American-Made. Engineer-Led. Built to Perform.
Founded in the late 1970s in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin — evolved from a modest sheet metal operation into a leading manufacturer of advanced composite and thermoformed plastic components.
From stock car racing roots to aerospace, automotive, and heavy equipment programs — 47+ years of precision fabrication, American-made.
The Industry-Leading American Manufacturer
Five Star is the industry leading manufacturer of American-made advanced composites, polycarbonate windows, and thermoformed plastics. Our technologies are born from the tight-tolerance, high performance world of auto racing, making us the leader in developing lighter and stronger automotive exterior components. Our company was founded in 1978 on the principle that quality must be the highest priority — both for our company's success and for the benefit and integrity of an entire industry.
From the Track to the Factory Floor
Our story started when Fran Prestay, owner of a local auto service shop, asked Carl Schultz — who ran a plumbing and heating business across the street — to fabricate sheet metal fenders for his short-track race car. After a rough night at the track and struggling to find quality parts in the salvage yard, Fran needed a better solution. Carl delivered.
The custom fenders were a hit, and word spread fast. What began as a favor turned into a business opportunity. In 1978, the duo founded Five Star Fabricating, and by 1979 they were producing body components for the Camaro. A small ad in Stock Car Racing Magazine and a flood of word-of-mouth interest quickly elevated the company into national recognition.
Driven by Innovation
From those first hand-formed sheet metal parts, Five Star quickly evolved into producing thermoformed plastics, hand-laid fiberglass, and advanced composite body panels. These materials helped us lead the racing industry in producing durable, lightweight parts with structural integrity and elite visual finish.
Along the way, we perfected the art of polycarbonate windows. Our engineers created proprietary coatings and materials that elevated window strength, clarity, and durability — leading to the development of the most trusted racing windows in the world. Today, Five Star windows are #1 in all of motorsports.
Beyond Racing: Engineering for Every Industry
Over the past 47 years, the quality demands of motorsports have shaped our manufacturing culture — pushing us to continually expand our in-house capabilities. That experience now powers our ability to partner with companies far beyond racing.
Our facilities and engineering teams deliver best-in-class fabricated components that are lightweight, high-strength, defect-free, and performance-validated. From concept to production, we walk with our customers through every stage of development.
We're proud to bring motorsports-grade technology into new markets — supporting OEM, transportation, defense, heavy equipment, and aerospace programs with custom polycarbonate and composite systems.
Built to Perform. Built to Last.
Our team of 250+ employees operates out of more than 315,000 square feet of modern manufacturing space across six specialized facilities. Every part that leaves our doors is built on the values we were founded on: quality, innovation, customer focus, and resilience.
Whether you need impact-resistant windows, thermoformed components, or advanced composites for mission-critical applications, we're ready to deliver. At Five Star Fabricating, our goal is simple: build it stronger, smarter, and faster — every time.
We Don't Just Build Parts — We Support Programs
At Five Star, we don't just build parts — we support programs. Whether you're launching a high-performance OEM component or scaling a custom retrofit system, our manufacturing approach is engineered to move as fast and as precise as you need.
Our cross-trained production teams and vertically integrated operation allow us to scale without sacrificing fit, finish, or delivery. From concept to full-volume production, we support your internal deadlines, engineering validation, and customer expectations with real-world speed and a proven commitment to quality.
Values That Power Performance
Five Star employees and their welfare are very important to the success of our company. Every employee is considered a member of our company team. Our success as a company is built on the recognition of the skills and efforts made by each employee. It is our policy to work with all members of our team in a fair and friendly manner and to treat each team member with dignity and respect. As a family-owned and operated business, we use the values of the Schultz Family as a guiding philosophy for running the business.
Progress, pushing boundaries, and creating groundbreaking breakthroughs that shape the future.
Resilience, determination, propelling individuals to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
Fueling individuals to put in the necessary effort and perseverance to succeed.
Understanding and fulfilling the needs and expectations of customers.
Surpassing ordinary standards, constantly striving for the highest level of quality, innovation, and achievement.
We are committed to these values and they are reflected in every area of our lives and how we do business. The adoption of these core values is essential to executing our strategy and ensuring a work environment that supports The Company's objectives and inspires employees to new levels of productivity — making Five Star a fun, rewarding place to work.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
Six specialized facilities across three locations — from our headquarters in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin to our newest operation in North Carolina. Five Star has expanded 14 times since 1986, now operating out of 315,000+ square feet across 34 acres.
6 specialized facilities — 34 acres — 315,000+ sq ft
Our Headquarters
Set on a sprawling campus in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, our headquarters is the heart of Five Star — where decades of fabrication expertise come together under one roof. Four specialized buildings handle everything from plastic forming to composite production and proprietary window coating, all backed by our in-house engineering and testing teams.
- Finished Goods & Plastic Forming
- Composite Tooling & Design
- Composite Production
- Window Coating & Forming
Brand-New Dealer Distribution Center
Our newest facility brings Five Star closer to customers across the Southeast. A modern, purpose-built distribution center, it extends our reach and reflects the growth of a company that keeps expanding to meet demand.
- Dealer Distribution Center
Newly Renovated for Carbon Fiber Composites Production
Newly renovated, our Genoa City facility is dedicated to carbon fiber composites production and tooling storage — a purpose-built space that strengthens our advanced composite capabilities and expands the depth of our manufacturing footprint.
- Carbon Fiber Composites Production
- Tooling Storage
On-Site Testing Laboratory
The research and development laboratory at Five Star demonstrates our dedication to improving quality and creates an environment for our engineering teams to seek new discoveries and accelerate product innovation. Five Star utilizes an extensive array of tools and equipment to support its engineering, testing, and quality control processes — employing various testing measures in accordance with ASTM International standards.
- Flex & load/deflection behavior
- Cosmetic purity
- UV degradation
- Impact resistance
- Chemical resistance
- Heat resistance
- Ink and paint adhesion
- Optical clarity
- Light transmission
- Compression, tensile, & shear strength
These testing measures are helpful in guiding our customers to the proper materials and processes to achieve the highest quality composite, polycarbonate, or thermoformed plastic part.
What Our Employees Say
You walk in our building and you'll see nobody has closed doors to their offices. Titles are not a big deal here. It's about working together as a team and solving problems and issues as quickly as we possibly can.
I've been in factories around the world and rarely have I seen an operation as clean, well lit, and orderly as the Five Star facilities. The top-notch appearance of the facilities reflects the company's attention to detail and our commitment to quality.
Built for Performance at Every Stage
