What Craftsmen Industries does

Craftsmen Industries, Inc. is a privately held custom fabrication company headquartered in St. Charles, Missouri, founded in 1980 by Joe Helmsing (currently Chairman). The company designs, engineers, fabricates, graphics-wraps, paints, and assembles custom vehicles, trailers, mobile units, and large-format graphics from a single vertically integrated 3101 Elm Point Industrial Dr. facility. Its equipment base includes CNC routers, UV printers, laser cutters, metal forming systems, and 3D production tools, supported by AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, G7 Master Printer, CWI, CE, GSA Schedule, OSHA, ADA, and UL 94 certifications.

The company operates four integrated product divisions: Experiential Marketing Vehicles (promotional vehicles, experiential trailers, mobile showrooms, mobile stage trailers, mobile billboards, demo vehicles, custom trailers, shipping container conversions, trade show exhibits, and specialized experiences including esports and fashion trucks), Industrial Fabrication Services (military/aerospace/government mobile command centers, disaster response and first-responder vehicles, mobile and containerized kitchens, net zero and modular offices, rapid prototyping, mobile water filtration, mobile power generation, and maintenance platforms), Mobile Medical Vehicles (coaches, vans, Class C, trucks, and trailers configured for health and wellness, diagnostics, primary care, dental, eye care, audiology, mammography, medical imaging, radiosurgery, lab, and medspa services), and Large Format Graphics (architectural signage, environmental graphics, building and wall wraps, vehicle and fleet graphics, banners, and 3D elements). A wholly-owned subsidiary, Schantz Manufacturing, produces concession trailers for the fair and festival industry, and the company markets a patented proprietary trailer system, LoJoe, as a sub-brand. The customer base spans Fortune 500 enterprises (Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Boeing, Amazon, BMW, Bank of America, Starbucks, McDonald's, Kellogg's, Target, Dell, Ford, TaylorMade, ESPN, Sony PlayStation, WWE, NFL, Energizer, HydraFacial, Warby Parker, Bass Pro Shops, Schwan's, Mtn Dew, Dairy Farmers of America), federal agencies (US Army, Navy, Air Force, FBI, National Guard, US Olympic Team), and educational and non-profit institutions (University of Missouri-St. Louis, Saint Louis University, USO, Salvation Army).

Craftsmen generates revenue through project-based, quote-driven custom contracts with corporations, government agencies, and non-profits, with no standard pricing tiers and no retail or e-commerce channel. GTM is direct enterprise field sales initiated via phone (1.800.373.3575) or website quote forms, supported by content marketing, social media, an email newsletter, YouTube case-study videos, and trade-publication PR. In 2020 the company executed two acquisitions — Chester Built Trailers (October 2020) and GDS Retail and Display Graphics (November 2020) — to extend trailer and retail-graphics capabilities. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Craftsmen Industries

Legal name

Craftsmen Industries, Inc.

Website

https://craftsmenind.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Craftsmen Industries is a privately held, vertically integrated custom fabricator in St. Charles, Missouri that designs and builds experiential marketing vehicles, military and mobile medical units, mobile kitchens, and large-format graphics for Fortune 500 enterprises, federal agencies, and institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Mobile Vehicle Fabrication

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Truck & Bus Bodies (3713)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Vehicle Body Manufacturing (Emergency/Military/Mobile Clinics) (IMACAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Truck Body & Upfit Manufacturing (Box/Dump/Service/Refuse) (IMACAGAC), Specialty Finishes & Decorative Installations (Plaster, Stone Veneer, Feature Walls) (IMAFANAM), Scenic Fabrication & Set/Stage Carpentry (MPAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Custom vehicle fabrication
• Experiential marketing vehicles
• Mobile medical vehicles
• Large format graphics
• Industrial mobile fabrication

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Charles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Vehicle and Trailer Fabrication: Design, engineering, and production of custom experiential marketing vehicles, mobile medical vehicles, military/government vehicles, food trucks, and specialty trailers. Projects are custom one-time builds priced based on complexity and specifications. Revenue generated through project-based contracts with corporations, government agencies, and non-profits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Craftsmen Industries designs, engineers, and fabricates custom mobile vehicles, trailers, and large format graphics for experiential marketing, mobile medical, military/government, and industrial applications. Operating as a vertically integrated single facility in St. Charles, Missouri, the company handles concept, design, engineering, fabrication, graphics, paint, and 3D production in-house, delivering made-to-order builds for corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Product overview

Craftsmen Industries is a custom fabrication company operating as a single unified platform across four integrated product divisions: Experiential Marketing Vehicles, Industrial Fabrication Services, Mobile Medical Vehicles, and Large Format Graphics. The Experiential Marketing division encompasses promotional vehicles, experiential trailers, mobile showrooms, trade show exhibits, and specialized experience solutions for brand activations. The Industrial Fabrication division provides military/government solutions including mobile command centers and disaster response vehicles, mobile kitchens and food service equipment, net zero and modular office solutions, and specialized services like rapid prototyping and mobile power/water systems. The Mobile Medical division offers a comprehensive fleet of medical vehicles (coaches, vans, trucks, trailers) configured for diverse healthcare services from primary care to specialized imaging and treatment. The Large Format Graphics division delivers printing and fabrication for architectural signage, environmental graphics, vehicle wraps, 3D elements, and corporate/campus branding. All divisions share integrated design, engineering, fabrication, graphics, and paint capabilities under one roof, enabling end-to-end production of complex custom builds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Experiential Marketing Vehicles Custom-designed and fabricated mobile promotional vehicles, experiential trailers, mobile showrooms, mobile stage trailers, mobile billboards, expo trailers, and trade show exhibits used by enterprise brands for marketing activations, consumer engagement events, trade shows, and live brand experiences.
• Industrial Fabrication Services Custom industrial fabrication for military, aerospace, government, and commercial applications, including mobile command centers, disaster response vehicles, first responder vehicles, field support assets, and training environments built to military specifications.
• Mobile Medical Vehicles Comprehensive fleet of mobile medical vehicles including coaches, vans, trucks, and trailers configured for health and wellness, diagnostics, primary care, dental, eye care, audiology, medical imaging, mammography, radiosurgery, lab services, and medspa applications for healthcare providers and hospitals.
• Large Format Graphics Full-service large format printing and fabrication including indoor/outdoor graphics, architectural signage, building wraps, wall graphics, window and floor graphics, vehicle wraps, fleet graphics, banners, dimensional signs, and 3D elements for experiential, architectural, and corporate branding applications.
• Mobile & Containerized Kitchens Complete food service vehicle fabrication including commercial mobile kitchens, food truck builders, concession trailers, mobile kitchen trailers, modular restaurants, and shipping container restaurants for restaurants, food service operators, and event caterers.
• Net Zero & Office Trailers & Modulars Sustainable and mobile workspace solutions including net zero trailers, mobile office trailers, modular office buildings, and conex box conversions for temporary and permanent facility needs across commercial, government, and industrial deployments.
• LoJoe Patented Trailer System Proprietary patented trailer design by Craftsmen Industries featuring a unique expandable trailer system for experiential marketing, mobile retail, and live event applications.
• Schantz Manufacturing Concession Trailers Wholly-owned subsidiary of Craftsmen Industries specializing in custom manufacturing of concession trailers for the fair and festival industry.
• Architectural Signage Custom architectural signage systems including dimensional letters, illuminated logos, wayfinding solutions, and ADA-compliant signage for corporate offices, educational campuses, healthcare facilities, and retail environments.
• Military Aerospace Government Solutions Defense and government sector fabrication including mobile command center trailers, field support assets, disaster response vehicles, training environments, and first responder vehicles meeting military specifications for U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, FBI, and National Guard.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of shoppers more inclined to purchase after branded live experiences (industry data referenced in mobile pop-up article)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers36 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LDV Inc. LDV builds custom specialty vehicles including mobile command centers, mobile medical units, and law enforcement vehicles out of Wisconsin. It directly competes with Craftsmen's military/aerospace and mobile medical divisions and serves similar federal and healthcare customers with comparable custom fabrication capabilities.
• Farber Specialty Vehicles: Farber Specialty Vehicles manufactures mobile medical, mobile command, and mobile broadcast vehicles. It is a direct competitor to Craftsmen's industrial fabrication services and mobile medical vehicle divisions, offering similar custom coach and trailer builds to healthcare and government buyers.
• M&R Specialty Trailers and Trucks: M&R builds mobile command centers, mobile medical units, and specialty trailers for military and government customers. It is a direct peer in the industrial fabrication and military/aerospace/government segment with overlapping capabilities and customer base.
• Odyssey Vehicles: Odyssey Vehicles manufactures mobile command centers, mobile medical, and specialty emergency response vehicles for government and healthcare clients. It competes head-to-head with Craftsmen in the military, government, and mobile medical segments with similar product offerings.
• Brindle Manufacturing: Brindle Manufacturing builds custom mobile command, mobile medical, and specialty emergency vehicles. It overlaps directly with Craftsmen's industrial fabrication services for government and military customers.
• Cruising Kitchens: Cruising Kitchens is a custom food truck and mobile kitchen builder serving restaurants and event operators. It directly competes with Craftsmen's Mobile & Containerized Kitchens division in commercial mobile kitchens and food truck fabrication.
• Summit Bodyworks: Summit Bodyworks builds custom mobile medical, mobile dental, and specialty service vehicles on commercial chassis. It directly competes with Craftsmen's Mobile Medical Vehicles division for healthcare and fleet customers.

Broad incumbents

• Featherlite Trailers: Featherlite is a large established manufacturer of enclosed cargo, race car, motorcycle, and specialty trailers. It competes with Craftsmen's Custom Trailers & Specialty Vehicles segment as a broader trailer incumbent offering more standardized product lines.
• Forest River Inc. Forest River is a Berkshire Hathaway-owned large-scale manufacturer of RVs, trailers, and specialty vehicles. It overlaps with Craftsmen in trailer manufacturing and mobile structures but operates at significantly larger scale across many product lines.
• Matthews International (Fabrication Division): Matthews International's fabrication businesses produce custom metal and industrial fabrication including signage and architectural elements. It overlaps with Craftsmen's Large Format Graphics and architectural signage segments as a broader industrial fabricator with deeper resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/craftsmenindust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@craftsmenind
• Facebookfacebook.com/craftsmenindust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/craftsmen-industries
• Instagraminstagram.com/craftsmenindustries
• Pinterestpinterest.com/craftsmenindustries

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Craftsmen Industries