Managing Trade Show Freight
Services and Logistics

Exhibitors who participate in a number of major shows throughout the year often rely on companies that specialize in trade show shipping to manage warehousing, exhibit crate construction, packing and shipping. By contracting with trade show freight experts, frequent exhibitors can count on their display arriving when they need it, where they need it, and in prime condition for each event in which they participate.

Tradeshow logistics consultants can help organizations increase efficiency and hedge against the potential for costly mishaps that may occur during shipping and delivery to an event.

Contracted experts may be hired to assist a company's in-house logistics coordinator or manage trade show freight services for sales and marketing professionals who need to save time and fully focus on the promotional aspects of show participation.

For exhibitors who choose to handle their own logistics rather than use trade show freight services, the following information should help facilitate planning for timely shipping and on-site delivery.

BEFORE THE SHOW

Shipping Considerations:

If you decide to hire a shipping company for exhibit moving, look for providers that specialize in tradeshow logistics and understand the requirements of transporting exhibit components.

As you evaluate shipping carriers, ask your representative about services provided and the type of customer support you can expect to receive. Before making a hiring decision, find out how long the company has been in business, check references and ask for a written price quote that covers all your shipping requirements.

In addition, see if the tradeshow sponsor has contracted with a shipping company to serve as the official carrier for the event. Often, official companies may extend special benefits, extra exhibit moving services or reduced pricing to those who use their services.

Drayage:

When you submit your show registration, the event sponsor will give you a comprehensive exhibitor’s kit that includes A-to-Z information about show participation, including exhibit moving and shipping instructions, a list of providers of trade show freight services, and forms required by the sponsor’s drayage contractor.

The drayage contractor is responsible for:

• Instructing shipping company drivers, who are parked and waiting at the venue’s marshaling yard, when to get in line at a designated dock to off-load exhibit crates.

• Moving your exhibit crates to your reserved booth area in the exhibition hall.

• Removing your crates and boxes once you have assembled your display and returning them to you at the conclusion of the show.

• Directing shipping company drivers to specific loading dock lines when exhibit crates are ready to be picked up.

• Loading your crates and boxes on the freight truck for the delivery to wherever they are to go.

Note that there are exhibitor fees for drayage services that are affected by the number of items you have transported, the weight of your crates and boxes, arrival/departure timing, etc.

Coordination among your tradeshow team, the drayage contractor and a representative from the company handling your trade show freight services is essential to ensure on-time delivery with no missing crates or display items.

Your team always should know when your exhibit items will be delivered and have adequate time to assemble your exhibit before the tradeshow doors open.

Paperwork Requirements:

At the conclusion of the show, you must complete a "bill-of-lading" and submit it to the event’s drayage contractor. This paperwork put systems in motion to deliver your empty storage crates to your booth area so you can pack your tradeshow booth display and prepare it for shipping to your warehouse or next destination.

Once your exhibit is dismantled and packed, the drayage contractor will take your crates to the loading dock and advise your the driver from your trade show freight services company that your exhibit is ready for pick-up. To ensure that everything gets where it is supposed to go, be sure crates, boxes and skids are properly labeled.

Preventing Loss and Damage of Your Tradeshow Booth Display:

If any exhibit items (including improperly labeled boxes and crates) are left behind, they will be "forced." When an item is forced, it is sent to the event contractor’s warehouse for storage until the exhibitor has made proper arrangements for it to be "delivered out" or returned.

The exhibitor typically has to pay double or triple the cost of shipping to recover an item or crate that got left behind.

It is important to oversee the movement of your items from your exhibit space to the loading dock to placement on your shipping company’s truck. Keep a camera handy so you can document any damage to your tradeshow booth display caused from mishandling by the drayage contractor.

If any damage occurs at the show, be sure to file a claim with the drayage contractor before you leave. Then, get the drayage contractor’s phone number, address and shipping procedures so you can follow-up later, if necessary.

Your driver for your trade show freight services company will need to list any exceptions to the bill-of-lading before loading your freight so his/her company will not be held responsible for damage that occurred by the drayage contractor.

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