Key Takeaways
Step 1: Make One List of Everything
Before you pack a single case, write down every item on the stand. Group them so gaps are obvious:
- Structure: Frame tubes, connectors, feet, and crossbars
- Graphics: Backdrop, counter wrap, table cover, and banners
- Power and lighting: Lights, leads, and extension cables
- Stand dressing: Literature, samples, and signage
- Team kit: Tools, cleaning supplies, and the lead capture device
| Item | Size | Graphic code | Case | Who fits it | Status | Checked by |
| Backdrop wall | 3000 x 2300mm | GFX-001 | Case 1 | Frame builder | Packed | Name |
| Counter wrap | 900 x 1000mm | GFX-002 | Case 2 | Graphic installer | Checked | Name |
| Table cover | 1800 x 740mm | GFX-003 | Case 3 | Graphic installer | Missing | Name |
Step 2: Check the Venue's Logistics Requirements
Before arranging delivery, read the event's exhibitor manual and confirm the rules for loading-bay access, delivery windows, storage, build-up badges and required safety documents. These details vary by venue and event.
Check the following before your display leaves the supplier:
- Vehicle access: Find out whether you need to book a loading slot and confirm the permitted vehicle size and arrival time.
- Delivery arrangements: Confirm the approved address, stand number, delivery window and who will receive the shipment. Don't assume the venue will accept or store goods on your behalf.
- Handling equipment: Check whether trolleys or portering services are available, whether you need to bring your own and whether advance booking is required.
- Access and paperwork: Confirm build-up access, badges, risk assessments and any other documents required by the organiser.
Keep the logistics contact details with your inventory and share the instructions with your supplier, courier and stand team. A delivery plan only works when everyone involved has the same information.
Step 3: Pack Case by Case
Pack in the order you'll build, so the first case you open holds the first thing you need.
Case 1: The Structure
- Frame tubes, counted per section
- Feet or base plates (the item most often left behind from last time)
- Connectors and crossbars
- Assembly instructions, in case someone new is building
Case 2: The Graphics
- Backdrop graphic or SEG lightbox skin, packed with its frame, not in a separate print tube
- Table cover and counter wrap
- Pull-up banner
- A spare graphic, if it's a multi-day show
Case 3: Power and Lighting
- Lights and their leads, labelled
- Extension leads and a multi-socket (check the manual first, since some venues ask for proof that electrical kit has been safety tested)
- Cable covers or tape to hold leads down
The Tool Pouch
This pouch travels with you and not in the freight.
- Cable ties, gaffer tape, and Velcro tabs
- Scissors and a basic multi-tool
- Spare connectors, safety pins, and graphic clips
- A lint roller, microfibre cloths, and fabric-safe stain wipes
- A printed sheet with the venue, freight, and supplier contact numbers
The Team Bag
- Literature, business cards, and samples
- QR sign, and a tablet or phone for leads, plus chargers
- Water, snacks, painkillers, and comfortable shoes
A suitable reusable carry case can protect the frame and accessories during transport and make components easier to organise between events. Choose one sized for your system, with appropriate protection for the contents.
Step 4: Build in a Fixed Order
Assign Responsibilities
When nobody owns a task, everyone stands around waiting. So delegate tasks and make sure everyone knows their assigned work.
Build in the Same Order Every Time
- Mark out the stand footprint before you open a case.
- Build the frame: feet first, then uprights, then crossbars.
- Fit the graphics: SEG skins into their channels, fabric over the frame.
- Add the lights and connect the power.
- Dress the counter and table.
- Do a final pass: straighten, tension, hide cables, and wipe surfaces.
Keep It Safe
Build-up is a busy, cluttered workplace. HSE figures show slips, trips, and falls caused 30% of employer-reported non-fatal injuries in 2024/25, and handling, lifting, or carrying another 17%. Both are build-day risks: heavy cases, trailing leads, and boxes in the aisle.
The fixes are basic but they work. As WorkNest's Director of Health & Safety Services Nick Wilson put it when the figures were published:
On a stand, that means taping down every lead, clearing empty cases away as soon as they're unpacked, and lifting heavy cases in pairs or on a trolley.
Step 5: Check It From the Aisle
Before the doors open, walk out into the aisle and look at the stand the way a visitor will.
Take a photo while you're there. It's the best build guide you'll ever have for next time.
Step 6: Pack Down for the Next Show
The breakdown is where the next show's problems start. Repack in build order, with every part back in its own case. Note anything damaged or missing while you're still on site, and reorder it the following week, not the week before the next show.
Then save everything in one shared folder: the packing list, proofs, case photos, the aisle photo, and contact numbers. Next time, you start from a finished checklist, not a blank page.
If you exhibit more than a couple of times a year, a reusable fabric system makes all of this easier. Everything packs into one or two cases, and only the graphics change between campaigns. New to exhibiting? Our first-time exhibitor checklist blog covers choosing the show and what to buy.
Build It Once, Use It Every Time
A stand that goes up fast and looks sharp is decided long before build day: a full list, the right cases, the venue's rules read, and a team that knows its jobs. Do it properly once, and every show after takes a fraction of the effort.
Refreshing your kit, or not sure what fits your space? Talk to our team and we'll help you specify the right display and graphics before anything goes to print.
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