How Catapult3 Handles a Project from Concept to Installation

Updated

Catapult3 runs a project as a single in-house pipeline: design, fabrication, printing, installation, logistics, storage, and teardown are all handled by one partner rather than split across vendors. That model fits companies that need physical brand assets — trade show exhibits, signage, wraps, or custom fixtures — and would rather not coordinate multiple contractors. The company was founded in 1989, is based in Idaho, and describes nationwide service with international project capability.

The concept-to-installation flow

Based on how Catapult3 describes its own process, a project moves through these stages under one roof:

  1. Concept and design — Graphic design and project planning happen in-house, so the creative direction and the build constraints are worked out by the same team.
  2. Fabrication and production — Production printing, 3D printing, CNC work, metal fabrication and welding, and acrylic work are listed as in-house capabilities.
  3. Printing and finishing — Large-format printing covers signage, banners, flags, vehicle and wall wraps, window and floor graphics, and light boxes.
  4. Installation — Installation is handled directly, including vehicle graphics, wall wraps, and environmental branding.
  5. Logistics, storage, and teardown — The company states it manages logistics, storage, and teardown, which matters most for trade show and event work where assets ship, sit, and get struck on a schedule.

The stated goal of this structure is that clients "don't have to manage multiple vendors."

What "in-house" actually changes

The value of a single-partner model shows up at the handoff points, which are usually where multi-vendor projects slip:

Stage Typical multi-vendor risk What in-house handling addresses
Design → fabrication Design specifies something the fabricator can't build as drawn Design and production teams share the same constraints
Fabrication → print Color, material, or sizing mismatch between shops Printing and production sit in the same operation
Production → install Installer blames fabrication; nobody owns the fix One party owns the outcome end to end
Event logistics Shipping, storage, and teardown fall to the client Logistics, storage, and teardown are part of the service

Catapult3 also emphasizes "meticulous craftsmanship, precise measurements, and finish-first thinking," which is the part of the process that determines whether a booth or wrap looks right up close, not just from across a hall.

Services that fall under this pipeline

The company lists these service areas, all of which run through the same concept-to-installation flow:

  • Trade show and event displays, including booths, canopies, and backdrops
  • Large-format printing and signage, including acrylic signs, light boxes, and door panels
  • Vehicle, wall, and window wraps, plus window and floor graphics
  • Banners, flags, and promotional displays, including printed tablecloths and spinning game wheels
  • Custom fabrication, metal fabrication and welding, and 3D printing
  • Graphic design, installation, and logistics
  • Video displays

When this model is the right fit

Choose a single-partner, in-house provider like Catapult3 when:

  • Your project spans more than one discipline — for example, a trade show booth that needs design, fabrication, printed graphics, and installation.
  • You have a fixed event or launch date and can't absorb delays from vendor handoffs.
  • You want one point of accountability if something needs rework.
  • You need ongoing storage and reuse of exhibit assets between events.

A multi-vendor approach can still make sense if you already have established relationships for individual pieces, or if your project is a single narrow deliverable with no fabrication or installation component.

Practical notes before you start

  • Contact and hours: the site lists 208.761.5360 and [email protected], with hours Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm.
  • Ask about scope boundaries early. Confirm in writing which stages — design, fabrication, printing, installation, logistics, storage, teardown — are included for your specific project, since not every service applies to every job.
  • Bring measurements and venue constraints to the first conversation; the company's stated emphasis on precise measurement means site or booth dimensions drive the design.
  • For trade show work, raise logistics and teardown up front rather than after the build, since those are the stages most often left to the client in other arrangements.

The company's portfolio and blog are the fastest way to judge whether its past work matches the type of asset you need.