Silverwood Exhibitions was started by Barry more than 20 years ago in a lock-up.

Once he was released things developed quickly and he moved to larger and larger premises.

The current ones comprise a well equipped manufacturing workshop, with additional office and graphic areas. An adjacent unit allows for stand storage between shows. 

Do you have no real idea of a design for your stand, maybe a few lines on an old envelope?

A very fixed idea of what you want, or maybe something you have seen before  and fancy copying (sorry, should read “sincerely flattering”??)

Whatever: we can meet, phone, Skype or email our way to a design concept which suits you. This may be in the final form of a simple line drawing; a fully rendered 3D visual; or a graphic walk-through.

From Istanbul in the mysterious East, to Harrogate in the serious West; Hannover in the frozen North, to Valencia somewhere on GMaps; Silverwood has constructed, transported, built and dismantled big and small exhibition stands.

Near or far; big or small; new to exhibitions or a complete beginner; we offer you a complete and personal service.

• What Show are you planning to attend?
• How big a stand space have you bought? Do you need advice on that?
• What are you selling? How do you want to put it across? Do you have graphics?
• What is your stand build budget???

Let us help you with your next exhibition.

Here is the process:

Design

This is a “Concept to Conclusion” operation which we can steer you through, starting at any point on the Design Brief.
For those who have no idea what that means but are frightened already, can you answer these initial questions:-

• What Show are you planning to attend?
• How big a stand space have you bought? Do you need advice on that?
• What are you selling? How do you want to put it across? Do you have graphics?
• What is your stand build budget???

Done that?? Excellent, we can move on to actual designs…

Do you have?

• No real idea of a design for your stand, maybe a few lines on an old envelope?
• A very fixed idea of what you want, or maybe something you have seen before  and fancy copying (sorry, should read “sincerely flattering”??)

Whatever: we can meet, phone, Skype or email our way to a design concept which suits you. This may be in the final form of a simple line drawing; a fully rendered 3D visual; or a graphic walk-through.

Once a design is agreed we will provide a written Quote for the whole job.

You are probably tired already just reading this but looking on the bright side….

At this point most of your work is done. We can handle all the other aspects of permissions, stand construction and delivery, whilst keeping you in the loop.

Planning

A lot of planning goes into even the smallest exhibition stand. Most of it happens in the background. The more we do, the less you have to worry about. Much of it is connected with filling and submitting forms for Exhibition Hall approvals. This will be initially for your stand design to check sizes, orientation and regulations for access etc.

This is followed by something called a Health and Safety form, which is supposed to prevent pains in the neck but perversely seems to cause them! Following “Approval” there are many other aspects to consider or order. Risk Assessments; floor coverings; electricity or water supply; hall access and timings; transport; customs clearances; carnets; etc etc.

You may also want refreshments (I do, this is taking longer than I thought) internet access and a host of other things. All this is an ongoing process prior to the actual stand build.

Graphic content…(just read this bit if you are in a rush)

This is a very important aspect and one to which you will want considerable input. It starts with the basic stand colours and gets more difficult from then on! There are so many graphic mediums available, from sticky-back-plastic signs to full screen video wall displays, that trying to list them all would be pointless but it would fill this page up a bit……

The likelihood is that you will want company logos and accreditations, with additional lettering to highlight existing and particularly new, productsservices. All these will need to be in specific colours and to your approved design.

Our guru will talk this through with you and can provide designs for your approval. Eventually, quite often without too many rude words being said, the whole thing comes together and the graphics are ready to be applied to the stand.

Build

Your stand will be produced by us in our workshops.

The various components are constructed and assembled before being given the initial surface preparation, prior to final finishing at the exhibition hall.

At this stage we get a good idea if anything needs modifying, how the lighting works with the colours and what the graphics will look like in place. Are plasma screens easy to see, are shelves and leaflet holders in the best places? We are now in an excellent position to advise on any changes we think necessary.

When we are happy we take it all to pieces and stack it ready to go to the build-up at the show.

Then somebody sweeps up all the sawdust, usually after an argument about who made the most and why, then await the day when it gets loaded for the journey to the show.

Delivery & Setup

This is the part which you are unlikely to see until you arrive at the exhibition, usually on the afternoon of the day before the show. There is no point in being there any sooner, you will certainly get your suit dirty, or covered in paint, or both!

Having transported your stand to the exhibition hall we commence the build-up. This may be a few days before the show starts depending on how big the stand is and whether anybody can remember where the various bits go!

By the time you arrive the stand will have been painted, have all the graphics in place and the lights on. We can even help with the delivery of small items, which can often be a real pain to get from your car into the hall.

Our aim is that you should be able to arrive at the stand, put your bags down and start selling, just as soon as you have bought us a coffee.

We normally try to be present just before the show ends, so that we can get direct feedback on how things went and how the stand worked. If this is not possible we will certainly arrive as soon as contractors are allowed access for the breakdown and can often help with your final clearing up.

As soon as you are on the way home we breathe a great sigh of relief and get cracking with dismantling the stand, which you might want to use again at the same, or another, venue. If this is the case we will return it to York and store it until the next time.

All that remains now is for us to check that you have paid the final Invoice, our terms being 50% with your Purchase Order and 50% on hand over of the stand. At the same time we can get your impressions of how things went at the show and how they could be improved another time.

Once that is done we indulge in our very own version of “feedback” by ordering one of those triple layer sandwiches for lunch……