Central Graphics

What Central Graphics does

Central Graphics, Inc. is a privately held, Minority & Woman owned sign and large-format graphics production company founded in 1995 by President Dave Soulsby and his wife, CFO/VP Asha Soulsby, headquartered in Akron, Ohio. The firm operates from a single production facility at 924 Home Ave., Akron, with 11-50 employees, and has grown from a single vinyl cutting plotter operation into a multi-wide-format-printer business offering end-to-end visual communication services. Its portfolio spans traditional signage (channel letters, monument signs, electric/LED signs, window graphics, banners including fabric/SEG and building/mesh), large-format wraps (vehicle and fleet wraps, bus wraps, wall wraps and murals, specialty wraps on non-standard surfaces such as blimps, utility boxes, and escalators), environmental graphics, and in-house illustration and design services. Materials are sourced from major suppliers including 3M, Mactac, and Avery, with LED signs rated at 100,000 hours of life under a 5-year warranty.

The company sells primarily through a quote-based, project-driven motion: a direct field sales team led by Director of Sales Joe Kist meets with clients weekly, supplemented by website quote requests and phone consultations. Revenue is generated through one-time project fees for production plus professional-services revenue for design and installation, with no public pricing or e-commerce self-service. Customer mix spans enterprise accounts (Cleveland Cavaliers, Browns, Monsters, Gladiators, Charge, Live Nation, Blossom Music Center, Goodyear blimp, Denver Broncos, City of Cleveland), institutional clients (Ohio State University Athletics, University of Akron, Kent State, Mount Union, Old Trail School), government (Portage County Office of Homeland Security), healthcare facilities, and SMBs across six primary verticals: schools and universities, healthcare communities, events, construction, retail, and sports. The geographic footprint is concentrated in Akron/Cleveland/Northeast Ohio with selective national reach for larger enterprise projects. The firm has no external investors, no parent company, no disclosed M&A, no funding rounds, and no AI/ML capabilities in its offering.

Name

Central Graphics

Legal name

Central Graphics, Inc.

Website

https://centralgraphicsgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Central Graphics is an Akron, Ohio-based sign and large-format graphics producer founded in 1995, offering design, print, and installation of vehicle wraps, wall murals, LED signs, banners, and specialty wraps. It serves enterprise, institutional, and SMB clients across sports, healthcare, education, events, construction, and retail verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Signage and Graphics Production

NAICS

Sign Manufacturing (33995), Sign Manufacturing (339950), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850), Graphic Design Services (541430), Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111)

SIC

Commercial Printing (2750), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Large-Format & Specialty Printing (Signage, Posters, Displays) (MPAJALAD)

Keywords

• Custom signage production
• Large format printing
• Vehicle wrap services
• Environmental graphics
• Commercial sign fabrication

Headquarters

HQ city

Cuyahoga Falls

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, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Sign & Graphics Production: Project-based custom sign and graphics fabrication including channel letters, electric signs, banners, vehicle wraps, wall wraps, environmental graphics, and specialty wraps. Revenue generated through one-time project fees based on scope, materials, and installation requirements.
2. Design Services: Creative branding, graphic design, illustration, and visual communication services bundled with production or as standalone consulting.
3. Installation Services: Professional installation of signage and graphics included with product delivery, ensuring quality execution from concept to completion.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Central Graphics designs, prints, fabricates, and installs custom signs, vehicle wraps, environmental graphics, banners, wall murals, window graphics, channel letters, and LED signs for businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, sports teams, and commercial property owners. The full-service offering covers creative illustration and graphic design, large-format digital printing on vinyl and fabric substrates, fabrication of structural signage, and on-site professional installation.

Product overview

Central Graphics offers a comprehensive portfolio of sign and graphics solutions organized into four main categories: Large Format Wraps (blimp wraps, specialty wraps, vehicle wraps & fleets, bus wraps, wall wraps & murals), Signage (channel letters, electric signs, signs, environmental graphics), Banners (vinyl banners, fabric & SEG printing, building & mesh banners), and Creative Services (illustration & design, window graphics). The company provides end-to-end solutions from creative branding and graphic design through print production and professional installation, serving industries including schools, healthcare, events, construction, retail, and sports. Founded in 1995, the company has grown from a small sign shop with a single vinyl cutting plotter to a national graphics provider with multiple wide format printers, while remaining true to its core mission of creating memorable customer experiences through visual brand storytelling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Signs Custom fabricated signage produced for businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, commercial properties, and other organizations across Northeast Ohio and the broader U.S.
• Vehicle Wraps and Fleet Graphics Custom printed and installed vehicle wraps for individual vehicles and full commercial fleets, used by businesses, sports franchises, and brand activation programs.
• Environmental Graphics Custom environmental graphics for interior and exterior spaces, including healthcare facilities, schools, commercial properties, and event venues.
• Wall Wraps and Murals Large-format wall wraps and murals installed in commercial, healthcare, educational, and sports environments for branded interior spaces.
• Banners Custom printed banners for events, retail promotions, sports venues, and construction sites.
• Building and Mesh Banners Large-scale building wraps and mesh banners applied to commercial building exteriors and construction façades.
• Fabric and SEG Printing Custom printed fabric graphics and SEG (silicone edge gasket) frame systems for retail, events, and interior branded spaces.
• Window Graphics Custom printed window graphics for retail storefronts, commercial offices, and branded environments.
• Channel Letters and Electric Signs Illuminated channel letters and electric signage for commercial building exteriors and storefronts.
• LED Signs LED-illuminated signage systems for commercial exteriors and high-visibility applications.
• Specialty Wraps (Blimp Wraps and Bus Wraps) Specialty oversized wraps for blimps, buses, and other unique high-visibility assets, produced for sports franchises, entertainment venues, and brand activations.
• Illustration and Graphic Design Services In-house creative design and illustration services supporting client projects from concept through production-ready artwork.
• Sign Installation Services On-site professional installation of finished signs, wraps, and graphics at client locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vehicle advertising generates 30,000-70,000 daily impressions per vehicle
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Image360: Franchised sign and graphics provider offering design, production, and installation services similar to Central Graphics' full-service model across signage, vehicle wraps, and environmental graphics.
• Signarama: Largest sign and graphics franchise network globally. Competes head-to-head with Central Graphics in custom signs, vehicle wraps, and banners for SMB and mid-market customers across the U.S.
• Allegra Marketing Print Mail: Franchised marketing and print services network offering signage, banners, vehicle graphics, and design services. Directly comparable for SMB and mid-market commercial printing/signage customers.
• FASTSIGNS: Franchised sign and graphics producer with hundreds of locations offering channel letters, vehicle wraps, banners, and installation. Directly comparable to Central Graphics across virtually every product category, with the key difference being FASTSIGNS' franchise scale and brand.
• SpeedPro Imaging: Franchised large-format printing specialist focused on vehicle wraps, wall murals, banners, and event graphics. Closest direct comparable to Central Graphics' large-format wrap business.
• PIP Printing & Marketing Services: Franchised printing and signage provider with similar product mix (signs, banners, vehicle graphics) and project-based revenue model targeting small and mid-sized businesses.

Broad incumbents

• YESCO: Large established sign manufacturer specializing in monumental and electric signage, including LED message centers. Comparable to Central Graphics' electric-sign and large-format capability, but operating at significantly larger scale with national scope.
• Clear Channel Outdoor: Global outdoor advertising operator with static and digital billboard networks. Adjacent comparable for outdoor advertising demand dynamics that drive Central Graphics' customers' spending.
• Lamar Advertising: Public outdoor advertising company owning billboards, transit, and digital displays nationwide. Adjacent rather than direct — competes for the same advertising dollars but operates an owned-media OOH model rather than custom graphics production.
• Vistaprint (Cimpress): Large-scale online printing and signage platform serving SMBs. Not a direct competitor on custom/installation work, but competes for transactional printing and basic signage spend that Central Graphics addresses through its quote-based SMB channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CentralGraphic1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Central Graphics