Exhibition courier for trade shows, conferences and events
Stand kit, graphics, literature and the box someone left in the office, delivered to the hall in a dedicated van, planned around the venue's delivery slots, and collected again when the show comes down.
- Planned around venue delivery slots
- Build-day emergencies and restocks
- Breakdown collections and overnight runs
Before the show: get on the venue's system
Exhibition deliveries are governed by the venue, not by the courier. At large halls such as the NEC, ExCeL and the SEC, vans arriving for build-up or breakdown are generally expected to have a pre-booked slot, held in a marshalling or holding area until called forward, and given a fixed time on the loading bay before they must move on. Unloading times are usually short, and shorter for small vehicles than for lorries.
Every show runs its own version of this, so the exhibitor manual is the source of truth. Read the delivery and traffic section before you book anything, and send us the key points:
What to send us from the exhibitor manual
- Build-up and breakdown dates and times, including any curfew
- Whether vans need a vehicle booking, and how courier drops are handled
- The address format for deliveries to stands
- Which entrance or gate deliveries use, and where the marshalling area is
- Whether forklift work is reserved for the venue's contractor
- Your stand number, hall and on-site contact's mobile number
With that, we can time collection so the van arrives inside your slot. A van that turns up early can be sent to wait; one that arrives late may lose the slot.
Build-up day: the forgotten box
Most build-day calls are the same call. The stand is up, the graphics are on the panels, and the literature boxes, the screen bracket or the product samples are still in the office 120 miles away.
A dedicated van collects and drives straight to the venue. On the way, tell the venue's traffic team or your organiser that a courier is coming, check whether the delivery needs a booking at that hour, and put someone on the stand ready to sign. Venues and organisers generally will not sign for exhibitors, and an unattended delivery can be diverted to an on-site handling agent.
Printed graphics need care in transit. Rolled banners should travel in tubes, rigid boards flat or on edge with their faces protected, and pop-up frames in their cases. Late graphics from the printer can be collected and taken straight to the hall, which is covered in more detail on our print courier page.
During the show: restocks and samples
A good first day empties a stand of brochures, giveaways and demonstration stock. A mid-show restock can be collected from your office or warehouse in the afternoon and delivered before the next morning's opening. Check what the manual says about deliveries during open days, as many venues restrict vehicle access while visitors are in the halls.
Breakdown: collection without the queue
Breakdown is when venues are busiest and drivers have the least time. Loading slots are short, and a van booked for the moment the show closes will often wait while the stand is still being dismantled.
- Book for when you'll be packed
Book the collection time for when your kit will be dismantled and packed, not the official close.
- Label everything
Label every case and box with your company name and delivery address.
- Keep the kit attended
Keep one person with the kit. Unattended items on the hall floor are at your own risk.
- Choose where it goes
Your office, a store, or a different city for the next show.
For shows that close late, a same-night or early-morning run gets the stand back to base before the office opens, or onward to the next venue. For longer distances, such as London to Glasgow, we check the route against drivers' hours rules (a maximum of 10 hours' driving in a day) and tell you at booking if the plan needs adjusting.
Conferences, hotels and outdoor events
Not every event is in an exhibition hall. Conference materials, delegate packs, AV equipment and signage often go to hotels, universities and corporate venues, which usually receive through a goods-in door or the events team. Label boxes with the event name, date and organiser, and confirm the delivery day with the venue so boxes are not refused or lost in a storeroom.
Outdoor events add access questions: a field gate, a site compound, a production office in a marquee. A dropped pin and a mobile number for someone on site make the difference. For a set of venues on one day, a multi-drop route handles several handovers in one booking, and timing a delivery to a deadline is something we can plan with you in advance.
Shows in Europe
For trade fairs on the continent, we run dedicated vans into Europe. Exhibition kit needs export paperwork, and kit that is coming back usually travels under an ATA Carnet. Our guide to sending goods to Europe by road sets out the paperwork to prepare.
FAQ
Common questions
Do we need to book a vehicle slot at the venue?
Often, yes. Many large venues require vans to be pre-booked on an online vehicle booking system for build-up and breakdown, and some treat small courier drops differently. The exhibitor manual for your show will say which applies. Where a booking is needed, make it in your company's name or ask the organiser's contractor, and we will send you the van registration and driver details to add once the job is allocated.
What address should we give for a delivery to our stand?
Use the format in your exhibitor manual. It normally includes the show name, hall and stand number, your company name, the person receiving and their mobile number, then the venue address and postcode. Put the same details on every box. Make sure someone is on the stand to sign: venues and organisers generally will not sign for you, and unattended deliveries may be diverted to an on-site handling agent who charges for it.
Will the driver carry our kit to the stand?
That depends on the venue rules, the load and the unloading time allowed. Venues usually let you hand-carry boxes from the loading bay to the stand, but forklift work is often reserved for the venue's appointed contractor. The quickest arrangement is for your stand team to meet the van at the bay with a trolley. Tell us the venue's rules and we will brief the driver.
Can you collect our stand when the show closes?
Yes. Book the collection for after the stand is dismantled and packed, not for the moment the show closes, because loading slots are usually short and drivers cannot wait on the bay. Label every case with your company name and the delivery address, keep at least one person with the kit until the van arrives, and tell us whether it goes back to your office, a store or the next show.
Our banner stands are still in the office. Can you get them to the venue today?
Usually. We confirm an estimated collection time when you book, based on where the nearest suitable vehicle is, and the driver goes straight to the venue. Tell us the hall and which entrance couriers use, and check whether the venue needs a vehicle booking at that time of day. If the show opens tomorrow, an evening or overnight run often avoids the build-day queue.
Can you take our exhibition stand to a show in Europe?
Yes, by dedicated van into Europe. Since Brexit, exhibition kit leaving the UK needs customs paperwork, and goods that will come back after the show often travel under an ATA Carnet, which you arrange before collection. Leave extra time for paperwork and the crossing, and give us the venue's delivery rules as early as you can.
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