Las Vegas Trade Show Shipping: A Fall Exhibitor’s Crating Checklist

List every item traveling to the show, including accessories packed separately. Record dimensions, weight, quantity, and any sensitive surfaces or protruding components. Take photographs so your packing team can understand the shipment without relying on a description such as “display equipment.”

For each item, include:

• A name or inventory number that matches your booth plan
• Length, width, height, and weight, noting any estimates
• Screens, glass, finished surfaces, or parts that need special protection
• Removable components and manufacturer handling instructions
• The crate or package containing its cables, keys, and installation hardware

Distinguish the item’s measurements from the finished crate’s outside dimensions. Protective materials and the crate structure add space and weight. Share the inventory with your crating provider before booking freight, then give the carrier the confirmed packed dimensions and total weight.

A booth can contain several different packing problems. A monitor needs protection around its screen, while a heavy display base needs support that limits movement. Describe the vulnerable parts of each item so the packing design addresses them individually.

Discuss the base, blocking, bracing, cushioning, and opening method with your provider. Explain how the item will be loaded and removed, and identify surfaces that cannot accept pressure. FedEx’s crate-packing guidance is a useful starting point for questions about construction; confirm the requirements of the carrier and service you actually book.

Consider the unpacking order. Hardware and installation instructions should be easy to identify, and fragile pieces should not be buried beneath heavy components. If the same display travels repeatedly, discuss a reusable layout with labeled supports and a clear repacking sequence. Our trade show crating service covers purpose-built crates and protective packaging for these exhibit needs.

Read the current exhibitor manual before choosing a delivery address. Advance warehouse receiving and direct delivery to the venue can have different dates, labels, freight restrictions, and handling arrangements. A familiar Las Vegas venue name does not establish where your carrier should take the shipment.

Before dispatch, confirm:

• The correct receiving address and shipment-label format
• The receiving window and any assigned move-in appointment
• Package-size, weight, and freight-type restrictions
• Required weight tickets, carrier paperwork, and driver check-in instructions
• Who handles freight between the receiving area and your booth

Keep responsibilities clear between your crating company, carrier, and show contractor. Ask what each quote includes, particularly transportation, material handling, labor, and empty-container storage. For an automotive exhibit, our SEMA Show crating guide adds item-specific preparation; always use the current event manual for operational instructions.

Use the event’s required shipping labels and verify the exhibitor name, booth number, destination, and package count. Remove obsolete destination labels from reused crates. A numbering system such as “crate 1 of 3” helps the team recognize whether the complete shipment has arrived.

Photograph the contents before closing each crate and retain an inventory with your event documents. Record which panel opens first, where removable supports belong, and which tools the crew needs. Keep a digital copy available to staff traveling to Las Vegas, with a copy of the carrier documents and key contacts.

Before collection, compare the crate count, outside measurements, packed weight, and destination against the booking. Resolve differences before the driver arrives.

Decide who will repack the display, where reusable packing materials will be kept, and which tools will be available. Confirm how the show contractor handles empty containers and when they become available. Build the teardown plan around those arrangements rather than assuming crates return immediately at closing time.

Book outbound transportation around the event’s published move-out requirements. Give the carrier the correct pickup instructions and identify who completes and submits the required outbound paperwork. Confirm the carrier check-in deadline separately from the time your booth team must finish packing.

If materials continue to another event, update the destination labels and inventory before the crates leave Las Vegas. Inspect reusable crates and replace damaged protection before the next shipment.

When should I order trade show crates?

As soon as the equipment list and required ready date are known. Ask about current production availability and work backward from the show’s receiving window, allowing time for packing and transportation.

Does a crating quote include delivery to my booth?

Check the written scope. Crating, carrier transportation, and show material handling are separate responsibilities unless your agreement expressly includes them. Confirm each provider’s contact and charges.

What should I send for a quote?

Send the inventory, photos, item dimensions and weights, packing location, destination, event schedule, and access requirements. Mention whether the crates will be reused or shipped internationally.