We’re proud to share the stage with some truly inspirational exhibit fabricators across the US. These fabricators continue to bring companies’ stories to life at trade shows in new and innovative ways. From large, custom exhibits to immersive brand activations, these companies provide an array of experiences for the world’s biggest brands.
We’ve picked the seven best exhibit fabricators in the US based on factors such as their technical capabilities, industry reputation, national and global reach, award recognition, history, and client portfolio.
1. Derse
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Derse manages exhibit programs for approximately 500 clients at more than 8,000 individual events each year.
The company was founded in 1948 by James F. Derse and was originally a sign-painting business in the back of his mother’s garage. It has since evolved into a complete face-to-face marketing company that has sites across the US and even in Europe.
Derse does everything from creating custom exhibits and events to providing customer experience and client strategic services. It supports small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and everyone in between.
The company’s recent accolades include two Best of Awards at EXHIBITORLIVE 2025 in San Antonio: Best Large Booth and Best Booth Staff. These accolades were presented in recognition of The Derse Apothecary activation, an immersive brand activation that blended collaboration, creativity, strategy, and storytelling.
2. Czarnowski
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Czarnowski is one of the largest exhibit fabricators and event marketing companies in the US. With offices across the country, over 4,000 employees, and an estimated annual revenue of $345 million at the time of writing, it’s a household name in our industry.
The company was founded in Chicago in 1947 as a family-owned business and quickly developed a reputation for elite craftsmanship. In the 1970s and 80s, it expanded its capabilities to end-to-end services, something it’s built a global reputation on ever since.
It supports clients such as LG, Panasonic, and USPS, providing, in its own words, “Everything you need to build, execute, and activate, all under one roof.” This includes comprehensive design services, fabrication and engineering, strategy and consulting, and logistical support.
Since 2019, it’s formed part of Czarnowski Collective, an amalgamation of different studios that provide their own distinct, specialized expertise. Czarnowski Collective was named a Chief Marketer 2026 Agency of the Year in recognition of the boundary-pushing ideas, creative courage, and forward-thinking strategies it brings to every brand experience.
3. Hamilton
Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Hamilton is a full-service experiential and event marketing agency and one of the largest privately owned exhibit fabrication companies in the US.
It’s been around for nearly 80 years, having been founded in Indianapolis in 1947 in a two-story garage referred to as “the barn.” Its humble beginnings were a suitable precursor to the global evolution it’s experienced over the last seven decades, and today it designs, produces, and executes integrated experiences for clients all over the world.
From security to science and everything in between, industry leaders trust Hamilton to tell their stories. Its client roster includes ADT, Johnson Controls, and Red Bull, to name a few.
As you can imagine, Hamilton has picked up its fair share of awards over the years. It picked up the Gold 2023 Event Marketer Experience Design & Technology Award in the Best Demo Zone category for its work on Zimmer Biomet's exhibit. CEO Dan Cantor is a Past President of the Experiential Designers and Producers Association and was the 2020 recipient of the prestigious EDPA Hazel Hays Award for his positive national contributions to the industry.
4. Freeman
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Freeman is widely regarded as one of the most influential names in the events and exhibits space.
It’s also one of the most historic exhibit fabricators in the US, with almost a century of history under its belt. Donald S. “Buck” Freeman opened the first Freeman Decorating Office in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1927, and the company initially performed work for fairs and small regional events.
After World War II, Freeman extended its operations to cover freight and rigging, exhibit construction and management, and events.
It became a market leader by 1997, producing the largest 200 trade shows in the US, and in the last 15 years it’s expanded into China, Singapore, and the U.K.
Today, Freeman accounts for an estimated 12.7% of our industry’s revenue, and it recently won multiple 2025 EXHIBITOR Magazine Awards — most notably Best of CES for its work on Siemens’ booth. It then repeated the feat, winning this specific award for a fourth consecutive year in 2026.
These prestigious accolades reflect Freeman’s commitment to innovation and excellence in exhibit design and live events.
In February 2026, Freeman launched The Freeman Company, a “house of brands” that integrates nine specialist agencies, including Sparks and 3D Exhibits, under a single umbrella.
5. Exhibitus
Headquartered in Atlanta with offices in Chicago and New York, Exhibitus is a purpose-led experiential marketing agency with a simple yet powerful mantra: “Your mission is rooted in our story.” It communicates its clients’ missions and solutions through exhibits, events, user conferences, and trade shows.
Its own story is relatively new compared to other exhibit fabricators, as it was founded in 1994. But it’s safe to say it’s made a big impact in a small amount of time.
As our industry shifted towards more targeted, interactive, experiential, and memorable experiences, Exhibitus was primed and ready. It currently manages over 4,000 live activations and branded environments each year, providing exhibit designs for every booth size as well as live and virtual trade show experiences.
Its clients include Acuity, Delta TechOps, Lexus, Porsche, Toshiba, and Verizon, with its average client relationships lasting an impressive eight to ten years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u066d-PTWE
Exhibitus has been a consistent presence on Event Marketer's Fab 50 — the top 50 fabricators serving corporate North America — featuring every year since 2015. It has been included on EXHIBITOR Magazine's FindIt Top 40 list every year since 2018.
6. Skyline Exhibits
Headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Skyline Exhibits is one of the few companies in our industry that designs, engineers, and manufactures its own modular systems. This system guarantees a certain level of quality control and consistency other agencies simply can’t match.
Skyline Exhibits is a gold and platinum award-winning company that delivers high-impact exhibits around the globe to more than 3,500 brands each year. Not bad for a company that, to quote its website, “began with a pop-up tent.” In 1980, Gordon Savoie, the company’s founder, decided to turn a portable shelter for workers into a pop-up display, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Over the last 45 or so years, Skyline Exhibits has:
- Introduced the first major pop-up trade show display
- Began developing large, custom island trade show exhibits
- Provided modular rental systems in various configurations
- Won multiple industry awards
- Supported brands in 35 countries
- Grown its team to more than 1,500 people in 138 design centers across 38 countries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7thtWF-84c
The company recently received Platinum and Gold honors at the 2026 MUSE Creative Awards for its standout experiential exhibit designs and creative excellence on a global stage. The awards highlight Skyline’s ability to deliver innovative, immersive brand experiences through strong client collaboration and high-impact execution.
7. The Trade Group
Headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, The Trade Group is a full-service exhibit design and fabrication company that specializes in creating custom trade show exhibits, experiential marketing environments, and branded experiences.
We were founded in Texas in 1986 as a portable booth distributor, and over the last 40 years, we’ve developed a reputation for crafting on-brand storytelling assets.
While many exhibit fabricators specialize in either design, fabrication, or event execution, The Trade Group provides all three services and many more under one roof. We can handle everything from fabrication to installation and dismantle (I&D), which saves you from having to manage relationships with multiple vendors and gives your exhibit the best possible chance of making a memorable impression on the show floor.
We’ve delivered campaigns for the likes of Bitcoin, Caesarstone, Cloudflare, DR Horton, Motel 6, Pokémon, Ubisoft, and many more.
Some of our notable accolades include:
- Fab 50 2026: Event Marketer (We’ve been included on the Fab 50 list for seven consecutive years at the time of writing).
- Chief Marketer Ignite Awards 2026 - Best Tradeshow Exhibit/Experience Program: Discord (our client)
- PCA Show 2026 - Best In Show (Show Award): Cigar Stoic (our client)
- Inc. 5000 – Fastest-Growing Private Companies 2025
- Cynopsis Media Tempest Awards 2023 - Best Mobile Gaming Event: For the Pokémon World Championships in Yokohama, Japan.
- World Exhibition Stand Awards – Platinum (Best Stand at an Aviation Event) 2022: World Exhibition Stand Awards
Celebration is at the heart of who we are and plays a crucial part in our mission. Through limitless imagination and drive, we design, deliver, and celebrate victories with our clients.
There have been many victories over the years, which we’re proud to have played a part in. You can watch a compilation of our testimonials by clicking here.
Want to talk to us about developing an exhibit that tells your company’s story? Contact us here or give us a call at (800) 343-2005 to get the ball rolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an exhibit fabricator?
An exhibit fabricator is a specialist company that creates, builds, and installs trade show exhibits on behalf of its clients. Many exhibit fabricators, such as The Trade Group, provide end-to-end, turnkey services from exhibit design and fabrication to installation and dismantle and storage.
What services do exhibit fabricators provide?
Most exhibit fabricators provide a mix of design, logistical, and show services. These can include:
- 3D renderings
- Estimating and engineering
- Fabrication
- Graphic production
- Assembly
- Material handling
- Shipping
- Electrical
- Flooring
- Installation and dismantle (I&D)
- Storage
- Marketing support before, during, and after the show
- Project management
What should I look for in an exhibit fabricator?
When deciding whether or not to reach out to an exhibit fabricator, you should consider the following criteria depending on your requirements:
- Years of experience.
- Industry specialisms.
- Experience in producing exhibits.
- National and international trade show experience.
- Other potential solutions they provide.
- Whether or not they offer special programs for larger, custom exhibits.
- Industry awards they’ve received.
- Customer testimonials demonstrating proof of expertise and results, like this one we received from The Pokémon Company International.
How much does it cost to build an exhibit?
An exhibit can vary in cost from low five figures for a basic inline (i.e., 10x10) or rental exhibit, and anywhere from $50,000 for large custom exhibits (i.e., 20x20 and above).
Factors influencing cost include:
- The lead time.
- Any potential rush project fees.
- The size of your exhibit.
- The complexity of your exhibit design.
- The inclusion of digital, interactive, or experiential assets.
- Whether it’s custom, modular, portable, or a rental.
- The materials used.
- Which state or country the show is in, and the labor rates and taxes that will apply.
- How many shows you’re planning to use it in.
For more answers to your questions, please visit our exhibits page.
