Celebrating 40 Years of Georgia Expo: Built on Grit, Growth, and a Promise to Our Customers

In 2026, Georgia Expo proudly celebrates 40 years in business, marking four decades of serving the trade show and events industry with one simple goal: make sure our customers have what they need, when they need it.

Georgia Expo was founded in 1986 by our current owner, Philip DiTrolio. Before starting the company, Philip worked for Crown Industries in New Jersey. As time went on, it became clear that the company’s ownership was no longer interested in growing the business or supporting the evolving needs of the industry. Seeing that opportunity—and believing strongly in the future of the trade show world—Philip made the decision to move back to Georgia, where he had gone to college, and start Georgia Expo.

In the early days, the business focused primarily on trade show equipment, including 8’ uprights, bases, drape supports, banjo drape, and table skirts. Operations were truly hands-on. Philip spent mornings dropping fabric off to seamstresses across the Atlanta area and afternoons picking it up so orders could be sewn, packed, and shipped the same day.

When timing was critical, there were no shortcuts. Orders were regularly driven straight to the Atlanta airport for time-sensitive shipments, and on more than one occasion, Philip even flew orders himself in his private plane to ensure customers received their equipment on time. That early mindset—never say no—became the backbone of Georgia Expo and remains part of our culture today.

From day one, we understood a simple truth: the trade show is going to open whether our product is there or not. That reality has always guided how we operate. We do our best to figure out a solution, because our customers’ success depends on it.

Over the years, Georgia Expo has grown significantly, improving efficiencies and expanding our capabilities. Today, we proudly manufacture in the USA, under one roof, giving us full control over quality, production timelines, and customer service. While we’re much bigger than we were in 1986, we’ve never lost our commitment to being a customer-tailored company—and that focus has been a key driver of our success.

Our customer base has expanded well beyond traditional trade shows and now includes party rental companies, audio-visual and production teams, stadiums, arenas, convention centers, churches, and many other event professionals across the country. While our products have evolved alongside the industry, their purpose remains the same: pipe and drape continues to be the most economical way to define, divide, and decorate an event space.

After 40 years of continued growth, we know this milestone wouldn’t be possible without the people behind the scenes. We’re incredibly grateful for our loyal customers and our dedicated team—many of whom have been with us for 10, 20, and even 30+ years. Their experience, craftsmanship, and commitment to doing things the right way are at the heart of everything we do.

This anniversary isn’t just a celebration of Georgia Expo—it’s a celebration of the entire trade show and events industry. We’re honored to be part of it, thankful for the trust you’ve placed in us, and excited for what lies ahead.

Here’s to 40 years—and many more to come.