CHRITTO international Becomes Two Independent Companies: CBS Neospace GmbH in Europe, Standbuilder International, Inc. in the US
Proactive succession planning following decades of growth: the German operations pass to a new generation of owners and continue as Standbuilder International's exclusive service partner within the European Union
ATLANTA, December 2, 2024 — Standbuilder International, Inc. today announced the restructuring of the CHRITTO group of companies into two independent entities. The group's German operations, CHRITTO Brand Spaces GmbH, have been sold to Neospace Group GmbH and will operate going forward as CBS Neospace GmbH, headquartered in Ratingen, Germany. The US business, formerly CHRITTO, Inc., continues as an independent, owner-led company under its long-established US brand, Standbuilder International, Inc. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The restructuring is the result of forward-looking succession planning and a direct consequence of the company's own success. Over more than 45 years, what began as Messebau Mueller, a family-owned business in the Bergisches Land region east of Cologne, Germany, grew into CHRITTO international, a globally active full-service provider for the design and construction of custom trade show booths. With that growth came responsibility. In German industry, ten-year planning horizons and the associated long-term investments in production facilities, technology, and people are common practice, and clients, employees, and partners rely on exactly that kind of certainty. By resolving the question of succession early and from a position of strength, the founder has secured a strong long-term home for the German operations within Neospace Group. Its leadership team is roughly two decades younger than the founder, a new generation of entrepreneurs with the energy, the resources, and the time horizon to plan and invest sustainably well into the 2030s.
"Strong growth creates responsibility," said Dittmar Mueller, founder and owner of Standbuilder International, Inc. "In Germany, our industry thinks in ten-year plans and long-term investments. Our employees, clients, and partners deserve that kind of certainty. That is why I chose to settle the question of succession early, from a position of strength, and on our own terms. In the Neospace team, I have found successors who are a full generation younger and who think in exactly these long horizons."
The two companies remain closely connected. CBS Neospace GmbH will act as Standbuilder International's exclusive service partner for all projects within the European Union. Clients will continue to benefit from state-of-the-art production and warehouse facilities in Germany, covering 6,000 square meters (roughly 65,000 square feet) and including an in-house carpentry shop. All ongoing projects will continue seamlessly, with familiar contacts on both sides of the Atlantic.
"Our German team is joining a strong group with a great future, and here in the US we remain what we have always been: an owner-led business that puts its heart and soul into every single project," Mueller added. "For our clients, the best of both worlds comes together: the reliability of a long-standing partner in Europe and dedicated, personal service in the United States."
Going forward, Standbuilder International will focus on personal client consulting and support, professional project management, and the turnkey production of custom trade show booths. Working hand in hand with an international partner network built over more than 30 years, the company supports exhibitors across the United States and worldwide from its headquarters in Atlanta, with San Diego as its primary market and further activities in New York. Atlanta is also home to the US operations of leading modular exhibit system manufacturers such as Octanorm and Aluvision, placing Standbuilder International in immediate proximity to key partners for modular booth solutions. The company is deeply rooted in the American exhibit industry and has been a member of the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) since 2004.
About Standbuilder International, Inc.
Standbuilder International, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, designs and delivers custom trade show booths for clients exhibiting across the United States, in Europe, and worldwide. As a full-service agency, the owner-led company covers the entire journey from concept and design through production and installation to dismantling and storage. Standbuilder International has been a member of the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) since 2004. Learn more at standbuilder.com.
About CBS Neospace GmbH
CBS Neospace GmbH, headquartered in Ratingen, Germany, is part of Neospace Group GmbH and emerged from CHRITTO Brand Spaces GmbH. The company designs, produces, and installs custom and modular trade show booths for clients across Europe, operating modern production and warehouse facilities with an in-house carpentry shop. CBS Neospace serves as the exclusive service partner of Standbuilder International, Inc. for all projects within the European Union.
Dittmar Mueller
Standbuilder International, Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dittmarmueller/
