CEI

What CEI does

CEI (Communication Exhibits, Inc.) is a third-generation, privately owned design-build firm founded in 1977 that operates as both an experience studio and a fabrication shop under one roof in Canal Fulton, Ohio. The company designs and fabricates custom trade show exhibits (compact 10x10 to multi-level modular builds), branded environments (museums, corporate interiors, universities, houses of worship), and live event spaces (customer events, sales meetings, roadshows, hospitality) for enterprise clients. In-house capabilities span design, engineering, woodworking, metal fabrication, large-format graphics production (Oce 5'x10' UV flatbed), interactive production, AV, logistics, and warehouse-based program management. Customer logos span Goodyear, J.M. Smucker, TimkenSteel, Diebold Nixdorf, American Greetings, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, Spangler Candy, Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Hawken School, among others.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based professional-services fees for design, fabrication, and installation, supplemented by managed-services revenue from multi-show program management and warehousing. Multi-year contracts and a direct enterprise field-sales motion, with RFP intake, dominate the go-to-market. Pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed, varying by exhibit size, complexity, materials, and integrated interactive technology. The company has added a proprietary software layer — BizBOOK (cloud-based ECM with content analytics and lead management), a Virtual 3D Event Platform built on 3D WebGL, Interactive Virtual Navigation (IVN), and an AR-driven Sales Enablement Tools Suite — positioning it to capture recurring software-adjacent revenue beyond traditional fabrication.

CEI operates from its Ohio headquarters with additional warehouse/distribution capacity in Las Vegas and a sales office in Nashville, serving a North America-only customer base. The company employs 101-250 people, has no outside institutional ownership, has not raised funding, and has no disclosed M&A history. The 2020 COVID-19 disruption catalyzed the build-out of the virtual-event and software-enablement offerings, which now complement the core physical-fabrication business under a unified studio-shop model.

Name

CEI

Legal name

Communication Exhibits, Inc.

Website

https://ceilink.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CEI is a third-generation, family-owned design-build firm that designs and fabricates custom trade show exhibits, branded environments, and live events for enterprise clients, with in-house woodworking, metal fabrication, graphics, and proprietary sales-enablement software.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show & Exhibit Design Services

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (541420)

SIC

Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Show & Exhibition Marketing (Booth Design/Build) (MPAAAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Exhibitions, Trade Shows & Booth Management (HSACADAH), Modular & Portable Display Systems (Pop-Ups, Tension Fabric, Kits) (THAHAHAC), Booth Maintenance, Refurbishment & Reuse Programs (THAHAHAM), Virtual Trade Shows & Expos (Digital Booths, Lead Capture) (MPAGAOAB)

Keywords

• Custom trade show exhibits
• Branded environment design
• Museum exhibit fabrication
• Experiential marketing services
• Exhibit program management

Headquarters

HQ city

Canal Fulton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Exhibit Design and Fabrication: Design and build custom trade show exhibits, museum exhibits, corporate interiors, and event environments. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for design, engineering, fabrication, and installation services.
2. Interactive and Digital Production: Production of interactive experiences including touchscreen, VR, AR, LED wall, and interactive game experiences. Includes software development and content creation services.
3. Program Management and Warehousing: Ongoing program management for multi-show exhibit programs and secure exhibit storage across climate-controlled and ambient spaces with inventory tracking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CEI designs and fabricates custom trade show exhibits, branded environments (museums, corporate interiors, universities, houses of worship), and live event environments for enterprise B2B clients. The company operates an integrated studio and fabrication shop with in-house woodworking, metal fabrication, large-format graphics, interactive production (touchscreen, VR, AR, LED walls), and proprietary software including BizBOOK, a Virtual 3D Event Platform, Interactive Virtual Navigation (IVN), and a Sales Enablement Tools Suite.

Product overview

CEI (Communication Exhibits, Inc.) is a third-generation, privately owned exhibition company founded in 1977 that operates as both a studio and fabrication shop under one roof. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services centered on trade show exhibits (custom, modular, and portable), branded environments (museums, corporate interiors, universities, houses of worship), and live events (customer events, sales meetings, roadshows, hospitality). Their in-house capabilities span strategic planning, design, engineering, creative development, carpentry, metal fabrication, graphics production, interactive production, video production, logistics, warehousing, and program/project management. CEI also offers proprietary technology products including BizBOOK (a cloud-based ECM platform for content management and lead capture available on Apple and Android), a Virtual 3D Event Platform (3D WebGL-based virtual events), Interactive Virtual Navigation (IVN), and a broader Sales Enablement Tools Suite combining AR, VR, video, and virtual exhibit solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trade Show Exhibits Custom, modular, and portable trade show exhibit design and fabrication serving compact 10x10 spaces to large multi-level exhibits, incorporating architecture, materials, lighting, graphics, and digital engagement elements for enterprise B2B clients.
• Branded Environments
• Live Events Branded event environments including customer events, sales meetings, roadshows, and hospitality spaces designed to connect people and leave lasting impressions.
• BizBOOK Cloud-Based Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software platform that provides full control of content organization, sharing, team activity tracking, and key analytics, available on Apple and Android devices.
• Virtual 3D Event Platform Web-based internet platform using 3D WebGL technology and custom content management system for virtual event experiences, designed to build brand awareness, engage attendees with 3D exhibits, and drive lead generation.
• Sales Enablement Tools Suite Suite of interactive sales tools including Interactive Virtual Navigation (IVN), Augmented Reality (AR), Video, Matterport, Virtual Event, Virtual Exhibit, and BizBOOK solutions designed to advance buyers in the sales process and improve close rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• VR increases dwell time on trade show floor by over 100% compared to average 7-minute dwell time
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Freeman: Freeman is the largest full-service brand experience company in North America, providing trade show exhibits, events, and digital experiences. Directly comparable to CEI across core booth design-build, event production, and integrated experiential services, but at significantly greater scale.
• GES (Global Experience Specialists): GES designs and builds custom trade show exhibits, manages event logistics, and provides exhibitor services worldwide. Closely matches CEI's core trade show exhibit business and program management capabilities, operating at a larger scale across global event venues.
• MC2: MC2 is an award-winning exhibit and event agency that designs, fabricates, and manages custom exhibits and brand experiences. Directly comparable to CEI in custom trade show exhibit design, fabrication, and integrated experiential marketing for enterprise clients.
• Moss: Moss is a brand experience company specializing in custom trade show exhibits, environments, and event solutions. Comparable to CEI in custom fabrication, modular exhibits, and integrated program management for B2B marketers.
• Czarnowski: Czarnowski is a full-service exhibit and event marketing company providing design, fabrication, and program management. Directly comparable to CEI's end-to-end trade show exhibit business and long-term program management offerings.
• Sparks: Sparks is a global brand experience agency designing exhibits, events, and digital experiences for enterprise clients. Comparable to CEI in the integration of physical fabrication and interactive/digital technologies for trade shows and corporate events.
• 3D Exhibits: 3D Exhibits is a trade show exhibit design and fabrication house serving enterprise clients across industries. Closely matches CEI's core business of custom exhibit design-build, interactive elements, and program management.
• Hill & Partners: Hill & Partners is a custom exhibit house providing design, fabrication, and exhibit management services. Directly comparable to CEI in custom trade show exhibit production and rental/refurbishment programs.
• The Trade Group: The Trade Group designs and fabricates custom trade show exhibits, branded environments, and corporate events. Comparable to CEI in mid-sized custom exhibit design-build and integrated event environments.

Broad incumbents

• Skyline Exhibits: Skyline Exhibits is a large global network providing modular, portable, and custom trade show exhibits through a franchise dealer model. Overlaps with CEI's modular and portable exhibit offerings but is broader and more standardized, with a dealer-driven distribution model rather than CEI's direct enterprise sales approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ceilink_
• YouTubevimeo.com/ceilink
• Facebookfacebook.com/ceilink
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/communication-exhibits-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/ceilink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 CEI