PSAV Expands Into Global Trade Show Market with Hargrove Acquisition

January 8, 2018

Experiential events and exhibitions production company, Hargrove, has been acquired by the parent holding company of PSAV, a global provider of audiovisual and event experiences.

No financial terms of the deal were disclosed.

The acquisition not only brings together a premium experiential events and trade show company with one of the largest event experience providers in North America and Europe, but also marks PSAV’s ownership group’s entry into the global trade show market and the acceleration of its expansion into live experiential events.

For Hargrove, the acquisition by PSAV will expand the company’s scale, provide access to leading technology, a vast customer base and a platform for international growth.

The new relationship also creates opportunities for both companies to partner and refer business to each other as they work in tandem to deliver services designed to enhance their clients’ live event experiences.

“The Board and I are so pleased to be adding the incredibly talented folks at Hargrove, known for delivering large-scale, memorable experiences for more than seven decades, to the PSAV family,” said Mike McIlwain, president and CEO of PSAV and a board member of its parent holding company.

He continued, “This transaction was driven by the Board’s desire to create a network of companies that would be able to offer customers expanded production and exhibition market capabilities.”

Founded in 1946 and based in Lanham, Md., Hargrove is a full-service, creative and technical production company that serves myriad segments of the live events market, creating face-to-face experiences for some of the world’s most recognized corporations, associations and government agencies.

Hargrove will maintain its distinct brand, culture and independence, while Tim McGill will remain at the helm as the company’s CEO and report to PSAV Holdings’ Board of Directors.

“I could not be more excited to join the PSAV family, whose leadership shares our vision to create a world-class, global live events company,” McGill said.

Going forward, the PSAV family of companies will continue to execute on the group’s strategy to provide solutions to help bring face-to-face events to life.

“We have been a family-run business since being founded by my grandfather and father,” said Carla Hargrove McGill, president of Hargrove.

She continued, “There are no better caretakers for their legacy and our extended family of employees who helped us build one of the greatest experiential production companies in the world than the people within the PSAV family of companies.”

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