Modular Systems in Europe.

Last month we spoke about the alternatives available for you, when you have to make a decision on how to build your exhibit in Europe. Once again, those alternatives are

• custom
• modular-system
• hybrid

This month we want to go a little deeper into the matter, to assist you to distinguish what’s the best fit for you. We do not want to elaborate further on custom, as this is an individual and very complex discussion, between you, your designer and your budget. Only know this: unless you are a frequent exhibitor in “a lot of shows” abroad, you don’t want to go this route. The magic word in exhibit-building in Europe is “Rent”. That is what most of the Europeans do, they rent for the purpose of the show ahead. Yes, rent does not exclude to own specific design- or functional elements of your booth, it just defines that the majority of the construction-materials are at the risk of the exhibit-builder, and not at yours. Those risks include having the correct lengths and amounts of beams, parts and accessories, related to your individual booth-space, (remember that Europe does not base spaces on a 10” x 10” – roster). They further-more include the costs of packing-crates, storing between shows and refurbishing. You do have the right to expect “like new” materials when renting from exhibit-houses.  You also gain the flexibility to alter your appearance from show to show, according to past experiences or changes in your corporate design.

If you have past experience in renting modular systems in the United States, please leave this behind you. You are entering a total different world in Exhibit-Rental, when renting in Europe. The variety in different looks, in accessories for all kind of purposes, is enormous. Even those European modular-system-manufacturers who export their materials for use in the United States, do not offer this extensive variety in accessories here in the US. (And if they do, it is most likely that they are not available at the majority of the local Exhibit-builders who make their materials available for you in the US). Before we go into details with modular systems in upcoming articles, please know this:

The market offers two groups of modular exhibition-systems.

One is more practical for the everyday-use in exhibit-building, to build extensive booth-structures quick and for reasonable pricing. Those are mostly more or less simple aluminum-extrusions, with no specific distinctions from one to the other. (You have most likely seen variations of those in US-shows before). These systems are of advantage when indeed, you have to build large structures with back-walls and meeting-rooms like pavilions etc. They also make perfect sense for a very common practice in Europe, to use the modular-system to provide the structure, and cover all visible walls completely with clad-walls, which can be designed and customized to your liking.

The other group are exclusive designed aluminum-structures (there are also wooden structures on the market), which become part of your visible identity. Exhibitors choose the brand that most meets their taste in design and suits their needs in regard to their quality-appearance on the show-floor. Arrangements of exclusive appearance in certain shows can sometimes be made.