Maxwell Medals & Awards

What Maxwell Medals & Awards does

Maxwell Medals & Awards is a privately held custom medal and award manufacturer founded in 1974 and headquartered at 1296 Business Park Drive, Traverse City, Michigan. The company designs and produces custom medals, plaques, acrylic awards, lapel pins, and recognition accessories for event organizers across the United States, with a primary focus on running and endurance race directors, youth and amateur sports organizations, and academic competitions. Named customers include the TCS New York City Marathon (NYRR), Gasparilla Distance Classic Association (a 43-year partner), Flying Pig Marathon, Detroit Free Press Marathon, Science Olympiad, USTFCCCA, Legacy ATA, Vestavia Hills Soccer Club, and Discover Gymnastics.

The company's core technology centers on die-cast metal medal manufacturing supplemented by UV color printing (the ColorMax process, producing 4mm-thick medals), traditional mechanical engraving, Flexibrass disc engraving, laser engraving on wood (red alder, walnut, bamboo), and acrylic cutting with frosted etching. The product portfolio includes die-cast custom medals (flagship), ColorMax medals, custom insert running medals, acrylic running medals, wood running medals, plaques, acrylic awards, lapel pins, sublimated ribbons, and custom belt buckles. Standard production lead times are 1–2 weeks plus shipping, with rush options available for time-sensitive events.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time custom product sales with per-unit pricing tiers (e.g., $0.40–$0.60 for laser labels, $2.00–$7.00 for premium medals), volume discounts, and modest setup fees (~$25) for sub-threshold orders. The go-to-market is consultative direct-to-buyer: customers initiate via website quote request forms or a toll-free number (800-331-1383), with inside sales associates guiding design and order specifications. Marketing is content-led (blog, gated downloadable guides, HubSpot-powered email nurture), supplemented by Google and Facebook remarketing and SEO-optimized product category pages. There is no reseller or third-party retail channel; all sales are direct. The company is led by CEO Sharon Janis Rochford.

Name

Maxwell Medals & Awards

Legal name

Maxwell Medals & Awards

Website

https://maxmedals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maxwell Medals & Awards is a US-based custom medal and award manufacturer founded in 1974, serving race directors, youth sports organizations, and academic competitions nationwide with die-cast, acrylic, and wood medals plus plaques, lapel pins, and accessories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Awards & Recognition Manufacturing

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (33991), Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Collectibles (Non-Card) Retail (e.g., coins, pins, figurines) (CRAMAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Customized & Personalized Fan Gear Retail (CRAMAOAJ), Custom Printing & Decoration Services (Screen Print, Embroidery, Laser) (BPAFAMAL)

Keywords

• Custom medal manufacturing
• Awards and recognition
• Lapel pin production
• Event awards supplier
• Trophy manufacturer

Headquarters

HQ city

Traverse City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Medal Sales: Maxwell Medals & Awards generates revenue primarily through the manufacture and sale of custom medals and awards. Customers order bespoke medals tailored to their events, with pricing varying by material (die cast, acrylic, wood, ColorMax), size, customization complexity, and quantity. This is a one-time product sale model with per-unit pricing tiers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Maxwell Medals & Awards manufactures and sells custom medals, plaques, acrylic awards, and lapel pins primarily for event organizers and organizations. The core offering is custom die-cast medals produced in virtually any shape, size, or design, with personalization options including UV color printing, mechanical engraving, Flexibrass discs, and laser labels. The company also supplies complementary recognition products and sublimated ribbons, with orders placed directly through its website or via toll-free consultative phone sales.

Product overview

Maxwell Medals & Awards is a medal manufacturer and supplier offering a comprehensive portfolio of custom awards and recognition products. The core offering centers on custom medals, which include die-cast medals as the flagship product, supplemented by ColorMax medals (die-cast with UV color printing), custom acrylic running medals, wood running medals, and custom insert running medals. Beyond medals, the company offers plaques, acrylic awards, and lapel pins as parallel product lines. Add-on services include engraving and personalization (traditional engraving, Flexibrass discs, laser labels, UV color printing), and complementary accessories such as stock sublimated ribbons and custom neck ribbons. The company also provides alternative award products including custom belt buckles. The product architecture functions as a catalog of customizable award items with materials ranging from metal/die-cast to acrylic and wood, where customers collaborate with design experts to create personalized awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Medals Die-cast custom medals manufactured in virtually any shape, size, and design for event organizers, sports tournaments, and organizations. Flagship product with features such as 3D sculpting, cityscapes, portraits, multiple levels, cut-outs, moving parts, and color options.
• ColorMax Medals Extra-thick 4mm die-cast medals with full UV color printing allowing virtually unlimited colors at an affordable price point. Available in 2.5" and 3" round or square shapes with shiny gold, silver, or bronze finishes.
• Custom Acrylic Running Medals Modern alternative to traditional cast medals produced in virtually any size or shape with frosted etching, full-color UV printing, or both. Designed for 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, triathlon, trail run, fun run, and road race events.
• Wood Running Medals Eco-conscious wood medallions produced from red alder, walnut, or bamboo with laser-engraved custom designs and optional color printing or vinyl foils. Targeted at outdoor events, trail runs, and nature-themed races.
• Custom Insert Running Medals Affordable finisher medals featuring color-printed or Flexibrass inserts in standard die-cast medal holders. Available with spinner, cut-out stars, and laurel wreath holder styles in gold, silver, and bronze finishes.
• Plaques Full-color plaques with UV printing technology featuring photos, graphics, text, and logos in various sizes and styles for individual or team recognition in sports, corporate, academic, and artistic events.
• Acrylic Awards High-quality acrylic awards cut into virtually any shape with full-color designs, logos, event themes, or individual names. Lightweight, durable construction suitable for desk, wall, or shelf display.
• Lapel Pins Custom lapel pins in classic gold or silver finishes to colorful enamel designs, used for academic excellence, years of service, or team participation recognition.
• Stock Sublimated Ribbons Pre-made sublimated neck ribbons in 7/8" x 32" size available in various colors and themes including baseball, basketball, dance, football, gymnastics, hockey, martial arts, soccer, and running distances.
• Custom Belt Buckles Premium wearable custom belt buckles particularly popular for obstacle and endurance races and equestrian events, customizable with engraving or printing.
• Custom Neck Ribbons Custom sublimated neck ribbons for medals featuring additional branding or sponsor logos to help promote events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Events using high-quality custom medals from Maxwell report increased participant satisfaction and social media engagement, with some events noting that medal quality influences registration decisions.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Feature6 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Trophy Depot: Online retailer of custom trophies, medals, plaques, and awards serving schools, sports leagues, and event organizers. Directly comparable because they sell customizable medals with engraving and personalization options to the same sports and event customer base.
• Beacon Athletics: US-based manufacturer and supplier of custom athletic awards, medals, trophies, and plaques to schools, leagues, and tournament organizers. Directly comparable to Maxwell because both specialize in custom athletic recognition products sold to sports event organizers.
• Custom Medals Direct: Online custom medal manufacturer producing die-cast, color-printed, and insert medals for races, tournaments, and corporate events. Directly comparable because they serve the same running/sports event customer base with similar die-cast medal products and personalization methods.
• Awards Inc: Custom awards, medals, plaques, and trophies manufacturer serving corporate, athletic, and event customers. Closely comparable to Maxwell because both produce made-to-order recognition products with similar customization methods (engraving, color printing) for races, tournaments, and corporate buyers.
• PlaqueMaker: Online direct-to-consumer retailer of custom plaques, awards, signs, and recognition products. Comparable to Maxwell because both sell customizable awards online with design tools and ship finished recognition products to event organizers and organizations.
• Hip Sports Awards: Online custom medal and award manufacturer specializing in youth sports, running events, and tournaments. Closely comparable to Maxwell because both produce made-to-order medals with multiple material options (metal, acrylic, insert) sold direct to race directors and youth sports organizers.

Broad incumbents

• Crown Trophy: Largest US franchise network of awards, trophies, plaques, and medals with hundreds of locations. Directly comparable because they offer custom medals and recognition products to sports and corporate buyers, but operate as a broad incumbent across many award categories rather than specializing in race/event medals.
• EverythingBranded: Global promotional products and branded merchandise supplier offering custom medals and awards as part of a much wider portfolio. Comparable because they overlap in custom medals and recognition merchandise, but compete as a broad incumbent across all promotional categories rather than specializing in event awards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/maxwellmedals
• Facebookfacebook.com/maxwellmedals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maxwell-medals-awards

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Maxwell Medals & Awards