Finding the right exhibition suppliers

Putting together an award-winning exhibition is no easy feat as any organiser will tell you. It takes hard work, a good plan and most importantly suppliers you can trust. But what makes a good exhibition supplier?

AAXO recently caught up with three of the suppliers that won big, as suppliers to many of the winning exhibitions at the ROAR Awards earlier this year; we were inspired by their success in the industry. Organisers know that the right suppliers supporting you can make all the difference to running a smooth exhibition.

Pat Cronning, commercial director at Expo Guys

What makes a good supplier is experience, explained Patrick Cronning the commercial director of Expo Guys – an award-winning exhibition stand builder. Mr Cronning has almost 24 years of experience in the exhibition industry and has been with the company since they began over seven years ago.

Mr Cronning has seen this supplier company grow from a simple exhibition stand builder when it first started, to the successful one-stop exhibition shop that is dedicated to assisting organisers produce the best shows that they possibly can, that it has since become. With over 70 full time employees and the experience of having helped put together hundreds of shows, they attribute their success to experience. “We are continually changing our service from working in the exhibition industry for a very long time. The marginal improvements we continuously make has a dramatic impact on how the site flows and how our clients experience the build,” Mr Cronning said.

Leon Roux, owner of Larouxnelle Logistics and Consulting

Behind every success story is a man who simply decided to follow his passion and it is no different in the exhibition industry. Leon Roux, owner of Larouxnelle Logistics and Consulting believes that the success of every company including his own comes down to caring about what you do.

As a supplier who is responsible for exhibition freight forwarding, customs clearing and onsite logistics of an expo, any error on your part could greatly hinder the success of a show. “We are passionate in what we do with a ‘hands on’ approach to each event. Our relationships with organisers, friendly approach, and willingness to help or assist is our way of making sure each and every one is a success,” says Roux.

What we have learnt in our 14 years in this industry is that if you have a team of people who truly care about what they do, then they will work their absolute hardest to ensure that they make every show a success.

Gabi Babinszky, owner at Brandex

Every exhibition is unique and therefore, in order to make it a success you have to be able to adapt your services to that particular show. Being hands-on with every client and open to adaptation is what Gabi Babinszky, owner of Brandex, attributes to his success in the exhibition industry.

As an audiovisual specialist who delivers complete AV solutions for exhibitions, Mr Babinszky believes that each project is different and having team members who have been in the industry for many years helps them adapt and plan ahead for any onsite challenges that they may encounter.

Any organiser of a successful exhibition knows that finding tailormade solutions to suit a client’s unique needs is what makes a supplier stand out from the crowd.

“We understand how important it is to deliver an impactful experience and we not only supply and install the equipment, but we also operate as an agency that is able to help conceptualise the look and feel of your unique event. A handson approach together with a can-do attitude is what sets a good supplier apart from the rest,” Mr Babinszky said.

In conclusion

Finding the best suppliers to suit your particular exhibition needs can be tricky. While it can often be a trial and error process, there are certain qualities to look out for. Experience, passion and adaptability are all important qualities that your potential suppliers should possess in order to make your exhibition a success.