What Gelberg Signs does

Gelberg Signs is a privately held, full-service custom sign manufacturer founded in 1941 and headquartered at 6511 Chillum Pl NW in Washington, D.C. The company operates an integrated single-site production model spanning design consultation, field analysis, engineering, permitting, fabrication, installation, storage, and ongoing service and maintenance. Its product catalog covers a broad range of sign types — ADA-compliant, architectural, illuminated, wall/graphic, digital, menu boards, wayfinding, channel letters, displays/exhibits, and campaign/promotional signage — sold under a quote-based, project-fee model to enterprise and institutional clients.

The business serves a diversified client base across sports venues (Washington Nationals), government and transit agencies (WMATA, DC Streetcar, BWI Airport, National Museum of African American History and Culture), healthcare (Children's National Hospital), banking (Truist Bank), hospitality (Waldorf Astoria, MGM National Harbor, The Wharf), apparel (Under Armour), media (The Washington Post), commercial real estate (Hoffman Associates), professional services (Gensler), and SMBs (Ben's Chili Bowl). Customer mix spans enterprise, government, healthcare, education, and small business segments with no disclosed revenue concentration. Distribution is direct sales-led, supported by organic social presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, and the company maintains D.C. Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) status for preferential municipal contracting.

Gelberg Signs monetizes through one-time project fees for custom fabrication and installation, with ancillary recurring revenue from service and maintenance contracts. Its competitive positioning rests on 83 years of operating history, in-house fabrication capability, skilled installation crews, CBE certification for government work, and a one-stop-shop service model. The firm has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, no M&A activity, and no AI/technology platform strategy evident in the data — it is a traditional regional specialty manufacturer whose financial trajectory is opaque.

Name

Gelberg Signs

Legal name

Gelberg Signs

Website

https://gelbergsigns.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gelberg Signs is a Washington, D.C.-based, privately held custom sign manufacturer founded in 1941 that designs, fabricates, installs, and services signs for enterprise, government, healthcare, hospitality, and institutional clients across the D.C. metro and Mid-Atlantic region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Sign Manufacturing

NAICS

Sign Manufacturing (33995), Sign Manufacturing (339950), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Commercial Printing (2750)

akta.pro primary industry

Wayfinding, Signage & Environmental Graphic Design (BPAHAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Event Decor, Branding & Signage (HSACADAJ)

Keywords

• Custom sign manufacturing
• Commercial signage installation
• ADA compliant signage
• Wayfinding sign systems
• Architectural illuminated signs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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 Sign Manufacturing and Installation: Design, fabricate, install, and service custom signs for commercial and institutional clients. Services include field analysis, site surveys, permitting, fabrication, installation, storage, and ongoing maintenance. Revenue derived from one-time project fees for custom sign fabrication and installation, as well as recurring service and maintenance contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Gelberg Signs designs, fabricates, installs, and services custom signs for commercial and institutional clients across all industries in the D.C. metro area and Mid-Atlantic region. The offering spans the full sign lifecycle, including field analysis, design consultation, engineering, permitting, fabrication, installation, storage, and ongoing maintenance under a one-stop-shop engagement model.

Product overview

Gelberg Signs is a full-service sign manufacturing company offering a single integrated platform for custom signage solutions. The company provides end-to-end services spanning design, engineering, estimating, surveys, permitting, fabrication, installation, service/maintenance, and storage. The product portfolio centers on custom sign manufacturing across multiple sign types including ADA Compliant Signs, Campaign Signs, Illuminated Signs, Wall Signs & Graphics, Architectural Signs, Digital Signs, Menu Boards, Wayfinding Signs, Channel Letters, Displays & Exhibits, and Promotional Signs. This one-stop shop approach allows clients to move from vision to execution through a single partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Sign Manufacturing

Quantifiable outcome

• 1M+ custom signs manufactured over 83 years of operation

Named customers16 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Washington D.C. Economic Partnership (WDCEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChapter member and partner of the Washington D.C. Economic Partnership, an organization that helps shape the community and industry in the D.C. region.
• DC Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud chapter member and partner of the DC Chamber of Commerce, contributing to the business community in Washington D.C.
• International Sign AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChapter member of the International Sign Association, an organization that shapes the sign manufacturing industry.
• Society for Experiential Graphic DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Society for Experiential Graphic Design, connecting with the broader environmental graphic design community.
• Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified Business Enterprise (CBE) through Washington D.C.'s Department of Small and Local Business Development, providing certification status for local contracts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FASTSIGNS: Largest franchised sign and graphics company in North America with hundreds of locations offering custom sign design, fabrication, and installation. Directly comparable product/service portfolio to Gelberg's full-service offering, though FASTSIGNS' franchise model emphasizes standardized workflows over the integrated project management that Gelberg offers to enterprise clients.
• YESCO (Young Electric Sign Company): Large full-service sign manufacturer and installer with deep roots in custom signage, including large-format, illuminated, and architectural signage for enterprise and municipal clients. Closely comparable to Gelberg in scope (design-to-installation), but operates across a much broader multi-state footprint in the western U.S.
• Signarama: Global franchised sign company offering custom sign design, manufacturing, and installation across a wide range of sign types (channel letters, vehicle graphics, banners, digital). Directly competes with Gelberg on product breadth and end-market coverage, particularly for SMB and mid-market clients.
• Image360: Franchised network providing custom signage, graphics, and visual communications solutions with a consultative, full-service model. Comparable to Gelberg on integrated design-through-installation offerings, with franchise-driven geographic reach that competes for regional commercial accounts.
• Poblocki Sign Company: Family-owned, multi-generational sign manufacturer and installer headquartered in the Midwest with a national footprint serving retail, hospitality, healthcare, and financial clients. Highly comparable to Gelberg on family-ownership structure, enterprise client mix, and full-service custom sign capabilities.
• Heath & Lineback: Atlanta-based full-service sign company offering design, fabrication, installation, and maintenance for commercial and institutional clients. Comparable to Gelberg as a similarly-sized regional full-service competitor pursuing enterprise accounts across multiple verticals.
• ASI (Architectural Signs Inc.) / Identity Group: Specialist in architectural signage, wayfinding, and identity programs for corporate, healthcare, education, and government facilities. Closely comparable to Gelberg's wayfinding and architectural sign work (e.g., hospital, university, and transit projects) with an enterprise project-based model.

Emerging players

• Mohawk Sign Systems: Specialty manufacturer of architectural and wayfinding signage systems, including modular interior signage programs. Comparable to Gelberg's architectural and ADA-compliant wayfinding offerings but focused more narrowly on interior signage systems than full exterior fabrication.
• Takeform: Manufacturer of architectural signage, wayfinding systems, and branded environment graphics for healthcare, corporate, and education clients. Comparable to Gelberg's architectural and wayfinding product lines with a more specialized focus on interior signage programs.

Broad incumbents

• Pattison Sign Group: One of the largest sign and outdoor advertising companies in North America, offering custom sign manufacturing alongside digital out-of-home advertising infrastructure. Comparable in custom sign fabrication but operates a much broader portfolio spanning digital OOH, which Gelberg does not.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gelbergsigns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gelberg-signs
• Instagraminstagram.com/gelbergsigns/?hl=en
• Xx.com/GelbergSigns

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Gelberg Signs