Trade Show Shipping: Crate, Packing, and Delivery Planning

List each panel, screen, fixture, cable kit, and tool that travels. Identify dimensions, weight, fragile surfaces, and approved handling points. Plan the opening order so the first component needed for installation is accessible without unloading everything into an aisle.

Specify skids, handles, casters, or stacking features only where the handling plan supports them. Casters are not a substitute for a suitable freight-handling base or restraint during transport.

Use fitted compartments or approved supports to keep components from rubbing and shifting. Follow equipment-maker instructions for screens and electronics, including transport locks or electrostatic controls where relevant. Keep fasteners and cables in labeled kits.

Artwork requires a medium- and condition-specific plan; wrapping should not contact a sensitive painted surface. Any humidity protection must suit the item and enclosure. A generic desiccant packet cannot replace an agreed environmental plan.

• Photograph each packed layer and identify removable supports.
• Include a parts inventory and clear repacking sequence.
• Protect finished faces from incompatible adhesives and abrasive materials.
• Make the tools needed to open and close the crate available to the crew.

Copy the receiving address exactly from the event’s instructions. Advance-warehouse and show-site addresses may differ. Labels should identify the exhibitor, show, booth, piece count, and relevant handling details as required by that show.

Prepare the carrier’s bill of lading and the applicable material-handling paperwork. Keep copies with the responsible team. Remove obsolete destination labels before the crate travels again, and label the return shipment separately when it is ready.

The Freeman exhibitor guide distinguishes shipping from material handling and directs exhibitors to event-specific receiving windows. There is no universal rule to ship two weeks before every event. Build the schedule backward from the actual acceptance deadline, carrier service, and contingency time.

Material handling, sometimes called drayage, covers services at the event such as unloading, delivery to the booth, empty-container storage, and move-out handling. These costs are separate from the carrier’s trip to the receiving point. Check the show’s rate sheet, minimums, special-handling definitions, and overtime rules.

Venue and contractor rules determine which tasks your staff or outside contractors may perform. Confirm labor, rigging, electrical, and loading requirements rather than assuming all Las Vegas shows use identical rules. Do not schedule installation labor before the freight can realistically reach the booth.

Compare less-than-truckload, dedicated truck, and expedited options using the actual packed load and delivery window. Ask how many transfers are expected, how appointments are handled, and who to contact if freight misses a milestone. A faster service name does not guarantee admission to a closed receiving dock.

• Agree tracking and escalation contacts.
• Identify the truly show-critical components and any practical spares.
• Confirm carrier liability and any separate insurance requirements with the appropriate provider.
• Keep packing specifications available if emergency repacking is needed.

Confirm empty-crate return procedures, outbound paperwork, carrier check-in deadlines, and what happens if the booked carrier fails to arrive. Allow time to inspect, inventory, and repack the exhibit before closing crates. Keep notes on damaged panels, worn inserts, or missing hardware for repair.

Reusable crates are most useful when someone owns the return, storage, and maintenance process. Compare cost across real events, including empty transport and storage. Avoid claiming a fixed number of reuse cycles, guaranteed savings, or a carbon reduction without supporting records.