A Danish company that traces its roots back to the LEGO Group is buying into one of Atlanta's oldest sign makers. Modulex is set to acquire a 20 percent interest in APCO, the Atlanta-based architectural signage firm that has operated for more than 60 years, with the initial investment taking effect January 1, 2027.
A Deal Six Years in the Making
According to Global Atlanta, which first reported the announcement, Modulex and APCO discussed the partnership for six years before finalizing it. Modulex itself describes the timeline similarly, saying in its own announcement that the agreement follows approximately six years of discussions between the two companies. The deal is structured to give Modulex a long-term pathway to increase its ownership over time, though the company has not disclosed a timeline or ultimate ceiling for that growth.
Per Global Atlanta, Modulex said the gradual investment increase will let both organizations build their relationship thoughtfully and in a measured way. The two companies also did not disclose the broader deal terms, according to the same report.
What Stays the Same in Atlanta
For now, the companies say the focus is on keeping things steady. The announcement posted on Modulex's website states the partnership will prioritize maintaining continuity for employees, customers, projects, production and supplier relationships while the companies look for opportunities to share resources and capabilities. APCO will continue operating from its existing U.S. locations, and its legal entity name has changed from APCO Graphics, Inc. to APCO Graphics, LLC, per the same announcement.
APCO says it was founded in Atlanta in 1966 and has spent decades in the architectural sign and wayfinding business. The company's own site states it has completed more than ten thousand projects for facilities throughout the US and around the world, with the vast majority manufactured within its two Atlanta facilities. Global Atlanta notes that APCO has built a loyal U.S. customer base, manufacturing capabilities and design-build experience over its history.
The two sides offer conflicting figures for the scale of APCO's Atlanta headquarters. Modulex's announcement describes a 100,000-square-foot headquarters with a team of more than 120 employees, while APCO's own website puts its headquarters at 150,000 square feet with a team of 150-plus employees. Neither account clarifies which figures are current or whether they use the same measurements.
Modulex's LEGO Roots and Tech Ambitions
Modulex is based in Billund, Denmark, the same small town where LEGO is headquartered, and the company says it has been in the visual communications solutions business since 1963 after being founded by the LEGO group. Modulex describes itself as a visual communications innovator, citing products like solar-powered signs it calls Helios, an eye-tracking product called Verifind that it says analyzes how users interact with visual cues, and Rebond, an architectural signage material made from carpet waste developed with partners Dansk Wilton and Elektro-Isola, according to the company's own site.
Modulex also says it has a presence in more than 300 cities across 45 countries. Global Atlanta reports that Modulex aims to augment APCO with technology, project-management skills and global reach as the two companies look to share resources in the coming years.
The partnership marks a notable cross-border move for Atlanta's signage industry, pairing a company with roots in Danish toy manufacturing with a firm that has spent six decades building signs for American facilities. Whether the companies' continuity promises hold up as integration deepens remains to be seen, since neither side has detailed further milestones beyond the initial 20 percent stake.
