CEI

What CEI does

CEI (Cypress Events, Inc.) is a privately held event production services company founded in 1979 and headquartered at 4157 St. Louis St. in New Orleans, Louisiana. The company provides turnkey production services for festivals, concerts, business conventions, trade shows, and special events across the Gulf South region, serving event organizers, corporate clients, non-profit organizations, and government entities. CEI has produced the Crescent City Classic annually since 2000 and counts among its clients the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, NFL/New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans, Live Nation, House of Blues, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nike, Sony, and Anheuser-Busch.

The company's core offering centers on three integrated production capabilities housed at a single Mid-City New Orleans warehouse: mobile hydraulic staging (Stageline SL-250 with 32'x24' covered play area and 8,000 lb rigging capacity, and Stageline SL-100 all-aluminum unit with 24'x20' play area and 6,500 lb capacity, plus Staging Dimensions modular 4'x4' platforms rated to 2,300 lbs per module); professional audio production with state-of-the-art sound boards, PA systems, monitors, microphones, and duplicate backup equipment supported by 30+ years of in-house engineering experience; and on-site power generation via MQ Power Whisperwatt Ultra-Silent generators providing up to 100 kW per unit with soundproof housing and 24-hour fuel capacity. The company also supplies rigging, arena performance lighting, props, decorations, event design services, and technical crew, scaling from events of 500 to audiences of 15,000+.

CEI generates revenue through project-based, quote-driven engagements. Pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed; prospective clients submit an inquiry form capturing event date, location, type, and size, and CEI prepares individualized proposals. The company does not employ multi-tier SaaS or subscription pricing; each engagement is a discrete services contract combining equipment rental, crew, and production consulting. GTM is enterprise field sales targeting event organizers and corporate buyers directly, with no intermediaries, resellers, or digital marketing channels apparent. CEI is led by President Keith Williams with Janet Mathis also serving as a key contact, and ownership appears to remain with founder/management with no disclosed external investors or funding rounds.

Name

CEI

Legal name

Cypress Events, Inc.

Website

https://cypress-nola.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CEI (Cypress Events, Inc.) is a New Orleans-based, privately held event production services company founded in 1979 that provides mobile staging, audio, power generation, and technical crew for festivals, concerts, conventions, and corporate events across the Gulf South.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Production Services

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Production & Technical Services (AV/Lighting/Staging) (MPAAAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

Keywords

• Event production services
• Mobile stage rental
• Audio visual equipment
• Event staging solutions
• Onsite generator power

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Event Production Services: Project-based revenue from providing complete production services and equipment rental for private, public, and corporate events including festivals, concerts, business conventions, trade shows, and special events. Revenue is generated through equipment rental, technical crew services, and event design/production consulting. Services scale from audiences of 500 to 15,000+ people.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

CEI provides complete event production services and equipment rental for festivals, concerts, business conventions, trade shows, and special events. The company delivers mobile staging, professional audio systems, on-site power generation, event design, props, decorations, and technical crew support — all from a single warehouse facility in Mid-City New Orleans. Production capabilities scale from intimate indoor environments to outdoor events accommodating up to 15,000 attendees.

Product overview

CEI (Cypress Events, Inc.) is an event production company established in 1979 offering a unified portfolio of equipment rental and production services. The core offering includes mobile hydraulic staging (Stageline SL-250 and SL-100), portable staging systems, professional audio equipment with engineering support, and generator power services (MQ Power Whisperwatt series). These products and services work together to provide complete event production capabilities for audiences up to 15,000 people at festivals, concerts, conventions, trade shows, and special events in the Gulf South region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stageline SL-250 Mobile Hydraulic Stage Rental A 32'x24' covered play area mobile hydraulic stage with a permanent 2" pipe grid capable of handling up to 8,000 lb of sound, lights, and banners, with approximately 2-hour setup time. Designed for outdoor festivals, concerts, and large-scale events in the Gulf South region.
• Stageline SL-100 Mobile Hydraulic Stage Rental An all-aluminum mobile unit with a minimum 24'x20' covered play area featuring fully hydraulic stage set-up, total rigging capacity of 6,500 lb, configurable from bandshell to full-size, with approximately 30-minute setup time.
• Portable Modular Staging Systems Modular 4'x4' platforms capable of holding up to 2,300 lbs per module, customizable for riser height, guardrails, stairs, and skirting configurations. Used for displays, performances, bands, choirs, orchestras, octagon staging, choir risers, fashion show runways, and raised flooring systems at indoor and outdoor events.
• Portable Multi-Purpose Booths and Structures Portable booths and structures for festivals, conventions, and concerts.
• Audio Equipment and Engineering Services Professional state-of-the-art sound equipment including sound boards, PAs, monitors, and microphones with duplicate equipment on hand for on-the-spot emergencies, supported by over 30 years of experienced sound engineers. Delivers touring-quality audio for large festivals or intimate indoor environments.
• Generator Power Services On-site generator power using MQ Power Whisperwatt Ultra-Silent series units providing up to 100 kW per unit with automatic voltage regulators, soundproof housing, advanced cooling system, integrated 24-hour fuel tank system, and environmentally safe fluid containment. Serves events of all sizes with no job too big or too small.
• Event Production Services Complete production services for festivals, concerts, business conventions, trade shows, and special events. Includes mobile staging, full-range PA systems for audiences up to 15,000 people, arena performance lighting, rigging equipment, expert technical crews, event design, props, decorations, and soft goods. Production scales from intimate events to major festivals.

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Stageline Mobile Hydraulic StagescoreTechnology or IntegrationCEI partners with Stageline as a provider of professional mobile hydraulic staging solutions. The company utilizes Stageline SL-250 and SL-100 mobile stages for client events, offering quick setup times (30 minutes to 2 hours) and substantial rigging capacities (6,500-8,000 lbs).
• Staging DimensionscoreTechnology or IntegrationCEI partners with Staging Dimensions to provide professional portable staging systems and deck solutions for indoor and outdoor events. The partnership offers modular 4'x4' platforms supporting up to 2,300 lbs per module.
• MQ PowercoreTechnology or IntegrationCEI uses MQ Power Whisperwatt Ultra-Silent series generators for on-site power generation. These generators provide up to 100 kW per unit with features including automatic voltage regulators, soundproof housing, and integrated 24-hour fuel tanks.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• GES (Global Experience Specialists): GES provides exhibition, event, and trade show services including custom exhibits, AV, signage, and on-site logistics. Comparable to CEI for convention, trade show, and exhibition production engagements.
• Encore Global (formerly PSAV): Encore is a leading provider of event technology, AV production, and staging services for hotels, conventions, and corporate events. It directly overlaps CEI's audio, staging, and technical crew offerings in the meetings and conventions segment.
• Freeman: Freeman is one of the largest event and trade show production services companies in the US, offering staging, audio, AV, design, and logistics for conventions, exhibitions, and corporate events — directly comparable to CEI's full-service production offering, albeit at far greater scale.
• Production Resource Group (PRG): PRG is a global provider of event production technology and services, including lighting, audio, video, rigging, and staging for live events. It competes directly with CEI in the integrated event production services category, particularly for large-format concerts and festivals.
• Atomic: Atomic is an experience design and event production firm offering custom staging, scenic environments, lighting, and audio. Like CEI, it delivers integrated turnkey production services for corporate and brand events.
• Bishop McCann: Bishop McCann is a full-service event production and management company providing staging, AV, lighting, and event design. Comparable to CEI as a turnkey event production services provider for corporate and association clients.
• RWS Entertainment Group: RWS provides entertainment production services including staging, audio, lighting, and custom builds for live events, theme parks, and brand activations. Comparable to CEI in supporting live entertainment and branded event experiences.
• Hargrove: Hargrove is a US event production company specializing in general sessions, custom staging, lighting, audio, video, and scenic design for corporate and association events. Directly comparable to CEI in custom production for enterprise clients.

Regional players

• ShowPro Inc. ShowPro is a regional event production services company operating primarily in the Southeastern US, providing staging, audio, lighting, and crew for concerts, festivals, and corporate events. Comparable to CEI in scale and geographic focus as a Gulf South/SE peer.
• Beaver Productions: Beaver Productions is a regional concert and event production company in the US Southeast, partnered with Live Nation. Directly comparable to CEI as a regional production services peer in the same Gulf South/Southern festival market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cypress-events-inc

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 CEI