International superstars
International exhibition contractors Smart Display are back on the ground after a productive trip to Messe Dortmund for the 45th edition of Intersupply. Working with its Singapore-based client Filtrona for the third year running, the team successfully brought together a design brief from south-east Asia for an exhibition in central Europe, taking care of all of the logistics to ensure a frictionless journey for the team at Filtrona.
As this niche industry’s key event, Intersupply is an essential date on the calendar for the world’s largest manufacturer of specialty filters. However, 7000 miles and a six-hour time difference can pose their challenges when it comes to project-managing and installing an exhibition stand, which is why the brand entrusts its European exhibitions to the experience of international exhibition contractors Smart Display.
“ We are so pleased to work with Smart Display and we really appreciate having Aimee Dunne as our project manager,” says Filtrona’s marketing specialist YiYi Thia, who attends the event every year. “Once again, the Smart Display team did a very good job as always and we had positive comments all round regarding the booth. Since we arrived into Dortmund in 2023 and saw our stand at Intersupply, we have had a fantastic experience. The Smart Display team completes the booth on time – even early – which allows us ample preparation time, and we are looking forward to future collaborations.”
Filtrona’s ongoing relationship with Smart Display also allows the team to re-use its bespoke elements year after year, keeping costs competitive and reinforcing brand identity from one event to the next. Filtrona’s bespoke counter has become a recognizable feature for visitors to Intersupply and, three years and two light refurbs on, it looks as good as new with every outing.
Like many clients exhibiting overseas, the Filtrona team can allocate its time to marketing and developing its niche business presence while its dedicated international exhibition contractors take care of the logistics associated with international trade shows.
““The preparation involved in exhibiting overseas is not a day’s work,” says Aimee Dunne, project manager at Smart Display. “It’s an ongoing, time-consuming process that starts weeks in advance. It’s a big part of the reason that our clients choose to work with Smart Display; because they value their time and know that it is better spent elsewhere.”
Around a third of Smart Display’s installations are now carried out overseas and, as British enterprise aspires to become more global, it’s a figure that is only set to rise. Every month Smart Display is approached by brands who can see the potential of exhibiting overseas, but feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the process.
“I think because we build regularly at so many venues across Europe, these are all issues that we pre-empt and avoid,” says Aimee. It’s a massive learning curve, and we are all supported by ten years of experience in getting these goods across borders. It would be a minefield for a beginner having to navigate the documentation as well as the logistics of transporting their goods overseas in line with the exhibiting timeline.”
In addition to the preparation in the lead up to the event, exhibitors are also aware of the time they take out of their business to be present at the show. For professionals such as YiYi Thia, a 13-hour flight to Germany is gruelling enough without additional administrative tasks before and after the event.
“The process of exhibiting overseas can span four days either side of the two-day build and the show days themselves,” says Aimee. “Again, this is why our customers attach so much value to letting us take care of the process; they value their own time, and it’s invaluable to them to fly into a fully-functioning stand ready to focus on promoting their business at the exhibition.”
A week on from the opening of Intersupply, the industry is now looking ahead to its 2026 edition, and Smart Display is already bringing clients on board for events at venues all over Germany and wider Europe. With installations already scheduled for at venues in Cologne, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Nuremberg and even Atlanta, Georgia, the Smart Display team has its passports at the ready for international installation excellence all over the world.
If you are looking to exhibit overseas and want the reassurance of an established and experienced international contractor, get in touch today. We can put some ideas together on a no-obligation basis, and van even re-use your stand elements for events here in the UK in seasons to come #wemakeevents.
