Welcome to
Altec Products, Inc.
Altec's Story
Altec was started in a Twin Cities garage in 1977 by two friends who were motorcycle racing and sports car enthusiast, Paul Plahn and Bud Stahel. They had been looking for a way to channel their passion for cars into building a hobby business that would support their ever-growing collection of motor toys.
Paul, a mechanical design engineer, and Bud, an accomplished industrial designer, were the perfect team to bring the innovative ideas to life.
They started out working evenings and weekends while maintaining their full-time corporate jobs, later recruiting a small team of after-work technicians to help with production.
First Product
Altec’s journey first began with headlight lenses for the Datsun 240–260Z sports car. To produce them, Paul and Bud designed and built their own custom vacuum-forming equipment, initially sourcing the vacuum from the intake manifold of a 289 Ford V-8 engine-and it worked surprisingly well.
Strong sales allowed them to invest in injection molding dies for the next-generation 280ZX, leading to an expanded lineup of Z accessories. The continued demand for these products has kept them alive for over 44 years!
Expanding The Product Line
Following the success of the Datsun accessories, Altec introduced an innovative line of molded fender flares and splash guards, becoming the first company in America to offer these for a wide range of specialty cars. With growth came the need for a full-time manager and production team.
A new Corvette accessory line soon followed, utilizing laser surface profiling and CAD modeling to create precision-fit products. Altec also introduced custom license frames and was the first in the industry to develop LED Line-of-Fire accessories for pickup truck tailgates.
With competitors quickly imitating Altec’s innovations, the company strengthened it’s patent protection to ensure continued leadership in cutting-edge automotive accessories.
A New Chapter: Altec Joins Straightline Performance
In 2024, Altec was acquired by Straightline Performance, marking the company’s largest move to date. The new owners, Jason and Denise Houle, bring over 25 years of experience in the ATV, UTV and Snowmobile market. Their vast knowledge of dealer and distribution networks will drive Altec’s continued growth and expansion.
This transition brings major product growth, new innovations, improved customer service, and enhanced quality control, among many other advancements.
If you’re looking to work with a rapidly growing company, Altec products is moving forward stronger than ever. Stay tuned for exciting developments!
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