PlaqueMaker
PlaqueMaker is a U.S. direct-to-consumer e-commerce manufacturer founded in 1999 that designs and ships custom-engraved plaques, awards, signs, name plates, memorials, and personalized gifts to corporate, government, education, and individual consumers from a single Fortville, Indiana facility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersFortville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What PlaqueMaker does
PlaqueMaker is a privately held U.S. direct-to-consumer e-commerce company, founded in 1999 and operating from a single facility in Fortville, Indiana, that designs, manufactures, and ships custom-engraved plaques, awards, signs, name plates, name tags, memorials, and personalized gifts. Its catalog spans roughly 60 active SKUs across six categories (plaques, plates/tags, signs, awards, memorials, and gifts) and supports a wide material range — aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel, titanium, glass, acrylic, granite, marble, cherry, walnut, rosewood, and bamboo — with customization executed via five in-house production methods: laser engraving, UV color printing, sublimation, laser fusing, and frosted engraving.
The underlying platform is a custom-manufacturing e-commerce storefront rather than a software product: orders are placed through the website (or by email, including for government buyers via SAM registration), free digital proofs are returned within one business day for customer approval, and most orders ship within 1–2 business days after proof sign-off. Internally, professionally-trained graphic designers and craftspeople manage every aspect of customer designs, and artwork files are retained on record to enable reorder matching. Pricing is unit-based with broad AOV distribution (entry aluminum plaques from $11.99, mid-range metal and glass pieces $30–$600, premium custom work up to $2,292), supplemented by free shipping on U.S. orders over $99, free engraving and one piece of artwork on most items, quantity discounts on bulk orders, and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee.
The business model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce with selective enterprise exposure: primary customer segments are corporate recognition (employee of the month, retirement, years of service, patents, perpetual awards), education, memorial and funeral services, and individual consumers seeking personalized gifts, with incremental government and military demand accessed through federal SAM registration and international demand through shipping to 28+ countries. Marketing relies on organic channels — the company website, Facebook, Instagram, BBB accreditation, and a resource center of educational guides — with no disclosed paid acquisition, external funding, partnerships, or M&A activity.
PlaqueMaker firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PlaqueMaker
- Legal name
- PlaqueMaker
- Website
- https://plaquemaker.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- PlaqueMaker is a U.S. direct-to-consumer e-commerce manufacturer founded in 1999 that designs and ships custom-engraved plaques, awards, signs, name plates, memorials, and personalized gifts to corporate, government, education, and individual consumers from a single Fortville, Indiana facility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PlaqueMaker industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Recognition Products
- NAICS
- Sign Manufacturing (339950)
- SIC
- Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Prepress, Plate-Making & Artwork Services (IMALAKAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty & Functional Labels (Linerless, RFID/NFC, Braille, Smart) (IMALAKAK)
Keywords
Where PlaqueMaker is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fortville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PlaqueMaker business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Plaques and Awards: One-time product sales of custom-engraved plaques, awards, signs, name plates, memorials, and personalized gifts. Products range from budget-friendly options ($11.99) to premium custom pieces ($2,292+). Revenue is generated through individual and bulk orders with quantity discounts available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level aluminum plaques starting at $11.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range laser engraved and specialty material plaques ($25-$500) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium custom plaques and specialty items ($500+) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
PlaqueMaker product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PlaqueMaker designs, manufactures, and sells custom-made personalized plaques, awards, name plates, name tags, signs, memorials, and gift items through its own e-commerce website. All products are made-to-order at the company's single Fortville, Indiana facility using laser engraving, UV color printing, sublimation, laser fusing, and frosted engraving across materials such as aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel, titanium, glass, acrylic, granite, and various woods. Customers configure products online, receive a free digital proof within one business day for approval, and orders ship within one to two business days of proof approval, with free shipping on orders over $99 within the contiguous U.S. and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee.
Product overview
PlaqueMaker is a custom manufacturing e-commerce platform specializing in personalized recognition, award, memorial, and identification products. The platform operates as a multi-category portfolio of customizable products organized around six core product lines: (1) Plaques including aluminum, laser-engraved metal, granite, glass, titanium, bronze, brass, copper, stainless steel, wood (cherry, walnut, bamboo, rosewood), and acrylic variants, plus specialty plaques for patents, retirement, military, and newspaper preservation; (2) Name Plates and Name Tags in aluminum, plastic, glass, granite, and stainless steel for office, cubicle, desk, and badge applications; (3) Signs in aluminum, stainless steel, brass, bronze, copper, plastic, bamboo, slate, and acrylic for address, garden, outdoor, ADA compliance, and decorative uses; (4) Awards in acrylic (economy and diamond shapes), glass (standing crystal, royal diamond, octagon, faceted), granite, bamboo, and stainless steel; (5) Memorials including granite and bronze headstones, dog memorials, crosses, and urns; and (6) Personalized Gifts including accessories, clocks, drinkware, paperweights, photo gifts, mugs, ornaments, tumblers, and water bottles. The company offers four primary customization methods: laser engraving, UV color printing, sublimation, and laser fusing. All products are made-to-order with free digital proofs, free engraving on most items, free logo inclusion, and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Plaques Made-to-order personalized plaques for corporate, government, education, memorial, and personal recognition, available across metal, wood, stone, glass, and acrylic materials with laser engraving, UV color printing, sublimation, or laser fusing finishes.
- Custom Name Plates Personalized office, cubicle, desk, and table tent name plates printed or engraved on aluminum, crystal/glass, granite, acrylic, and wood substrates for professional workplace identification.
- Custom Name Tags Personalized wearable name tags in full color aluminum, engraved plastic, stainless steel, and laser-engraved black aluminum for staff, event, and conference identification.
- Custom Signs Custom signage in aluminum, stainless steel, brass, bronze, copper, plastic, and additional materials for indoor and outdoor applications including address, garden, ADA, and decorative uses.
- Custom Awards Custom-shaped crystal, glass, granite, bamboo, economy acrylic, and stainless steel awards offered as economy shapes, royal diamond glass, standing crystal, granite, and stainless steel award styles for premium recognition.
- Custom Memorials Custom granite and bronze headstones, granite dog memorials, and granite crosses laser engraved with photos, names, and personalized messages for pet and human tributes.
- Personalized Gifts Personalized gift items covering engraved leather keychains, rosewood desk clocks, granite coasters, jade glass paperweights, wood picture frames, travel tumblers, water bottles, coffee mugs, and ornaments for personal gifting and home decor.
Companies that use PlaqueMaker
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
PlaqueMaker technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
PlaqueMaker partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
PlaqueMaker competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- VistaPrint: Large-scale printing and marketing products platform offering custom signs, name plates, and business identification products. Significantly larger than PlaqueMaker in scale and marketing spend, with overlapping corporate/SMB customer base but a much broader product portfolio.
Direct peers
- CafePress: Online custom products marketplace offering personalized gifts, drinkware, and engraved items. Competes with PlaqueMaker's personalized gift and consumer categories with a marketplace/print-on-demand model.
- Awards.com: Online-focused retailer of custom trophies, plaques, and corporate recognition products. Competes head-to-head with PlaqueMaker in the same price range and customer base, offering custom engraving across similar materials with e-commerce ordering.
- Quality Logo Products: Custom promotional products company offering engraved plaques, awards, and recognition items alongside a much broader swag catalog. Overlaps with PlaqueMaker in custom plaque/award SKUs and the corporate recognition buyer.
- Signs.com: Direct-to-consumer custom sign manufacturer with online configurator and centralized production. Closest comparison point to PlaqueMaker's sign product line (aluminum, plastic, metal signs) with comparable B2B/B2C mix and online-only fulfillment model.
- BuildASign: Online custom sign and decal manufacturer offering aluminum, metal, and plastic signs with custom printing. Competes directly with PlaqueMaker's sign catalog, serving both consumers and businesses with a similar e-commerce-first model.
- Discount Mugs: Custom promotional products company offering engraved mugs, drinkware, and gifts at scale. Directly overlaps with PlaqueMaker's engraved tumblers, mugs, and water bottles, serving similar SMB and corporate buyers.
- Personalization Mall: Online retailer specializing in custom personalized gifts, awards, and home decor with engraving and sublimation capabilities. Directly competes in PlaqueMaker's personalized gifting and drinkware/accessories categories with similar direct-to-consumer positioning.
- Crown Trophy: Largest franchise network in North America for awards, trophies, plaques, and engraved recognition products. Operates in the same product categories as PlaqueMaker (plaques, awards, signs, name plates, engraving) with overlapping customer segments in corporate, education, and sports recognition.
Emerging players
- Shutterfly: Large-scale custom photo gifts and personalized products platform. Overlaps with PlaqueMaker's photo gifts, picture frames, and engraved personalized items at the consumer occasion-gifting end of the market, though with a print-first rather than engraving-first production base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PlaqueMaker social profiles
Digital presencePlaqueMaker compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
PlaqueMaker financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PlaqueMaker leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
PlaqueMaker funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PlaqueMaker 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 PlaqueMaker
What does PlaqueMaker do?
PlaqueMaker designs, manufactures, and sells custom-made personalized plaques, awards, name plates, name tags, signs, memorials, and gift items through its own e-commerce website. All products are made-to-order at the company's single Fortville, Indiana facility using laser engraving, UV color printing, sublimation, laser fusing, and frosted engraving across materials such as aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel, titanium, glass, acrylic, granite, and various woods. Customers configure products online, receive a free digital proof within one business day for approval, and orders ship within one to two business days of proof approval, with free shipping on orders over $99 within the contiguous U.S. and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee.
Is PlaqueMaker a public or private company?
PlaqueMaker is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PlaqueMaker founded?
PlaqueMaker was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is PlaqueMaker based?
PlaqueMaker is headquartered in Fortville, United States, in the North America region.
How does PlaqueMaker make money?
One revenue line is on record: custom Plaques and Awards.
Who are PlaqueMaker's main competitors?
VistaPrint is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are CafePress, Awards.com, Quality Logo Products, Signs.com, BuildASign, Discount Mugs, Personalization Mall and Crown Trophy. Shutterfly is listed as an emerging player.
Does PlaqueMaker have an API?
No public API is recorded for PlaqueMaker.
What industry is PlaqueMaker in?
PlaqueMaker's product category is Custom Recognition Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAKAM, Prepress, Plate-Making & Artwork Services, with a secondary code of IMALAKAK, Specialty & Functional Labels (Linerless, RFID/NFC, Braille, Smart). Its NAICS code is 339950 and its SIC code is 3470.