Sprucing up a Sustainable Exhibition Stand

The Solupak team were attending the Interclean conference to showcase their SoluClean range and required an eye-catching stand that was built with sustainability in mind. Managing Director, Helen McDonald, approached us to design the stand concept and transform it into a live build. The exhibition space spanned 9m x 4m and we initially discussed the key criteria that the stand must encompass. The list included the following:
• A stand that was visually impactful
• Prominent areas to showcase their product range
• Space to include a TV screen
• The use of sustainable materials needed to be instantly recognisable
• Intertwining of their vibrant brand colours

Whilst the client had a clear vision when it came to the stand requirements, they sought external design expertise to portray their brand and key messaging in a vibrant, engaging stand. This project design was managed by none other than our Studio Manager, Becca Kelly, who over the years at Imageco has designed countless exhibition stands, each encapsulating their own unique style and story. The graphic elements for this stand were derived from the visual identity of Solupak which encapsulates bright and bold pink, green, blue, and purple shades. For the backdrop of the stand, we took a minimalist look with a pastel blue and bubbles to reflect the cleaning element. The bright colours were then applied as accents on stand out elements of the stand, from the shelfs to the desk.

To deliver on the sustainability aspect of this project, we opted to use SWEDBOARD® Fibre to construct the entire stand. The board is 100% recyclable, and uses FSC certified materials, all while having a low CO2 emission production. Aside from this, there was a dual reason why this material was chosen - its fire safety credentials. The RAI building where the Interclean conference was taking place set out strict fire safety regulations, which all exhibitors must comply with. So rather than an entirely cardboard based stand, the SWEDBOARD® Fibre board encompasses a thin layer of aluminium inside the material that increases its fire safety rating. For the floor, we applied our new Click Floor System. These are tile-shaped materials that include a slot to insert printed designs, which can then be clicked together to give the illusion of a tiled floor. Due to the graphic insert, these tiles can be reused and rebranded time and time again.

After the design was established and the materials were chosen, the project moved to our cardboard engineering expert, Dean Sharp. Using the latest CAD software, our team took the flat fibreboard sheets and transformed them into a 3D creation. The production drawings delivered in the software depicted how the built exhibition would look live and how the various cardboard components would interlock. The cut areas were identified in the CAD artwork stage and these instructions were passed onto the Zünd cutter to precisely cut out each sheet. The graphic prints displayed across the exhibition stand were printed using our swissQprint Nyala 4 printer, which delivered vivid, high-definition designs which perfectly portrayed SoluClean’s bright colour palette. The graphic prints inside the tiles utilised our HP Latex 570 printer which offers end-to-end sustainability in its production.

Not only did we support with production, our team also assisted with the logistics and installation of the exhibition stand. We managed the entire transport operation, sending the prints in protective packaging over to Amsterdam alongside a dedicated fitting team who put in some elbow grease to execute the complex exhibition build at the venue. The show spanned three days, and when it came to an end, our specialists derigged the stand and sent it back to our office to be properly disposed of. We manage a no landfill policy at Imageco that is supported by our waste management company Reconomy, meaning the fibreboard was expertly recycled, alongside the paper-based graphics in the tiles.