Exhibiting in a show is a very detailed process and is compounded when planning a show in another country. For our international exhibitors here are a few helpful hints to ease your way.

United States Terms vs. International Terms

General Contractor vs. Multiple Contractors
In the United States one company/vendor known as the General Contractor is the exclusive provider of the following services at the convention center: all hanging signs, booth cleaning, freight handling, freight storage/transfer, all display or sign assembly/disassembly, electrical & plumbing installation. They may also provide display assembly/disassembly labor. The General Contractor for the 2009 NAB Show is Freeman.

Shipping

• Plan to ship early – with increasing security procedures causing delays to and from the United States, it is imperative that you meet the published deadlines.
• Consider renting an exhibit package from Freeman to reduce the amount of materials you ship. The rental cost could be substantially lower than shipping.
• How to ship – select ocean freight if your schedule allows for up to six weeks transit. Choose air freight for a much shorter transit time. Small ocean freight shipments (under one cubic meter) incur several minimum charges, so air freight is sometimes less expensive than sea freight.
• Use a professional exhibition freight forwarder – forwarders without detailed exhibition experience and without a network of exhibitions specialists can make Customs and transportation mistakes. Avoid arriving to an empty booth. Agility Fairs & Events Logistics is the Official International Freight Forwarder and Customs Broker for the show. International shipping information can be found in the Vendor Forms – Material Handling & Shipping section of the Exhibitor Manual.
• Labeling and Packing – U.S. Customs requires that all goods be permanently marked with their country of origin. Clearly label every piece with your company name, the name of the show and your booth number. Large labels work best. Be sure that your packing materials are adequate for both the means of transport and the sensitivity of your goods.
Documentation – prepare a commercial invoice in English with complete descriptions and model/serial numbers. List harmonized numbers if available. Include a packing list with the dimensions, gross and net weights of each package shipped.
• Insurance – take out adequate insurance to cover your exhibit to and from the show. Refer to the General Liability Insurance Coverage located in the pre-show information section of the Exhibitor Manual.

Ordering Electrical

• Voltage in the United States is typically 120/208-volt, 3-phase @ 60 Hz
• European voltage is typically 220/400-volt, 3-phase @ 50 Hz
• US power use capacity is typically measured in wattage or amperage
• European power use capacity is typically measured in KW (kilowatts)
• Freeman (electrical vendor for NAB) has power transformers (also known as a buck and boost) to convert US voltages to European voltages with capacities of up to 225 amps. A transformer must be ordered for voltages higher than 208 (up to 230-volt)
• 308-volt is not standard and requires a transformer to be placed in your booth (call for quote)
• Conversion of 50 Hz to 60 Hz is rarely required (solid state converters are available, but very expensive to rent)
• Equipment with D.C. (Direct Current) solid-state motors and controls do not require Hertz conversion
• Equipment with A.C. (Alternation Current) motors may require Hertz conversion due to an output shaft speed increase of 20%
• A good reference for international electrical information is http://kropla.com/electric.htm