Exhibition stand costs
Price is set by stand type, square metres and fit-out; we do not publish a fixed tariff because material costs move with the market. What the price includes, what is budgeted separately and how to compare quotes — all on this page.
We publish our prices. What makes quotes hard to compare is not the price difference but the vagueness of scope: one supplier folds freight into the square metre rate and looks expensive, another leaves it out and looks cheap, while both are doing the same work.
The ranges below cover design, production, printed graphics, installation and dismantling. What drives the price is covered in detail in the cost guide.
| Stand type | Area | Install (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Portable | 4–20 m² | 1–1 |
| Modular | 9–150 m² | 1–2 |
| Maxima System | 12–200 m² | 1–3 |
| Country Pavilion | 100–2000 m² | 4–10 |
| Custom Timber Build | 20–500 m² | 2–5 |
| Island | 36–800 m² | 3–6 |
| Double Decker | 60–600 m² | 4–8 |
01
What the price covers
- Included: concept and 3D visualisation, technical drawings, fabrication, printed graphics, on-site installation and dismantling.
- Budgeted separately: floor rental paid to the organiser, electricity and floor charges, international freight and customs, accommodation and staff on the stand during the fair.
Ask for the scope in writing. Two quotes without a written scope cannot be compared.
The non-stand items in a fair budget should not be underestimated either; publications from industry bodies such as AUMA are a reminder to look at the whole cost of attending.
What creates the price difference is the build method: a custom stand is made from scratch, a system stand is assembled from stock profiles.
02
Decisions that lower the budget
- 01
Decide early
If the design is approved four weeks before the fair, production runs on a normal schedule. Work squeezed into two weeks carries a rush cost.
- 02
Build method
What creates the price difference is the build method: a custom stand is made from scratch, a system stand is assembled from stock profiles. That choice sets the budget before design starts.
- 03
Height
Going from 3.50 m to 5 m changes the structure and the installation time. Buy height when brand visibility needs it, not out of habit.
- 04
The right space
The number of open sides sets the price before design starts. Discuss the budget while choosing the space from the organiser.
- Do the prices include VAT?
The ranges exclude VAT. Export exemption applies to work abroad and is stated explicitly in the quote.
- What do you need in order to quote?
The fair name and dates, the floor area, the number of open sides and the floor plan if you have it. Send them through the quote form and we come back within two working days with a concept and a budget range.
- Why are prices quoted in euros?
Most of the timber panel, aluminium profile, LED and print material is priced in euros. The contract is set in euros so currency risk is not pushed onto one side.
- What is the per-square-metre price of a stand?
We do not give a single per-square-metre figure. Six items drive the cost: stand type, number of floors, open sides, enclosed volumes (storage, kitchen), whether anything is rigged from the ceiling, and the city of the fair. Tell us the fair and your floor area and we send these as separate written lines within 48 hours; the first concept is free.
- How do I compare two quotes?
Look at three lines: are build and dismantle included, who carries the graphic print, and are the organiser fees (power, floor, waste) in the quote. Most cheap-looking quotes leave these three out and the difference shows up during the fair week. All three are written in ours.
- If we change the design after the quote, does the price change?
We do not charge for changes at the concept stage; the first concept and its revisions are free. A change made after approval and after production has started alters the line it affects, and we tell you in writing. That is why approval is taken on 3D visuals and a dimensioned drawing.
03
Why a per-square-metre price misleads on its own
What separates two stands of the same size is not the square metres but what stands on them. Nine square metres can hold a single display unit — or a lockable store, a serving counter and a hanging sign. That is why we write our quote by line item rather than by area: design, production, graphics, freight, installation and dismantling each sit on their own line.
When you compare quotes, the first place to look is not the total but what the total covers. Are build and dismantle included, who carries the graphic print, are the organiser fees for power and flooring in the quote, does freight start at your door or inside the hall. All of these are written out in ours, so you do not have to ask.
04
Which items are written as separate lines in our quote
Design and visualisation. The first concept and 3D visuals are free; the workshop drawings after approval and the technical file for the organiser sit in this line.
Production. For custom timber, the structure, facade, furniture and display cases built from scratch in the workshop; for maxima and modular systems, the profiles, panels and LED facade cut to size. This is the largest line of the stand and the one that changes most with stand type.
Graphics and print. The print area is written in square metres; fire-certified material and fitting are included. If you supply the artwork, only print and fitting are charged.
Freight. Domestically, the vehicle from the workshop to the hall; abroad, the ATA Carnet, customs brokerage and return freight appear as separate lines.
Build and dismantle. The crew’s days in the hall, accommodation and the organiser’s build and dismantle slots are calculated from this. We do not leave this item outside the quote.
Organiser fees. Power connection, floor covering, rigging permit and waste fee come from the organiser’s tariff and are passed through as they are; we add nothing on top.
05
How cost changes as the area grows
Cost does not grow in proportion to area. Items such as design, the freight vehicle and organiser applications stay the same as the stand grows; that is why the cost per square metre is lower on a large stand than on a small one. A thirty-six square metre island stand is rarely four times a nine square metre corner stand; it usually lands between two and a half and three times.
What really moves the budget is not the area but what you put on it: a second floor, an enclosed meeting room, a hanging sign, an LED facade and a reinforced floor for a running machine. Because these sit on separate lines in the quote, you can see what removing each one does to the budget; the decision is yours, not ours.
06
How the budget is built for a fair abroad
For a fair abroad three groups of items join the quote. First, freight and customs: the ATA Carnet, customs brokerage, outbound and return transport. Second, local supply: power, flooring, waste and, where needed, a local electrician, taken from the organiser’s tariff. Third, the crew: travel and accommodation for the build and dismantle days.
At German fairs our Aachen office receives the freight on site and handles local correspondence, so these items resolve with a shorter list. For distant cities such as Dubai, Moscow and Atlanta the freight leaves weeks before the fair, and the quote sets out that schedule too. Quotes for fairs abroad are set in euros.
Do you have your fair dates?
The fair name, dates, floor area and number of open sides are enough. We come back within two working days with a concept and a budget range.