Posted April 12th, 2009 by richard in Installers Life
This is the first in a series of "Installers Life" articles on the unwritten code and set of rules of trade show exhibit installation.
I've been working in the trade show/exhibit installation world for the last twenty years and I've found that there's a strict code that exists on show floors. Break the code and you tend to have more difficulty and you will quickly gain a bad reputation, especially if you're always working in the same venue. Large installation houses like Czaranowski and Nth Degree are always the most likely to stick to the code. Sometimes new installers take a while to get up to speed.
[more after the break]
One of the first things you learn on the show floor is that the "Freight Free" aisle is sacred ground. Be careful never to move any of your freight into the aisle or put your job box out there. Some shows with a lot of custom exhibits can get pretty crowded. It becomes a dance for the installer as he opens his crates, empties them and installs the exhibit. He is doing this in tight quarters and if he ends up adjacent to the freight free aisle his space sometimes becomes even more limited. But remember: The freight free aisle is sacred ground. The show decorator like Freeman or George Fern Company are counting on your leaving those aisles free so that they can zip along with the freight to everywhere in the hall. Not to mention the fact that for fire safety reasons there is a need for empty space.
To make sure that you keep the freight free aisle clear takes some extra planning with managing your crates. Even more important at the start of the install take the time to get to know the crews in the booths around you. Communicate on how you are going to handle your crating.
What suggestions do you have with keeping the freight free aisle clear at tradeshow installations?
