New Energy Articles Blog

Time is really gold when you are faced with setting up a trade exhibit. You have to think about the easiest way to do the many things that have to be attended to for such events. One of the major issues that you will have to resolve in this regard is being able to put up or dismantle your trade booth in quick time. The faster you can have your shelves, table and chairs propped up in their proper places, the more time you have for arranging your display and perhaps a little more to compose yourself for your first visitors. Trade show truss displays should do all that for you.

In trade show lingo, truss displays are composed of flat panels which are attached along their sides to each other. Trade show truss displays may be constructed so that the trusses always come together at certain fixed angles relative to each other. On the other hand, other truss displays are more versatile and the user has the freedom to set their angular relationships to arrange them according to the needs of the moment.

Trade show truss systems are usually built with aluminium frames. This is to make sure they remain lightweight and portable. Although it is not usually recommendable to purchase trade booth equipment due to the difficulty in transporting them from one place to another, aluminium trade show trusses could be considered an exception.

Because in the disassembled state trade show truss systems are simply frames they can be packed easily into custom-made boxes. Make sure the material they are made of is aluminium as this metal is resistant to rust. There should also be something which cushions the individual parts from scratching each other. Transporting them is as easy as sliding their container on its side into a van. Some containers can be placed at the top of the vehicle. But this manner of carrying the trusses is conducive to the parts loosening up.

You can inspect samples of truss displays that are shown in catalo all over the internet. They are characteristically elegant and distinctive in appeal. They may have shelves and lights. They can come with one or two tables and even some chairs. Underlying the fragile look you can be sure that these displays are sturdy. While the older types of truss displays could not be put together without the use of heavy duty tools, newer variations are fitted with simple knobs for tightening the aluminium posts one against the other. The most recent invention uses magnetic power to meld the metal together simply by bringing them close to each other.

It will always be safer to consult with the personnel of the company you are planning to get your display from before actually buying. You can never be certain that you have chosen one that is appropriate for your purposes.

Justin Shannon is a writer for Pop And Exhibits which offers Truss Display, Truss Show Display, and Trade Show Truss.

Tags: trade show, trade show truss, truss display, truss displays
Posted in Uncategorized | | No Comments »

Portable Trade Show Displays have been around ever since the Pop Up Display was introduced of the first in the late 1970’s. These displays became popular because when compared to the heavy, plywood based exhibits of the time they were affordable, light, easy to set up and had the ability to display graphic images. The two decade period of the 80's and 90's saw one copycat display after another introduced. The downside was that it became difficult to tell one from another because there was so much copycat design. However, during that time frame a lot of new ideas were being presented. After the economy wer south in the early 2000's new exhibit introductions basically went on hold.

Before discussing some of the new portable display innovations, let’s revisit the reasons for the continued popularity of the Pop up. They can be described very easily. From the beginning they were designed so that one person could assemble a 10' exhibit in less than twenty five to thirty minutes.Let's take a minute and think about the primary function of a display in the first place. If done well, it will communicate quickly to a show attendee walking down the aisle as to: 1). What the exhibitor offers and secondly. Why would they want to take the time to enter the space. A pop up display that is still very effective as a billboard is one with beautiful graphic mural panels. When done well, the message can be clear and compelling.

Portability suffered a bit during the early 2000's as manufacturers designed displays that would be more profitable. Some great display systems were introduced that created many options for small spaces that made them look custom. The problem is that for the most part they came in over $10,000.00. Several of the ten foot designs exceeded $15-16,000.00 for a 10’ exhibit. In the middle this left a lot of open ground. Now pop ups are available from many exhibit houses for less than $2000.00, there are still some portable panel systems with 90's design available for less than $4500.00.00, but there weren't many displays available in the important $5-10,000 range.00 range.

There were truss displays in that price range. However, until recently, those all packed into non-UPS-able shipping cases so couldn’t really be considered portable. This left many businesses with middle range exhibit budgets with limited choices. Now, design options are considered more important to the client. The latest in exhibit design open the door to many options when it comes to creating custom looks; many styles of graphics, choices of Laminate, Sentra or Plexiglas panels and a much wider selection of work stations. All that pack into FedEx compatible…. Portable….. Cases. These designs are saving the day for companies on a modest budget but that would prefer to own.

Tags: pop up displays, Portable Displays, portable pop up displays, truss displays
Posted in Uncategorized | | No Comments »

A lot of business owners and marketing directors come into the market for a new custom exhibit without much of a clue as to what they need. Here are a few tips for your consideration.

First of all, consider where you have been. Here are a few questions you might consider asking yourself. For instance, what have you been using for an exhibit, what size space are you in and are you planning on expanding at a later time? What sort of corporate image do you wish to convey (i.e. established or hot new young and creative upstarts), and do your graphics (your message) need to change from show to show. An important question to ask yourself up front is as to whether it is better for your company to purchase or rent an exhibit.

Let’s examine a few of these questions. The reason for putting some thought into where you have been is that it presents an opportunity to peer into the future. Is it time to make some change and to, perhaps, move into a larger trade show exhibit space? Questions like this can have an impact upon the design you receive. Have you been using work stations? A well done video or Powerpoint presentation can provide the spark for more in depth conversation. If not, perhaps it time to consider the benefits they provide. Are there any elements from your current booth that you'd like replicated? What is working and not working. Have you seen anything exciting at a show that you would like to have in your exhibit?

Next, consider your company image. There are a lot of different kinds of display systems, including Pop up displays, Truss displays, Fabric tension displays and higher end laminate panel systems. Banks sometimes prefer wood laminates, for instance, because it provides a sense of tradition and stability. A tech company, alternatively, could be attracted to some of the new metal grids available. The amount your want to spend, naturally, is going to play a role. You'll want to make sure your exhibit company is aware as to what you can afford to spend and to the kind of look you want. The responsibility for choosing the most appropriate system for your budget will fall upon them. On the floor homework is one way to get budgeting information. Ask some exhibitors what their exhibits sold for. You'll come away with an idea as to what you'll need to budget.

Regarding the exhibit rental versus purchasing question, be aware of the fact that more companies are switching to rentals because of the various convenience factors. In a nutshell, a rental will cost about one third as much. It will be shipped, set up and dismantled for you and this will be included in the price. You won't have the responsibility of storing the booth. One of the positives of purchasing is that it will be more economical for those doing a lot of shows. Also, because rentals by nature have to be constructed with generic components, you'll be free to design the exhibit you really want.

Your goal is to have a display booth that works for you in a functional way. This should also be the goal in mind for the exhibit company you are working with. By taking the time to review and reevaluate your needs you will be more likely to end up as a happy exhibitor!

Tags: custom exhibit, exhibit rental, truss displays
Posted in Uncategorized | | No Comments »

Tips On Buying A New Trade Show Booth
In the market for a new trade show booth? Purchasing a new custom  display used to be easy. You would find a local custom trade show display builder, study a few designs and place the ordder. These displays were made of plywood, covered in laminate, and packed in crates.

Now there are many more options. It may even make more sense to work with an out-of-state company that operates closer to your shows. A big advantage of this approach is that if you live in a state with sales tax you won’t have to pay it. Even better is the fact that pricing on custom displays is still much lower than start from scratch plywood customs. The challenge, however, is for you to figure out how to get the most exhibit for your budget (hopefully you have one) that will be functional, aesthetically pleasing and well branded. This page is designed to provide some clues as to what is available and as to how you might start.

One of the most important starting places is to figure out a budget. What is it going to take  to get noticed next to your competition? For this reason, some sample prices are included in this article. To be clear, all of the links lead to my company’s web site for two reasons; 1) Ours includes sample pricing and 2) Promotion. I admit that it is a little self serving. Please take this into consideration. I encourage you to also look at other web sites.

Trade Show Truss Displays Are Now More Portable: $6-7,000.00
An exhibit category that didn't exist only a few years ago are Trade Show Truss systems. They are available in a variety of kits that include lights, graphic production, and shipping cases. Custom designs can be done.

Think you may be interested in a truss? Truss provides an upgraded look from the less expensive Pop up displays, which has now been around for nearly 30 years. Truss is very functional, sturdy enough to hold large plasma screens and other products and at the same time display graphics very well. The pack out is not as convenient as a Pop up or simple panel system, but the more sophisticated your booth, the more likely it is that you are going to compromise the ease of shipping. A truss booth is modular so the components you buy now can later go into a larger island exhibit.

Upside of truss: Sturdy looking, a step up from what most starter companies purchase. Functional. Good with graphics. Good choice if you need plasmas. Downside: Set up is doable by one person but might be challenging. Shipping is more expensive than a pop because most  truss displays are heavy and comparable in weight to the higher end customs.

The good news regarding truss is that a brand new, light-weight truss display was introduced at the recent Exhibitor Show in Las Vegas. It actually qualifies as a portable display in that the kits pack into standard clamshell cases as opposed to tubs too large to ship via UPS.

Pop Up Displays: Prices Have Dropped To Under $2000.00, But It Still Delivers $1200.00 to $2000.00.

Pop up displays remain very popular. They should be listed in wikipedia.com as a definition of the word “portable”. ship ship via UPS, they set up in under 30 minutes  and, especially with mural graphic panels, they still excel at communicating a message. The popularity of the portable pop up display is also a down side. There will be a lot of them at a large show, making it more challenging to stand out in a crowd. Amazon uses them for smaller regional shows like those in hotels and smaller convention venues. Nonetheless, given that you can spend $1000.00 renting one from a show, they remain an excellent value if you are testing the trade show waters or building your business.

Portable displays: $5-10,000

Portable display design stagnated for many years starting in the late 1990’s. Some displays that were being referred to as portable wasn’t really because they couldn’t ship via FedEx. That has changed. Over the last two years several new portable kits have been introduced that have moved this genre forward.

This should provide you with an overview as to the different types of Exhibits that are available. Keep in mind that the prices given are for a 10 x 10′ space.

Tags: custom displays, pop up displays, portable display, trade show booth, truss displays
Posted in Uncategorized | | No Comments »