Logistics
Russo adds that in the US AI is primarily being used by both organisers and individual exhibition managers to manage timing, event spend, event analysis and to maximise participation in terms of booth and tranportation costs, space fees, pre-show marketing and housing. There are also real time ways to measure ROI when looking at previous years’ sales tied to event participation, she says.
Within the US the use of AI may be limited to scheduling, paperwork review, price negotiation, because exhibition logistics is not generally handled by an on-site logistics company.“ Convention centres in the US are not bonded areas,” says Russo,“ therefore, all logistics, US customs clearance, pre-show warehousing take place in various ports, warehouses and customs areas. While most large exhibitions do offer an‘ official’ customs broker / freight forwarder, no exhibitor is required to use the nominated company.”
Sustainability: the new norm Sustainability is no longer just a trend, it is the norm and IELA has a new tool for measuring CO2 emissions of on-site logistics equipment, but notes supply chain flexibility is a key issue, with the industry sometimes now reluctant to invest.
Europalco is an ISO 20121 certified company and its CEO says its commitment to sustainable practices includes a continuous focus on material reuse and completely abandoning the use of plastic stretch wrap to protect furniture, which has been fully replaced by reusable textiles.
“ Today, the market demands transparency and consistency, and clients look for partners who can prove, through tangible actions and audited processes, that they are truly reducing the ecological footprint of their events.”
For the London Marathon 2025 a fully HVO fueled vehicle fleet was deployed by DSV and they were able to reduce emissions and ensure
reliable on site support across multiple locations.
Such projects, DSV believes, demonstrate that successful event logistics is less about moving goods from A to B, and more about anticipating risk, adapting quickly and acting as a trusted partner throughout the entire event lifecycle.
Stateside, a big question for exhibitors when thinking sustainability, says Russo, is,‘ Should we pay to have it disposed of or pay more than the goods are worth to return them to us abroad?’.“ Most shows are offering donation options for booth materials like furniture, fixtures etc., and this has done a lot for overall waste,” Russo notes.
She adds that the cost to move goods within the US continues to be a big issue.“ Transport to an intermediate warehouse includes cost to move
and cost to hold the goods as well as unloading and reloading charges. Goods need to arrive well in advance of the target move in dates to allow for delays in transport. The advance warehouses of most of the general service contractors have detailed restrictions on the types of items they will receive, the packaging, and the weight.“ Additionally, there are charges for trucking fuel, waiting time and, in the case of distant marshaling yards, charges by carriers for multiple stops.”
What else is trending? IELA adds its members are seeing a change in exhibition concepts.“ These are becoming hyperpersonalised experiences, the association says.“ The industry should also keep a close eye on new growth markets, even though some countries still face major infrastructure challenges, they are catching up fast and, in terms of trends, the topic of‘ data analysis’ is becoming ever more crucial. Today, both exhibitors and visitors demand deeper, data-driven insights into the return of investment of their participation at exhibitions.”
With profitability under pressure due to rising energy costs, IELA says it is placing more importance on benchmarking and efficiency campaigns to support its members.
Europalco’ s Magalhães believes the industry must look closely at hyper-personalisation, using data to create unique experiences tailored to each attendee.
“ Another major trend is the Human Factor and Wellbeing,” he adds, stressing the importance of designing event spaces that prevent attendee burnout and which feature more organic networking spaces.
DSV sees its recent merger with the Schenker businesses as emblematic of a broader market trend.“ Organisers and exhibitors are increasingly looking for strong, globally positioned partners that can provide reliability, consistency and planning security, even in a volatile and www. exhibitionworld. co. uk Issue 3 2026 29