Explus
Explus is a privately held custom museum exhibit fabrication company in Sterling, Virginia, that designs, builds, and installs physical exhibit environments, display cases, and 3D-printed components for museums, corporations, and government clients across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersSterling, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Explus does
Explus, Inc. is a privately held custom museum exhibit fabrication company founded in 1979 and headquartered in a single fully equipped production facility at 44156 Mercure Circle in Sterling, Virginia. The firm designs, fabricates, and installs physical exhibit environments for museums, corporations, and government clients, with project sizes ranging from approximately 200 square feet to 38,000 square feet across subjects spanning cultural, natural, and military history, science and technology, art, sports, and children's environments. Its in-house capabilities cover project management, detailing, scenic and art production, metalworking, digital and traditional graphics, direct printing, audio-visual systems engineering, electro-mechanical interactive production, artifact mounting, exhibit shipping, and on-site installation, supported by a workforce of approximately 60 experienced technicians, artisans, and cabinetmakers (most senior staff with over 20 years of experience).
The company's product portfolio comprises three layers: (1) full-service custom exhibit fabrication as the core offering, delivered either direct-to-client or in a design-build capacity with leading design firms such as Gallagher & Associates, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, and Chris Chadbourne & Associates; (2) the Archive Standard Series of standardized, US-made modular display cases (Types 1A through 6C) targeting economical exhibit casework; and (3) museum-grade 3D printing services using a Bambu X1 Carbon for FDM parts (PLA, PETG, CF-infused filaments, TPU, PC) and Formlabs resins for SLA parts. Conservation-grade materials — including UV acrylic, laminated low-iron glass, formaldehyde-free MDF, and aluminum — are a recurring specification across casework and exhibit work.
Explus generates revenue on a project-based, custom-quote model with no publicly disclosed pricing and no recurring subscription or managed-service component. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales through direct engagement with museums, corporations, and federal agencies, supplemented by the GSA Schedule contract (GS07F0596W) for government work. Marquee customers include the Smithsonian Institution, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, International Spy Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Peabody Essex Museum, National Museum of the Marine Corps, National Park Service, EEOC, General Motors, and the Houston Rockets, with project delivery documented across at least 11 US states.
Explus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Explus
- Legal name
- Explus, Inc.
- Website
- https://explusinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Explus is a privately held custom museum exhibit fabrication company in Sterling, Virginia, that designs, builds, and installs physical exhibit environments, display cases, and 3D-printed components for museums, corporations, and government clients across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Explus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Museum Exhibit Fabrication Services
- NAICS
- Showcase, Partition, Shelving, and Locker Manufacturing (337215)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)
Keywords
Where Explus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sterling
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Explus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Exhibit Fabrication: Project-based custom fabrication for museum exhibits including permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibits. Services include exhibit fabrication, installation, and maintenance.
- Design-Build Services: Works with design firms on comprehensive fabrication projects, providing fabrication services for projects designed by external design partners.
- 3D Printing Services: Museum-grade 3D printing services from design and modeling to printing, offered to external clients including museums and corporations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels1 record
Explus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Explus is a custom museum exhibit fabrication company providing end-to-end fabrication services for museums, corporations, and government clients. Its offerings span project management, detailing, scenic and art production, audio-visual systems engineering, electro-mechanical interactive production, artifact mounting, exhibit shipping, and on-site installation, supported by in-house metalworking, graphics, 3D printing, and cabinetmaking capabilities. The company also produces custom and standardized display cases (Custom Artifact Case Construction and the Archive Standard Series) for museums and private collectors.
Product overview
Explus is a custom museum fabrication company offering comprehensive exhibit fabrication services for museums, corporations, and government clients. The company's core offerings include museum-grade 3D printing services using FDM and SLA technologies, custom display cases through its Archive Standard Series (with types 1A-6C) and Custom Artifact Case Construction lines, and full-service exhibit fabrication including project management, scenic production, electro-mechanical interactive production, audio-visual systems, artifact mounting, and installation. The product portfolio ranges from standardized display cases to fully custom exhibit fabrication for museums, corporate environments, government facilities, and children's museums.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Museum Exhibit Fabrication Services Full-service custom museum exhibit fabrication for museums, corporations, and government clients. Includes project management, detailing, scenic and art production, exhibit fabrication, audio-visual systems engineering, electro-mechanical interactive production, artifact mounting, exhibit shipping, and installation, supported by an in-house metalworking department, graphics, direct printing, lighting and security specialists, cabinetmaking, and installation crews.
- 3D Printing Services Museum-grade 3D printing services offered to external clients including museums and corporations. Provides FDM parts in PLA, PETG, CF-infused filaments, TPU, and PC on a Bambu X1 Carbon, and SLA resin parts in Formlabs resins including clear, colored, flexible, and engineering resins, from design and modeling through finished 3D-printed parts.
- Custom Artifact Case Construction Custom-built display cases for museums and private collectors featuring elegant design, precision engineering, and durable construction, with 30+ years of experience. Built using conservation-grade materials including UV acrylic or laminated low-iron glass, formaldehyde-free MDF, and aluminum construction.
- Archive Standard Series Display Cases Standardized, economical line of museum display cases made in the USA using domestic materials, with modular designs for flexibility and reconfiguration. Includes pedestal vitrines (frameless and standard), wall vitrines, table vitrines, solid back vitrines, and unit cases (single, double, quadruple).
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully completed projects ranging from 200 sq ft to 38,000 sq ft
Companies that use Explus
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Explus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Explus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Nationally Recognized Design FirmscoreExplus maintains working relationships with leading, nationally recognized design firms for design-build fabrication projects. Works with firms including Gallagher & Associates, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Christopher Chadbourne & Associates, and others.
- Hawse DesignminorDesign firm partner for Houston Rockets Toyota Center interactive play area project.
- Gallagher & AssociatescoreFrequent design partner for museum exhibition projects including EEOC, National Museum of Health and Medicine, Gray Fossil Site, Yogi Berra Museum, and multiple other projects.
- Ralph Appelbaum AssociatescoreDesign partner for National World War One Museum at Liberty Memorial (32,000 sq ft) and Blue Ridge Music Center projects.
- Jack Rouse & AssociatesminorDesign partner for Permian Basin Petroleum Museum renovation (15,000 sq ft).
- Chris Chadbourne and AssociatescoreDesign partner for Louisiana State Museum (38,000 sq ft) and New Mexico History Museum (11,000 sq ft) projects.
- Moshe SafdieminorArchitect for Peabody Essex Museum expansion project where Explus provided casework aligned with the architect's design.
- Amaze DesignminorDesign partner for National Children's Museum and Seneca Art and Cultural Center projects.
- Hawse DesignminorDesign partner for The Toyota Center Houston Rockets interactive play area (1,000 sq ft).
- The NASSAL CompanyminorPrime contractor for Permian Basin Petroleum Museum renovation project where Explus provided fabrication.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Explus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The NASSAL Company: Orlando-based custom exhibit and themed-environment fabricator serving museums, zoos, and aquariums. Nassal directly overlaps with Explus in museum exhibit fabrication, scenic production, and design-build execution, and is even named as a prime contractor partner alongside Explus in the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum project.
- Hadley Exhibits: St. Louis-based full-service exhibit fabricator producing custom museum, corporate, and tradeshow exhibits. Overlaps directly with Explus in museum-grade fabrication, casework, and interactive exhibit production for comparable institutional clients.
- Three Spatial Inc. Exhibit fabrication shop specializing in custom museum and corporate environments. Direct competitor to Explus in scenic production, exhibit fabrication, and installation for the same museum and corporate client base.
- Kubik Inc. Canadian-headquartered exhibit and experiential fabrication firm serving museums, brands, and events. Operates in the same custom museum exhibit fabrication category as Explus, with US project delivery capability that places it in direct competition.
- Design and Production Incorporated: Lorton, Virginia-based exhibit design-build and fabrication firm. Direct peer that competes with Explus in custom museum fabrication, interactive exhibits, and government work in the Mid-Atlantic region.
- 1220 Exhibits: Custom exhibit fabrication company serving museums and corporate clients across the United States. Closely comparable to Explus in scope of museum casework, scenic work, and turnkey installation.
- Maltbie (a JRA company): Exhibit fabrication firm now operating under Jack Rouse Associates, providing custom museum fabrication services. Directly comparable to Explus in museum exhibit fabrication and design-build delivery.
- Splitting-Image Studios: Musexhibit-affiliated custom exhibit fabrication company serving museums, science centers, and corporate clients. Comparable to Explus in casework, interactive displays, and full-scope exhibit fabrication.
Broad incumbents
- George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: Large global experiential marketing agency with significant exhibit and event fabrication capabilities. Overlaps with Explus's corporate and brand-experience work but at a far larger scale and broader portfolio.
- MKG (MKG Experience): Experiential marketing and brand activation agency with full custom fabrication capabilities. Adjacent competitor to Explus in corporate exhibit and branded environment work, though typically operating at larger event-driven scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Explus social profiles
Digital presenceExplus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Explus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Explus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Explus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Explus
What does Explus do?
Explus is a custom museum exhibit fabrication company providing end-to-end fabrication services for museums, corporations, and government clients. Its offerings span project management, detailing, scenic and art production, audio-visual systems engineering, electro-mechanical interactive production, artifact mounting, exhibit shipping, and on-site installation, supported by in-house metalworking, graphics, 3D printing, and cabinetmaking capabilities. The company also produces custom and standardized display cases (Custom Artifact Case Construction and the Archive Standard Series) for museums and private collectors.
Is Explus a public or private company?
Explus is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Explus founded?
Explus was founded in 1979. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Explus based?
Explus is headquartered in Sterling, United States, in the North America region.
How does Explus make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Exhibit Fabrication is the primary driver. The others are design-Build Services and 3D Printing Services.
Who are Explus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The NASSAL Company, Hadley Exhibits, Three Spatial Inc., Kubik Inc., Design and Production Incorporated, 1220 Exhibits, Maltbie (a JRA company) and Splitting-Image Studios. Broad incumbents are George P. Johnson Experience Marketing and MKG (MKG Experience).
Does Explus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Explus.
What industry is Explus in?
Explus's product category is Museum Exhibit Fabrication Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAL, Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design. Its NAICS code is 337215 and its SIC code is 2590.