles, technical data, and services. These credentials are relevant to aerospace and defense customers that require documented manufacturing procedures and material traceability, although individual parts must still meet the technical and qualification requirements of their intended applications.

Series A Funding

Layup raised $42 million in a Series A round announced June 2, 2026. Marlinspike led the financing, joined by new investors Cerberus Ventures and Pinegrove Venture Partners, along with existing backers Founders Fund and Lux Capital. The round followed a $9 million seed financing in 2024. Layup plans to use the capital to hire employees and move to a larger production site, increasing capacity as it serves customers across aerospace, defense, motorsports, automotive design and consumer products. Aerospace and defense accounted for the company’s largest business segment at the time of the funding announcement.

Production Expansion

Layup’s business depends on reducing the time required to obtain custom composite components. Reporting on the company has cited cases in which the interval between design submission and the start of production fell from weeks to hours. That figure does not establish a standard delivery time for every order. Part geometry, material selection, tooling, production volume, and inspection requirements all affect manufacturing schedules. Customers must also verify dimensional accuracy, material properties and production records against their engineering specifications. These requirements are especially important in aerospace and defense, where components may need testing and qualification before they can be approved for specific applications.

The expansion will test Layup’s ability to increase production while maintaining product quality and meeting delivery schedules. Aerospace and defense customers may require traceable materials, documented production processes, and qualification testing before approving components for use. Higher order volumes will also require sufficient equipment capacity, materials inventory and trained personnel. The $42 million financing provides capital for hiring and expansion, but measurable progress will depend on completing the move to a larger site, increasing production capacity and meeting customer schedules at higher volumes. Layup’s growth will depend on delivering custom composite parts that meet required specifications, costs and lead times as production expands.

ABOUT | ZACK EAKIN

Zack Eakin is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Layup Parts, a Huntington Beach, California-based manufacturer of custom carbon-fiber and fiberglass components. He founded the company in 2024 to shorten the time required to order and manufacture composite parts through digital ordering software and automated production processes. Eakin has nearly two decades of experience working with composite materials, beginning his career at Chip Ganassi Racing, where he worked on carbon-fiber structures and bodywork for IndyCar programs and the DeltaWing prototype. He later became the first engineer at The Boring Company in 2017 and joined defense technology company Anduril Industries in 2021, where he served as director of mechanical engineering. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Messiah University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. In June 2026, Layup Parts raised $42 million in Series A funding led by Marlinspike, with participation from Cerberus Ventures, Pinegrove Venture Partners, Founders Fund and Lux Capital.