New Partnership Between Trade Show Emporium and Aspect Solar Saves Businesses Money at Conventions

July 8, 2014 - Trade Show Emporium was approached by Gerry Demple, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Aspect Solar because of the dedication to offering sustainable products and having a mindset of quality over quantity. This fit well with Aspect Solar's mission. After a few discussions a partnership was formed with the intent to get trade show exhibitors off of the overly expensive energy for trade show booths.

Trade Show Emporium and Aspect Solar want to help companies save money where they can. In order for companies to save they should consider spending more up front in order to save money in the long run. Portable, modular, hard sided shipping cases and trips to freight companies have become the norm for smaller businesses. Exhibitors know that planning for a trade show is imperative for a smooth convention. Getting estimates and negotiating for ancillary charges can be tedious, but well worth the time and effort that goes into it; not to mention it will save you money.

How to save money? Avoiding energy charges and hookups at conventions is one way to have your savings add up very quickly. Enter Aspect Solar's EnergyBar. This generator provides 250 watt-hours of power while weighing in at eight pounds. Here's how you save money: A quick look into Austin's Convention Center with one outlet (120 volt) can cost over $300. If you break this down at a one time charge in Austin for example the set up fee for a plug is $71 and it is $259 for power. Now it depends on the venue and number of shows your company does a year, but if you multiply the cost associated with energy at four shows a year the expense is well over $1000. With a fully charged EnergyBar a booth with LED lights and a mobile hotspot powered through the main AC plug can easily run on this generator for one eight hour day. The benefit of using a WIFI hotspot is that convention centers can charge up to $500 (standard internet charge in Austin) per show. It is easy to see how this item can save a company big bucks over many shows.

Keep in mind that this generator works best with energy efficient equipment. In order to maximize the usage of the EnergyBar wattage must be checked for compatibility in order to make sure that your company has power during the entire show. No one wants the lights to go out during business hours.

Many businesses purchase trade show booths that they can easily set up themselves, saving money prior to trade show day. Spend more money up front by buying a generator and a portable modular display you can add to later. Having a portable, lightweight display makes the task of transporting these materials much easier. Here is an example: weights for graphic vinyl panels can be at least twice the weight of fabric graphic walls. Depending on the size of the trade show booth, this seemingly small weight can add up significantly.

As companies grow, so should the trade show booth used for conventions. Understand that the majority of trade show systems are modular and can use the same hardware to build off of. We specifically like two systems, Triga and EcoSystems. Both of these systems offer a different aspect to the exhibitor but have components we know are important. Similarities include LED lighting, sustainably made, easy set up and durable materials make these products stand above the rest. Each system has benefits that are unique and are described below.

Triga can conform to any shape like curved walls, hexagonal shapes and even circular systems like towers with small additions to the hardware. The top 'heads' of the Triga posts have multiple slots that the adjoining cross bar can fit into which allows the system to bend and curve along the wall as the design allows. So when a company needs to expand from a 10'x10' space into a 10'x20', this system can easily accommodate. Triga products break down into a soft sided carry case and can upgrade to a hard sided case.

EcoSystems on the other hand uses set sizes of engineered aluminum that fit together through prefabricated design systems. Usually companies can purchase a 10' booth that can build into a 20' booth and add half of the graphics and hardware at a later date. This enables the company to expand when the budget allows. Eco systems come with a hard sided shipping case that is ready for shipping.

Finding the perfect booth is up to your company's needs and budget. We just want to let businesses know that there are options for saving money at trade shows; especially smaller businesses. So keep in mind that modular, portable displays can be a huge benefit, just watch out for the overall weight to decrease shipping charges. Adding LED lighting and energy efficient products with a generator like the EnergyBar can save companies from massive ancillary charges at conventions. Do your homework, negotiate with conventions, prepare months ahead and sit back, relax and have yourself a good time at your show.