Trade shows are a cornerstone of business networking, showcasing products, and fostering industry connections. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), trade shows contribute over $100 billion annually to the global economy, with exhibitors citing logistics as one of their most significant operational challenges. A missed delivery window can lead to losses upwards of $10,000 per hour, emphasizing the critical role of precise logistics.
The bustling activity of trade show venues—marked by trailers unloading exhibition materials, teams setting up displays, and strict schedules—requires flawless coordination. Punctuality is key, with marshalling yards enforcing strict check-in times to ensure smooth inbound and outbound flows. A single delay can cascade into higher fees, missed opportunities, and empty exhibit spaces.
In this high-stakes environment, partnering with an experienced 3PL provider like Mactrans Logistics can make all the difference. With advanced warehousing, just-in-time logistics, and cost-effective cross-border shipping solutions, Mactrans ensures your materials arrive on time and within budget. Read on to see how our comprehensive trade show logistics services can streamline your exhibition experience and safeguard your success.
Article Highlights:
- Timely Trade Show Deliveries: Mactrans ensures the timely transportation of exhibition materials, preventing costly delays and missed opportunities.
- Comprehensive 3PL Services: Offering advanced warehousing, just-in-time logistics, and cross-border shipping, Mactrans provides seamless trade show logistics solutions.
- Reliable and Cost-Effective: Mactrans’ partnerships with regional transportation experts ensure reliable, cost-effective solutions compared to more expensive options offered by trade show producers.
The trade show venues are a bee’s nest of activity in the days leading up to, and then the days following, the shows, with trailer trucks unloading gear and products before the show, and then loading them back up once the show has ended. Punctuality is essential to the smooth flow of this work on either side of the show itself.
Convention centers have marshalling yards to manage this inbound and outbound flow of exhibit material. Drivers have assigned “check-in” times at these marshalling yards, and a missed time slot could mean an empty exhibiting space inside the show. Vendors can lose tens of thousands of dollars and lost sales if that happens.
If a booked carrier misses that time slot on the outbound side of the process, exhibition freight can get forced onto the show facility’s carrier trucks, usually for a much higher hauling fee than that of the booked carrier. Exhibitors are often offered advance staging warehouse storage before the trade show, with the final leg of the journey to the venue managed for them. This can be costlier as well and requires shipping well in advance of the show.
Loading crews, drivers, timing, and the smoothness of delivery and pickup within short windows of opportunity to do it all make for a daunting challenge. The logistics of this process are not for the faint of heart, and only those who are well experienced and well staffed can pull it off without a hitch.
Custom Transport Logistics For Trade Show Materials
This part in the process of trade show exhibition staging is where a good 3PL comes in. Third-party logistics (3PL) companies can take on this vital role in the ordinary course of their business operation – it’s what they’re good at and what they do. Among the ranks of good 3PL companies in North America is Mactrans Logistics.
Mactrans Logistics offers a variety of shipping options to help you meet your deadlines and budgets. It knows that every minute counts, as does every dollar, and its service options will see to it your materials for trade show events arrive timely and well.
Mactrans Logistics has built relationships with transportation partners who have a demonstrated regional presence and local knowledge for smooth domestic and cross-border shipping. Its just-in-time and expedited logistics services are unmatched in the 3PL industry.
Mactrans Logistics can handle the transportation needs for trade show delivery, and make sure exhibition materials arrive on time. While trade show producers offer transportation and warehousing services for their shows, these services are often two and three times the cost of Mactrans’ experienced services.
Mactrans Qualified Carriers can meet any transportation logistics needs its clients may have to meet trade show requirements. As a result, Mactrans has become a valuable link to many clients in achieving trade show success all over North America.
Beyond transportation, Mactrans can act as an “advanced warehouse,” keeping materials on a shipping dock until that “final mile” delivery needs to be made. This ensures timely delivery at the designated check-in time. Windows of opportunity get met, and exhibition materials are where they need to be when they need to be there.
Mactrans offers a variety of services to ensure efficient trade show logistics:
- Advanced Warehousing: Temporary storage solutions for exhibition materials, ensuring timely final delivery.
- Just-in-Time Logistics: Precise delivery schedules to meet tight deadlines and avoid costly delays.
- Cross-Border Shipping: Expertise in navigating customs and regulations for seamless international transport.
- Expedited Services: Fast-track options for urgent shipments, minimizing transit times.
They can take the worry out of the process and get vendors and their exhibition materials to the show on time, every time, from venue to venue when needed – from Toronto to Chicago to New York to Quebec City, and, well, you get it. Domestic and cross-border schedules are easily and smoothly met, with no logistics challenge being too great to overcome.
Mactrans experience takes the worry out of trade show presence and puts its clients in the best position possible for trade show success.
For seamless trade show logistics, contact us today or get a freight quote to ensure your exhibition materials arrive on time and within budget.
