THE MATERIAL HANDLING
Moving in and Moving Out
Material Handling is the movement of Exhibitor freight from the truck at the Show docks, to the booths. The Exhibitor empty crates are stored during the show and then brought back to the Exhibitor booth for re-packing after the show. The freight is moved to the docks for load out to your transport truck.
Choices You Make
Material Handling or drayage is part of YOUR show.
You, the Show Manager, have to make the choice of how you & your Exhibitors will pay for Material Handling services. Material Handling costs money in labour and equipment. It is also a fairly dangerous job involving moving forklifts and heavy freight. It needs to be well organized, safe and efficient. You can't get all of that by not spending money. Someone, either Show Management or the Exhibitors, or both, have to pay for this important service.
Show Pays for Material Handling
Just like it says, the show pays for the movement of the exhibitor freight.
The Show provides equipment, labour and services to move the exhibitors in and out.
This could include just a few dollies and a pump truck to half a dozen forklifts with drivers. What is needed, depends on the size and complexity of the show.
Exhibitor Pays for Material Handling
In this option, the exhibitor pays for the Material Handling. There can be more than a few ways to handle this. Here are a few:
1) CWT or Drayage - everything is weighed and charges levied based on weight.
2) Time and Material. The freight is moved based on time or the equipment used to move the freight.
3) Hybrid. A mix of time, labour and weight, depending on the show, and what is agreed.
4) Choice. You can have dollies and pump trucks for the small guys and offer Full Service Drayage to the big exhibitors.