Trade Show Logistics: Why Proper Preparation Matters

Does an army march into war completely unprepared? Without protective equipment, planned supply routes or adequate ammunition? Certainly not. Why, then, should an international exhibition be approached without equally careful preparation of its logistics?

It is exhibition season. Exhibitors are busy preparing documents and consignments. Freight forwarders have been informed, flights arranged or sailing schedules considered, export customs formalities are being prepared, and flights and hotels booked.

Barely a week remains before the exhibition opens. The cargo agent has the commercial invoice and other documents spread out before him. The difficulties are already apparent. Why?

After twenty-five years — approximately 9,125 days — in freight forwarding, and after advising innumerable clients, I believe something needs to change at industry level.

International trade shows are marketing events with fixed dates. Delays are expensive and frequently avoidable. Customs authorities will not set aside their requirements because an exhibition is about to open.

The repetition of the same mistakes over twenty-five years should raise questions. Is the logistical side of an exhibition exceptionally complicated? Not necessarily. What is required is timely organisation and an understanding of the requirements at the destination.

In other words, many problems begin with the paperwork, even before the freight forwarder is informed.

Documentation: An Actual Scenario

Fifteen days remained before an exhibition. Several shipments were being prepared. One commercial invoice contained more than 1,500 lines of data in a spreadsheet. More than a hundred lines were filled with cryptic abbreviations. Some descriptions were vague. Certain textile items were described simply as cloth.

A number of items were freebies intended for distribution without charge. It took me two full days to process the list and prepare a usable supplementary description list for customs clearance. With the exhibition approaching, there was little time to obtain and verify every missing detail.

Other invoices had no numbers. Some had numbers but no dates. Others had neither. Most did not specify an Incoterm.

Several packing lists omitted nett weights. Some gave a combined nett weight for several different items. Country-of-origin information was frequently missing. Certain electrical items lacked useful technical specifications, such as voltage or current ratings.

The Shipments

The physical consignments brought their own difficulties. Some packaging was poorly constructed. Pallets were so weak that chocks had already been lost in transit. Paper labels had torn away.

These examples give an idea of the situation facing the receiving cargo agent.

The Dilemma in Operations

Guesswork has no place in customs clearance. Descriptions must be sufficiently precise for the declared goods to be identified. If customs inspects a consignment, the goods should correspond to the documentation.

That brings us to the documents themselves.

Documents for an International Exhibition Shipment

As a practical starting point, the principal documents are:

  1. A commercial or pro forma invoice, or an ATA Carnet where the applicable procedure permits its use.
  2. A packing list, where required or useful for the shipment.
  3. Transport documents and any other certificates, licences or supporting papers required for the goods and destination.

A commercial invoice and packing list may be combined, provided the combined document contains the information needed for both purposes. Documentary requirements vary by customs territory and by procedure; the points below are practical guidance rather than a universal legal checklist.

The Commercial Invoice

For exhibition shipments, a well-prepared invoice should identify:

  1. Its number and date of issue.
  2. The issuing company's full name and address.
  3. The consignee and other relevant parties, including the exhibition representative where needed.
  4. The agreed Incoterm, named place and applicable Incoterms version, where relevant.
  5. Clear descriptions of the goods.
  6. Country of origin for each relevant item.
  7. Quantities and units, including pairs or pieces where appropriate.
  8. Unit values and extended values, including a realistic value for goods supplied without charge.
  9. The currency and total value.
  10. The exhibition name, venue and dates where these are required or useful for clearance.

A total expressed in both figures and words may also be useful where requested. An invoice date should accurately reflect the document's issue; a post-dated invoice should not be used to misrepresent the transaction.

The Incoterm

An Incoterm should not appear as three letters alone. The named place is important, as is the edition of the rules being used. For example: CPT Frankfurt Exhibition Centre, Germany — Incoterms® 2020, where that term reflects the parties' actual arrangement.

Under the ICC rules, FOB and CIF are intended for sea and inland-waterway transport. In practice, I have encountered both terms on airfreight documents from many parts of the world. That widespread usage does not alter their formal definitions, but it is part of the paperwork a forwarder must interpret.

There is another operational limitation. Incoterms define standard responsibilities between seller and buyer, while the freight forwarder rarely sees their entire contract. Additional arrangements may change who actually pays a particular charge. For that reason, the shipping instructions must state clearly who is responsible for transport, customs-clearance services, duties, taxes and delivery charges. An Incoterm is not a substitute for complete operational instructions.

A Clear Description of the Goods

Cryptic abbreviations have no place in an invoice intended for customs clearance. The customs authorities must be able to identify the goods and determine the applicable requirements. The broker and forwarder may not be familiar with the exhibitor's products.

A description should identify the article and, where relevant to classification or compliance, its material, function, composition and technical characteristics. Examples include:

The precise details needed depend on the product and destination. A long description is not necessarily a useful one; it must provide the information relevant to the goods.

The Customs Import Declaration

In some countries and in forwarding practice, the import declaration is referred to as a Customs Bill of Entry. I shall use customs import declaration here because official terminology and electronic systems vary between countries.

A customs import declaration is submitted to the competent customs authority, normally electronically, by the declarant or an authorised representative. Depending on the jurisdiction and procedure, it may require details of the importer and exporter, the customs procedure, transport documents, invoice particulars, commodity codes, goods descriptions, origin, values and supporting documents.

Commodity codes are not universally eleven digits long. The international Harmonized System uses six-digit headings and subheadings, which individual customs territories extend for their own purposes.

For exhibition cargo, the venue, hall and stand details should also be communicated to the destination agent, whether or not they form part of the formal declaration.

Quantities and Country of Origin

Quantities should be expressed in clear units. For example, 50 stainless-steel key rings or 20 pairs of nitrile gloves is more useful than an unexplained number. Some commodity classifications also require supplementary units.

Identify the country of origin accurately for the goods. The country from which a shipment is despatched is not necessarily the country of origin. Use full country names or accepted codes where the relevant system permits them.

The Packing List

A packing list is an extremely valuable working document, even where it is not expressly required for a particular customs procedure. It should identify what is packed in each case, the quantities, and the package markings. Nett and gross weights, dimensions and countries of origin should be supplied where applicable and useful.

Always state the units: for example, 5.0 kg or 0.5 kg.

If the commercial invoice and packing list are combined, give the document a clear title such as Commercial Invoice and Packing List, and include the package-level information necessary to locate and verify the goods.

Giveaways, Freebies and Promotional Material

The customs broker will thank you if promotional items are grouped in a clearly identified section of the invoice. State that they are intended for free distribution, but still give accurate descriptions, quantities, origins and values.

For ballpoint pens, for example, specify whether the body is plastic or metal and identify the metal where relevant. Free of charge does not mean without customs value, nor does not for sale automatically mean that duties and taxes will not apply.

The treatment of catalogues, printed advertising material and other giveaways depends on the destination's rules and any applicable relief.

Special International Documents: The ATA Carnet

An ATA Carnet facilitates temporary admission of qualifying goods into participating customs territories, generally without payment of import duties and taxes provided the conditions of the procedure are met. It is particularly useful for exhibition equipment and other goods intended to be re-exported. Goods intended to be consumed, sold or given away generally require separate consideration and may not qualify for Carnet coverage.

Readers unfamiliar with the procedure should consult their local chamber of commerce or other authorised issuing organisation, as well as the relevant customs guidance.

Great care is necessary when using a Carnet. Its general list identifies the goods covered by the document. The following practical points deserve attention.

The List of Items

Prepare an accurate list of the goods travelling to the exhibition. Avoid cryptic abbreviations: customs officers and freight forwarders cannot be expected to recognise every specialised product.

Record serial numbers precisely and ensure that they can be found on the equipment. Clear photographs with annotations can help identify goods, especially where several similar items are involved. Where useful, note the package containing each item.

Check the presentation and identification requirements with the issuing body and customs office. Customs may record identification observations against listed items. Ensure that all required endorsements and records are completed at each relevant stage of export, temporary admission, re-export and re-import.

For physical Carnets, make clear scans of the relevant completed pages, preserving the page sequence. Check their legibility and keep secure copies in more than one location. Supply copies to the cargo agent and destination partner as appropriate.

In my own forwarding practice, original paper Carnets have been handled by courier between the agents responsible for the customs formalities. That procedure requires careful coordination so the document is available at the customs office when needed. A lost Carnet can create considerable difficulties.

Electronic Carnet processing is being introduced, including in Germany. The handling instructions above concern paper Carnets; the current procedure must be confirmed for the countries and customs offices involved.

In German forwarding practice, the ATA Carnet replaces the commercial invoice for the customs formalities covered by the Carnet procedure. Although a separate commercial invoice is not legally prohibited, I have not encountered one accompanying a Carnet in twenty-five years of German forwarding operations.

After the exhibition, the Carnet must be handled correctly for re-export and, where applicable, re-import. The mere physical return of the goods does not replace the need for the appropriate customs records.

Packaging Exhibition Goods Professionally

Avoid arbitrary or inadequate packaging. Exhibition cargo is handled repeatedly, often under severe time pressure. A few practical precautions can prevent serious difficulties:

  1. Use cartons that are strong enough for the contents and the journey. For exhibition cargo, I recommend new cartons rather than worn, previously used ones.
  2. Remove obsolete labels and markings from reused crates and other sturdy packaging.
  3. Select packaging materials capable of withstanding the expected handling and transport stresses.
  4. Ensure regulated solid-wood packaging meets applicable ISPM 15 requirements and carries legible IPPC marks. Some processed-wood materials are exempt.
  5. Avoid pallets that are too weak or poorly designed for the load, including flimsy plastic pallets.
  6. Consider suitable flight cases for equipment that will be moved repeatedly. Wheels can be useful where they are appropriate to the handling plan.
  7. Ensure pallets and crates can withstand repeated lifting, loading and unloading.
  8. Avoid overhang: the load should fit within the supporting pallet footprint unless a suitable engineered arrangement provides otherwise.
  9. Fix durable shipper and consignee labels securely, preferably on at least two accessible sides.
  10. Mark the exhibition name and the relevant stand or delivery reference clearly.
  11. Display package dimensions and gross weight where they will assist handling.
  12. Mark packages that must not be stacked, and communicate any handling restrictions to the forwarder. A label alone does not guarantee compliance.
  13. Clearly identify fragile contents and provide suitable internal protection.
  14. Where justified, use shock or tilt indicators together with proper protective packaging and handling instructions.
  15. Protect contents against vertical, longitudinal and lateral movement using suitable cushioning and restraints, including on the top and bottom where necessary.
  16. Check that forklift access and lifting arrangements suit the equipment likely to be used at every handling point.
  17. Avoid protruding or unsuitable metal fittings beneath crates or pallets. Where contact with aircraft floors or handling equipment is a concern, agree suitable protective dunnage with the handling agent.

A Word about Forklift Openings

A recent incident illustrates the importance of suitable pallet design.

A machine weighing approximately 2,500 kg had been packed in a wooden crate. Most of the sides were sturdy, but the back had not been adequately secured and had to be repaired during loading onto a lorry.

Worse still, the base of the crate had a closed side at the point where much of the machine's weight was concentrated. The forklift operator could not safely approach and position the forks as required. A loading operation that should have taken no more than ten minutes took over half an hour.

I have also encountered pallets with no usable fork openings and an American pallet whose openings were too narrow for the forklifts and pallet jacks available in Germany.

A pallet may have openings and still be unsuitable for the equipment that must handle it. Before the crate is built, consider the weight distribution, lifting points, fork-entry dimensions and equipment available at origin and destination.

Logistics activities operate within tight schedules. One delay can set off a chain of further delays.

Load Balance and Centre of Gravity: Airfreight

Over the years I have repeatedly encountered what I call wobbly cargo: contents that have not been secured adequately inside their packaging.

Imagine an unsecured object inside a carton travelling on a lorry. When the driver brakes sharply, the object tends to continue moving relative to the carton. The more abrupt the change in velocity, the greater the forces that may have to be restrained.

Aircraft cargo must also withstand accelerations and movement during ground handling, take-off, flight and landing. The aircraft's cruising speed alone is not the cause of these forces; changes in motion are what matter. Cargo restraint systems protect the aircraft load, but they do not remove the need to secure individual items properly inside their packages.

Position and restrain contents so that they cannot shift. Provide suitable cushioning where needed. Heavy machinery should have its actual centre of gravity considered in the design of the base, lifting arrangement and restraints. Do not simply add counterweights without an engineered reason.

Secure cartons and crates with strapping or other restraints suited to the load and packaging. The number and arrangement of straps must be determined by the load rather than a universal minimum.

A crate containing a 2,000 kg machine must not rely on a weak back panel to retain the load. If that panel detaches, the consequences may be serious.

Packing Lists for Multiple Packages

Imagine trying to find a wrench among fifteen packages without knowing which one contains it. You open every case, only to discover it in the last one. Then all fifteen have to be repacked.

Before packing begins, number the cases and record which goods go into each one. Keep a master package-by-package list and place a suitable contents list with each package, while ensuring that commercially sensitive information is handled appropriately.

Insurance Cover

It is advisable to consider insurance cover. However, the decision as to whether insurance is necessary in an individual case rests with the client.

Customs Clearance

Exhibition goods should reach the appropriate destination handling facility in good time. I shall not stipulate a universal timeline.

More importantly, the cargo agent should receive the relevant documentation well in advance of arrival, including:

  1. The Air Waybill or Bill of Lading, as applicable.
  2. The ATA Carnet or the commercial/pro forma invoice and packing list, as appropriate.
  3. Any other required documents or certificates.
  4. The expected arrival date and transport details.

Advance information helps the destination agent prepare the clearance arrangements. Not every shipment needs to pass through a customs broker's own warehouse; the physical handling route depends on the local procedure.

Freebies and Catalogues

Promotional items and catalogues are commonly distributed at the exhibition venue without charge. The cargo agent should identify them separately where their customs treatment differs from that of temporary exhibition equipment.

Some printed promotional materials or other qualifying items may receive duty or tax relief under the destination's rules. Such relief is not automatic simply because the goods are marked not for sale.

Delivery Schedules

Delivery times and access arrangements are often set by the exhibition organiser, venue or appointed exhibition logistics provider. The destination cargo agent should coordinate with the appropriate receiving office.

Storage and handling facilities vary between venues. Delivery to the exhibition centre may not be the same as delivery to the stand, and additional unloading or internal transport may be required.

Exhibitors should agree the required stand-availability date with their agent and allow the agent to coordinate the delivery appointment with the exhibition's receiving arrangements.

The Return Shipment

Return-shipment arrangements should be communicated to the cargo agent before the exhibition begins. In particular:

  1. Record the exhibition's closing day, date and time, together with any dismantling or collection restrictions.
  2. Designate a contact person who will be physically available for dismantling, repacking and handover to the carrier or warehouse.
  3. Confirm the intended return destination, transport mode and required collection or delivery dates.
  4. Retain suitable packaging for the return journey and check the contents against the original package list.
  5. Keep in contact with the cargo agent so that export clearance, any Carnet formalities and the return movement can be arranged.

Conclusion

A well-organised exhibition venture requires careful preparation and timely coordination. These are essential to the smooth execution of exhibition logistics and help prevent avoidable delays and complications.

This essay has addressed the principal aspects of preparing, transporting and handling exhibition goods. Many details have deliberately been omitted, since logistics is a complex field and operational requirements vary according to individual circumstances.

Readers are welcome to get in touch with any questions.

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