Partnering
Beyond the booth: cutting carbon and costs
Dazzling aisle displays and business deals on the trade show floor can often hide many sustainability concerns, says Booth Exhibits ' CEO Patrick Wells
azzling aisle displays
D and business deals on the trade show floor can often hide many sustainability concerns that can threaten the events business down the line.
Indeed, there is a hidden exhibition waste crisis with more than half of the material waste from an expo ending up in landfill. Trade shows generate over 600,000 tons of waste annually in the US alone.
Exhibitions and events also generate 1.3 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually, which is on par with the yearly output of 280,000 passenger vehicles.
This is something that is increasingly hampering companies’ carbon emission scores, and that can have financial and regulatory repercussions down the line.
It needn’ t stay that way and exhibitors can be far more sustainable. Companies that embrace efficient logistics and reusable materials can cut costs, meet regulatory demands, and enhance brand reputation, all while reducing environmental impact.
Smart partnerships Let us take a brief case study from our work on the Octopus Deploy booth at KubeCon 2025, held in Excel London earlier this year.
This Australian-based company had exhibited with a US company, Fatfish Media, before, but the London
event called for a different UK-based solution. This is where the concept of partnership comes in: both Fatfish and Booth ExhibitsTM are partnered with Belgian company Alluvision( which creates modular designs that can be reused in various combinations).
Key challenges & solutions:
• System variations: Due to regional regulations, the US and UK Alluvision systems differ slightly in dimensions. Booth ExhibitsTM adapted the design accordingly, tweaking both the structure and artwork while maintaining the integrity of the original creative.
• Cross-regional coordination: The project required seamless collaboration between the UK and European teams to ensure consistent quality and design. CEO Patrick Wells says:“ One of the biggest ways to exhibit sustainably today is by engaging in strategic partnerships. By working with local experts, exhibitors can show internationally, without having to break the bank, or compromise on quality”.
Above: Patrick Wells
Left: Booth Exhibits Octopus Deploy at KubeCon 2025- London UK
Sustainability & quality control:
• No shipping infrastructure: By producing everything locally in the UK, it was possible to avoid transatlantic freight.
• Reusable materials: All the graphics were stored for future rebuilds.
• Pre-build checks: All components were built and checked at Booth ExhibitTM’ s UK facility to ensure flawless delivery on-site.
Advice for executing internationally: To ensure sustainability and a successful exhibition, three elements are required:
• Leverage global networks: Trusted partner networks like Alluvision are critical for delivering consistent results across markets.“ Exhibiting internationally comes with several challenges – local customs and regulations, freight costs and timings, issues around quality control, and numerous other hurdles,” says Wells.“ The best way to navigate these issues successfully is to partner with the right people locally to help you maintain a central hub of communication, and work strategically in terms of timing.”
• Plan ahead: Early coordination, factory pre-builds, and clear communication are the backbone of smooth international execution.
• Quality is non-negotiable: Stick to the highest production standards, regardless of geography or regulatory differences. Smart, sustainable strategies will define the future of events. For exhibitors, the path forward isn’ t just greener, it’ s smarter and more cost-effective. And Wells believes that:“ Modular design is the future; it allows for reconfiguration and so the re-use of stands, making these products more sustainable, and economically viable, especially when you’ re exhibiting at multiple events per year”. EW
n For more information, visit www. boothexhibits. com www. exhibitionworld. co. uk Issue 4 2025 39