Apex Stages, the country’s leading mobile stage manufacturing company based in Pittsburg, Kan., builds mobile stages for all kinds of events: fundraisers, graduations, political rallies, street festivals and outdoor concerts, sporting events and tailgates, fun runs, fairs and more.
Known for its excellent products and customer service, the manufacturer reached the final four round of the Kansas Manufacturing Council’s 2022 Coolest Thing Made In Kansas – Coolest Innovation competition.
On top of recognition through numerous industry awards, the Discovery Channel featured Apex on its How It’s Made series. It built Steppenwolf’s retirement concert stage and had one of its first stages tour with Bob Dylan. A timeline on the manufacturer’s website summarizes its history. As customers, entertainers and national media coverage attest, the stage manufacturer’s time in the spotlight is well deserved.
Apex has a reputation for working with customers to ensure products meet demands. One of its most frequent clients, Reflections Productions Inc. CEO Thomas G. Mitchell, says the manufacturer’s attentiveness and adaptability have earned his loyalty.
“Never in my life would I have ever expected a manufacturer to listen and take input from a consumer,” Mitchell explains. “These guys did. They said, because I’m the one out in the field operating this equipment, I know what I need and what my customers need. They were willing to listen, and they were willing to modify designs because they listen to the people who assemble the product at events. I’ve always felt like a family member.”
Apex maintains lower prices than the competition with a relatively small staff and innovative product designs that require less expensive materials for production. It uses a blend of steel and composite parts to keep stages significantly lighter compared to those of other stage manufacturers. Many mobile stages in the industry require a semi-truck to haul, but a one-ton truck suffices for an Apex stage.
The manufacturer — operating as a subsidiary of Progressive Products, Inc. — has improved the overall landscape of the mobile stage manufacturing industry according to Progressive Products President Todd Allison.
“We’ve moved the needle in a lot of different areas, but I think really the winner has been the consumer,” Allison explains. “We’ve put out some innovative products that set the tone throughout the industry. Our competitors then go back and redesigns their products to up their level to what we are doing. So, it’s really the customer whose won whether you’re an Apex customer or not.”
With its commitment to developing safe, user-friendly stages for nearly 20 years, it’s no surprise Apex Stages stands at the forefront of its industry in the U.S.
