ELITeXPO Acquired by Allstates WorldCargo

Logisyn Advisors is pleased to announce our role as the sell-side advisor to ELITeXPO, a Chicago-based trade show logistics provider, in its successful acquisition by Allstates WorldCargo. ELITeXPO provides a turn-key solution for exhibiting companies, including booth design, sales, construction, storage and asset management, shipping, and both exhibit installation and dismantling.

Founded in 1987, ELITeXPO has spent nearly four decades helping exhibitors manage their assets efficiently across multiple events worldwide, and is recognized for its execution-focused culture, reliability, and deep expertise in the demanding tradeshow environment. When the company’s owner, Dave Mihalik, was considering his next steps, both personally and for the business, he knew his long-time colleague and Logisyn’s Managing Partner, Cris Arens, should be his first call.

“There is much that goes into the consideration of selling the company that we founded 39 years ago. It’s a matter of strategy, timing, and succession. We had a strategy of how we wanted the company to continue to grow and succeed, and we knew that we needed to provide a strong foundation and management team to carry it forward once my wife, Leslie, and I made the decision to enter the next chapter of our lives in retirement.

For that vision to become a reality, the timing had to be right. Coming out of the difficult COVID years, the company and its loyal employees brought us back from some of our most difficult days to our best. When I knew the time was right, I made one phone call.

I already knew Cris through our work customizing the trade-show version of our CargoWise software, and I knew that Logisyn had deep experience and a strong track record of bringing together buyers and sellers in the logistics industry. He gave me the confidence to move forward with this significant process, backed by the support and technical expertise to get us to the finish line.

Having Logisyn’s Matt Laskowski, our sell-side director, as an integral part of our team, guiding us along the way and keeping everything on track, was absolutely critical to maintaining our focus and ensuring a successful outcome.

We couldn’t be happier with our decision to partner with Allstates WorldCargo. It means everything to us to know that our employees will be taken care of and that the company we built from the ground up will continue to grow and thrive. There’s a deep sense of pride and gratitude in knowing that what we started nearly four decades ago will live on. We could not have achieved this result alone.”  — David Mihalik, Founder, ELITeXPO

During the buyer identification process, the Logisyn team knew it was crucial to find a partner with expertise in this niche sector to ensure the company’s continued success and a smooth integration process for its team. With a strategic focus on specialized logistics verticals and an existing tradeshow footprint, Allstates WorldCargo provides an ideal foundation for ELITeXPO’s continued success.

Allstates WorldCargo is an Orlando-based provider of customized domestic and international freight services, with particular strength in time-critical, specialized end markets. The company serves customers through air, ocean, and ground transportation, truckload brokerage, and warehousing capabilities, and has established itself as a trusted logistics partner across complex freight environments.

“Dave and the ELITeXPO team have built an exceptional business with a strong focus on reliability, people, and execution. From the beginning, it was important to us that ELITeXPO continue operating as a dedicated tradeshow logistics provider, respecting the company’s legacy, its employees, and the customer relationships that have defined its success. By welcoming ELITeXPO into the Allstates WorldCargo family, we’re strengthening our long-term position in the tradeshow logistics sector while preserving the operational integrity of a business that knows this space so well.

We’re proud to support the next chapter of a company with such a strong foundation and excited about what this partnership represents for the future, ensuring continuity, stability, and growth for ELITeXPO’s customers and employees.”  — Kendra Tanner, President and Chief Executive Officer, Allstates WorldCargo]

The addition of ELITeXPO deepens Allstates WorldCargo’s capabilities in a vertical that demands precision, responsiveness, and operational control. ELITeXPO will continue to operate as a dedicated tradeshow logistics organization, ensuring continuity of service for existing customers while expanding the combined platform’s reach across the full tradeshow lifecycle.

“I first met Dave at the Air Cargo Conference in New Orleans in January of 2022. This was one of the first industry conferences post-COVID where the facetime with colleagues and peers restored a much-needed sense of routine and familiarity. We chatted after a panel on M&A and what business owners should do to start preparing for the process. Fast forward a few years, and Dave was ready to begin that journey with Logisyn in his corner.

We ran a streamlined and tailored process focused solely on Dave's goals - finding the right partner who can provide an excellent opportunity for his employees and a steward to carry the ELITeXPO brand forward into the next chapter. Allstates WorldCargo was the logical choice with their deep domain knowledge, experienced management team, and synergistic fit to help strengthen ELITeXPO’s position of being the premier tradeshow logistics provider.”      - Matt Laskowski, Signature Sell-Side Director, Logisyn Advisors

Logisyn Advisors’ role in this transaction reflects the firm’s deep expertise across the logistics industry and our commitment to identifying strategic fits that benefit all parties. As with most successful deals, this acquisition was driven by factors beyond financial considerations. The alignment of culture, company values, and sector expertise was central to achieving a successful close.