About

Our History

• 1950’s
• 1960’s
• 1970’s
• 1980’s
• 1990’s
• 2000’s
• 2010’s

• • January 1950

    Hites Manufacturing Company and Colonial Metal Letters merge to form Colonial-Hites Company, a sign manufacturing company, establishing a family legacy that continues to flourish through the 1970’s.

  • Spring 1951

    Colonial-Hites Company moves to a new location on Parson Street, West Columbia, SC and has around 30 employees.

  • Mid to Late 1950’s

    Company continues to grow and opens sales office around the country.

  • Mid to Late 1950’s

    Colite expands and is awarded national programs.

• • 1962

    First international project – Adis Abbaba Airport, Ethiopia

  • 1962

    The facility had a total of 90,000 sq ft.

  • 1963

    Awarded first airport project in Memphis, TN.

  • 1963

    The beginning of the architectural sign business.

  • 1963

    Facility size had increased to 145,000 sq ft.

  • 1965

    Awarded Houston Astro Dome.

  • Mid 1960’s

    Colite begins to see growth in the retail sector and continues to expand facility footprint.

  • 1967

    Facility grew to 280,000 sq ft – one of the largest in the country.

  • 1968

    Colonial-Hites becomes Colite Industries Inc. and raises $1,000,000 on the public stock market.

• • 1971

    The Parson Street complex had grown to 300,000 sq ft with a 3 story office building as headquarters.

  • 1977

    Colite is awarded its first project in Kuwait starting a major increase in business in the Middle East market.

• • Early 1980’s

    Colite completed the Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport signage, at this time the largest airport in the United States.

  • Mid to Late 1980’s

    Colite is an innovative leader within the sign industry, completing large, custom projects for various customers in the US and abroad.

• • 1992

    Marty & Allison Brown and Peter Brown incorporate Colite Industries as Colite International, Ltd.

  • Early to Mid-1990’s

    International partnerships are built and Colite’s Global Partner Network is established

    • Manufacturing and Installation partners in over 40 countries
    • Global installations in over 75 countries
    • Over 1 million sq. ft. of manufacturing space

  • Late 1990’s

    Colite’s experiences a surge in corporate conversion programs and is awarded numerous international contracts.

    • Lucent Technologies – Over 20 countries
    • Bank of America – 37 countries
    • ITT – 240 sites in 65 countries

• • Early to Mid 2000’s

    Colite introduces a new LED sign product to the United States that attracts a fast retail following: Signature LED.

  • 2008

    In 2008, Colite finds a new facility to meet their need for more manufacturing square footage. The new facility houses 100,000 ft² of manufacturing space and 33,000 ft² of office space.

  • Late 2000’s

    Colite continues to work with some of the most well-known companies in the world and introduces a new market segment, hospitality. Colite is chosen as a primary signage provider for IHG during their vast Holiday Inn rebrand across the United States.

• • 2010 – 2014

    Colite remains a leader in the sign industry within their primary market segments:

    • Corporate conversion programs and rebrands
    • Retail signage (custom and storefront)
    • Hospitality signage and service provider

  • 2015 to Present

    Colite expands their hospitality industry reach, becoming a provider for Wyndham Hotel Brands and Hilton Worldwide.