Ghent Manufacturing

What Ghent Manufacturing does

Ghent Manufacturing, founded in 1976 and headquartered in Lebanon, Ohio, is a US manufacturer of visual communication products operating as a brand under the family-owned parent GMi Companies, Inc. The company produces made-to-order whiteboards, glassboards, bulletin boards, mobile boards, patient room boards, display cases, partitions, space-division furniture, and acoustic solutions for workplace, healthcare, education, hospitality, and government facilities. Core surface technologies include proprietary porcelain-on-steel formulations backed by a 50-year warranty and tempered laminated glass; Ghent's glassboards are the first and only to hold BIFMA LEVEL 2 certification for environmental performance, retained through 2024-2025.

The company generates revenue primarily through hardware sales of customized, project-quoted products distributed via a national dealer partner network, sales representatives, and government procurement channels including a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract covering 90% of SKUs and a TIPS Purchasing Cooperative contract. Pricing is project-based with premium ASPs (e.g., $4,000-$10,400 for Haven outdoor glassboards) and Net 30 terms, supported by an online Product Builder (build.ghent.com) that enables self-service configuration and quote requests. Brand structure was consolidated in 2022 when prior acquisitions Waddell Display and VividBoard were merged into a single unified Ghent brand, with branded sub-collections (Nexus Collaboration, Prest, Flyte, Geo, Pallet, Waddell Display, GRVT, Haven, Preserve) addressing distinct price points and use cases.

Recent strategic activity centers on product innovation in outdoor and mobile collaboration (GRVT Mobile Collaboration Hub, 2024 Best of NeoCon Innovation Award; Haven Outdoor Glassboard, 2026), backed by a 2021 production facility expansion and consecutive BIFMA and Top Workplaces recognitions through 2026. The company employs 101-250 people across its Lebanon, Ohio headquarters and manufacturing campus plus a Chicago Merchandise Mart showroom used primarily for NeoCon and industry events.

Name

Ghent Manufacturing

Legal name

GMi Companies, Inc.

Website

https://ghent.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ghent Manufacturing is a US specialty manufacturer of made-to-order whiteboards, glassboards, bulletin boards, display cases, and space-division products, primarily serving workplace, healthcare, education, and government facilities through a dealer network and federal purchasing contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lebanon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Visual Communication Products: Sale of whiteboards, glassboards, bulletin boards, and enclosed message centers. Products are made-to-order and customizable.
2. Display Cases and Space Division: Sale of display cases, space division furniture, partitions, and acoustic solutions for commercial and institutional environments.
3. Healthcare Communication Solutions: Specialized patient room boards, healthcare whiteboards, and glassboards designed for healthcare environments with specific features like HIPAA compliance considerations.
4. Customization and Graphic Services: Custom whiteboard graphics, logo customization, custom sizes, colors (including PMS color matching), and personalized configurations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ghent Manufacturing designs, produces, and sells made-to-order visual communication and collaboration products including whiteboards, glassboards, bulletin boards, mobile boards, patient room boards, display cases, space division furniture, and acoustic solutions. Products are manufactured at the company's Lebanon, Ohio facility and sold primarily through a U.S. dealer partner network to corporate, healthcare, education, hospitality, and government customers.

Product overview

Ghent Manufacturing is a visual communication products company offering a comprehensive portfolio of whiteboards, glassboards, bulletin boards, display cases, space division, and acoustic solutions. The company manufactures made-to-order, customizable products primarily for office/workplace, education, and healthcare facilities. Their product lineup includes core offerings (whiteboards, glassboards, bulletin boards, mobile boards, patient room boards, display cases) organized under branded collections (Nexus Collaboration, Prest, Flyte, Geo, Pallet, Waddell Display) and specialized solutions (Healthcare, Outdoor). Key product lines include the Aria and Harmony glassboard families (BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified), Porcelain M1 whiteboards with 50-year warranties, innovative products like the GRVT Mobile Collaboration Hub (Best of NeoCon 2024 winner), and the Haven outdoor glassboard. Products are configured through an online Product Builder tool and distributed through a dealer partner network across the U.S.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nexus Collaboration: Collaboration product line featuring whiteboards and easels
• Prest
• Flyte
• Geo
• Pallet
• Waddell Display
• GRVT
• Haven
• Preserve

Products and services

• Whiteboards Dry erase writing surfaces available in porcelain, melamine, and specialty surfaces. Includes standard wall-mounted, mobile, enclosed, and custom configurations for office, education, and healthcare environments.
• Glassboards Premium glass writing surfaces available in various colors, sizes, and mounting styles. BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified, featuring smooth writing experience with ghost-resistant surfaces. Includes wall-mounted, mobile, and healthcare-specific options.
• Bulletin Boards Tackable surfaces for posting and displaying information. Available in various finishes including cork, fabric, vinyl, and recycled rubber. Includes enclosed, wall-mounted, and freestanding options.
• Mobile Whiteboards Portable, wheeled whiteboards and glassboards for flexible collaboration. Includes reversible, glass, and porcelain options that can be moved between spaces.
• Patient Room Boards Specialized whiteboards and glassboards designed for healthcare patient rooms. Features customizable fields for care information, secure design options, and easy-to-clean surfaces meeting healthcare hygiene standards.
• Display Cases Enclosed display cabinets for showcasing documents, awards, memorabilia, and cultural artifacts. Part of the Waddell Display Collection featuring hardwoods, tempered glass, and limited lifetime warranty.
• GRVT Mobile Collaboration Hub Mobile collaboration hub with collapsible glassboard and four customizable poufs. Winner of Best of NeoCon Innovation Award 2024. Designed for both indoor and outdoor environments.
• Haven Outdoor Glassboard Outdoor glassboard designed for year-round collaboration in exterior spaces. Features 9/16" tempered laminated glass, UV powder-coated frame, and won't ghost, stain, or fade. Creates 'fourth spaces' outdoors.
• Aria Glassboards Flush-mounted glassboards available in various colors and sizes. BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified with 50-year warranty. Includes Aria Span (large format), Aria Connect, and low-profile options.
• Porcelain Whiteboards M1 Premium porcelain-on-steel whiteboards with unsurpassed durability. Backed by 50-year warranty, resistant to scratching, denting, and staining. Available in magnetic and non-magnetic options.
• Enclosed Boards Enclosed bulletin boards and whiteboards with locking doors. Secure storage for displays in lobbies, schools, and public spaces. Available in cork, fabric, vinyl, and recycled rubber finishes.
• Space Division Furniture and panels designed to create flexible space layouts without permanent walls. Includes Define, partitions, and extenders for organizing open environments.
• Acoustic Solutions Products designed to reduce noise and improve acoustics in workspaces. Includes acoustic desktop surrounds and space division pieces using P.E.T. felt and other sound-absorbing materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products backed by 50-year warranty reducing replacement cycles and total cost of ownership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BIFMA InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with BIFMA to set glass markerboard standards. Ghent participated in establishing industry standards for glass markerboard performance and quality.
• MaharamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColor palette and partnership with Maharam for fabric and finish options on Ghent products, expanding design customization options.
• Design StagecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFounding member partnership with Design Stage for delivering IDCEC-accredited CEU courses for architects and designers. On-demand CEU content on outdoor learning environments.
• TIPS Purchasing CooperativecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAwarded contract from TIPS Purchasing Cooperative enabling educational and government entities to procure Ghent products through streamlined purchasing process.
• GSA (General Services Administration)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGSA Multiple Award Schedule contract holder (47QSMS20D0001) enabling federal government purchasing of Ghent products at discount pricing without bidding.
• NexTrex Commercial RecyclingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for commercial recycling programs supporting Ghent's sustainability initiatives and environmental responsibility.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Quartet (ACCO Brands): Quartet is one of the most established U.S. brands in whiteboards, bulletin boards, and visual communication products, sold through office-supply and dealer channels. Directly comparable to Ghent across product category, customer base (corporate, education), and distribution model.
• Best-Rite (MooreCo): Best-Rite manufactures porcelain-on-steel whiteboards, bulletin boards, and visual communication products for education and office markets. Closely comparable to Ghent in surface technology (porcelain-enamel steel), warranty positioning, and K-12/customer mix.
• Clarus Glassboards: Clarus specializes in architectural glassboards and writable glass surfaces for corporate, healthcare, and education markets. Direct competitor in the premium glassboard category where Ghent's Aria and Harmony lines compete.
• Egan Visual: Egan Visual designs and manufactures visual communication products including whiteboards, glassboards, and mobile collaboration tools. Comparable to Ghent across product portfolio, design-led positioning, and dealer/specifier distribution.
• PolyVision (Steelcase): PolyVision is a long-standing manufacturer of porcelain-on-steel whiteboards, coated metal products, and architectural collaboration surfaces. Directly comparable to Ghent's porcelain M1 line and corporate/education customer base.
• Marsh Industries: Marsh Industries manufactures visual communication products including markerboards, tackboards, and display cases for commercial and institutional markets. Closely comparable product portfolio and channel structure to Ghent.

Emerging players

• Screenflex: Screenflex makes portable partitions, mobile whiteboards, and room dividers that overlap with Ghent's space-division and mobile whiteboard categories. Comparable in mobile/flexible workspace products though narrower in static whiteboard offerings.
• Cisco (Webex Board): Cisco's Webex Board is an interactive digital whiteboard/collaboration display competing for the same conference-room budgets as physical Ghent boards. Comparable as an emerging digital-substitution threat to Ghent's core whiteboard category.

Broad incumbents

• Steelcase: Steelcase is a global office furniture incumbent with overlapping offerings in collaboration furniture, space division, and (via PolyVision) whiteboards. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same corporate and education architects/designers that specify Ghent.
• MillerKnoll: MillerKnoll (Herman Miller + Knoll) is a leading global office furniture and contract furnishings conglomerate. Comparable as a broad incumbent in workspace design with overlapping reach into architect/specifier channels that also buy Ghent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ghentproducts

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Ghent Manufacturing