Trade Show Shipping

Updated Covid-19 Statement

From: David Mihalik

ELITeXPO President, CEO

ELITeXPO is currently available and operating to serve all of our customers and future customers who are interested in preparing for the eventual re-opening of more trade shows in the near future. While we all are praying that the current vaccine in Phase 3 Human Trials proves to be successful, our trade show industry is moving ahead to show that trade shows can be produced safely. This has been evidenced by the recent Together Again Expo which ran at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on July 24th. Over 4600 guests were registered and more attended for the one-day event which was represented by over 3600 organizations. It proved to be a great success and attendees stated that they felt safer on the show floor than they did walking through a retail store in Florida, at the time. That’s great news for our industry, as we can prove that we can safely get back to work and contribute to getting our economy rolling again. ELITeXPO was present at that event and can share with you our experience.

As we head through our 6th month of altered normalcy and anticipation that things will continue to be reduced into the 4th quarter of 2020, ELITeXPO has pivoted its product and service offerings to continue to be of value to our current and new customers who are also navigating this new normal until we all get a better understanding of when we will be getting back to face-to-face meetings. Our industry suppliers and manufacturers have quickly changed their manufacturing capabilities to provide safety products that are in much demand today. Also, as the shutdown of events lingers, more and more companies are evaluating a virtual exhibit space. ELITeXPO is here to help. We are currently producing 3D virtual exhibit spaces for our customers that we believe, will also be a part of their trade show pre and post show promotions long after physical exhibits return. Some of the current new product and service offerings that ELITeXPO is now offering include;

  • 3D Virtual Exhibit Programming – You NEED to evaluate this option!
  • Hand Sanitizer Stations – (Floor and Wall mounts) Sturdy & Made in the USA!
  • Sneeze Guards, Safety Barriers, Partition Dividers & Shields – Custom Fitted
  • Exterior Signage – Custom branded signage
  • Infrared Thermal Temperature Scanners (High Quality and No Touch)
  • Back Lit LED Large Formal Wall Mount Graphics (For office, residential and retail)

AND, we’re still working at what we have done for the past 33 years and will continue to do moving forward.

  • NON – Trade show Shipping Services – ELITeXPO moves freight of ALL kinds, PPE equipment, product freight, medical equipment and devices, materials for company events, Truck Loads, Less than truck loads, ground and air, domestic and international.
  • Complete Asset Management for any kind of inventory, long or short term

We’d like to thank all of our customers and friends who have supported us through this difficult time. Together we will make it through!

ELITeXPO Asset Management

Treatment, Vaccine, Trade Shows Restarting – Are We Ready?

From: David Mihalik

President – ELITeXPO

Everyone has heard enough of all the bad news and conflicting information from station to station. Me, I’m looking for the good news. You already know the background news and noise. You don’t need more of it from me. What’s accurate anyway? You stand a better chance of figuring out the National algorithm for Drayage. The stuff hit the proverbial trade show fan in early March. It’s only been 4 months, 16 weeks, but it feels like that feeling when you’ve been waiting on empties from the bone yard well past happy hour and dinner plans. That long!

You’ll be hard pressed to find an industry that’s been as negatively affected as those who work to provide products and services for events with large gatherings of people. Some have alternatives and options, but our business relies on the operation of live face to face events. You remember that, right? We’re the anti-Zoom crowd. To borrow the buzz words of the day, we will change the narrative and pivot to alternative means of opportunity and revenue. We here at ELITeXPO are familiar with the concept. After the Great Recession in 08/09 we made the decision that our best opportunities would come from our existing customers.  We decided to offer full scale trade show property asset management as a means to offer customers and prospective customers a turnkey one stop source for all of their live event planning annually. We invested in software to allow remote ordering and management of inventory. We purchased a 2nd warehouse to manage our growing inventory. We hired a skilled manager and added experienced warehouse personnel. As a result of that expansion our customers asked us to become involved with set up and tear down labor, graphics, flooring, exhibit rentals and sales and design. Full service now meant so much more.

Recall that back during 9/11, everyone’s trade show properties came back for storage while shows shut down for that short period of time. Today, we have much the same except that everything is back into storage and it will be for a longer period of time. Normally a percentage of inventory is always in motion, but with most shows cancelled or postponed, the warehouse is bursting at the seams. Fortunately, our Asset Management program continues to provide some work and revenue, but it also largely relies on subsequent services such as freight, pick and pulls, refurbishments, updates, etc. We greatly miss that residual work which makes the asset management successful. While we are getting closer to seeing shows operating soon, we simply don’t have an exact time frame.

As we approach the 4th quarter, there is a growing concern that there will be a big rush to pull exhibit properties to prepare for the next event, or to create new experiential events for that first big trade show when face to face marketing returns. Being proactive in preparing for your next event when it does operate will allow you ample time to assure that you will be able to be ready once the timelines for that show are finalized. It assures time to get necessary parts, or needed graphics ordered for new products or markets you wish to serve. Imagine that most all exhibitors’ properties are sitting in storage somewhere now and many of them will be coming out when shows resume. Suppliers will be stressed with handling the rush of needed parts and orders for everyone who will be looking to get back into the game. Also, this much needed and appreciated work is something that we are asking our valued customers to consider doing now, while we are slower and have ample time to prepare your requests. As a primary trade show company, we are looking forward to the time when we can get back to work, full time. We would very much appreciate the opportunity to get to work for you now, during this down time while we all await the return of shows. If you have work that has been budgeted for in 2020 and is currently in your plans for upcoming events, we are asking that you consider, working with us now in these summer months to assist you. This is work that our company would greatly appreciate and would assist us in so many ways and your company will be ready and prepared to exhibit for those first shows that you will exhibit at. So, take a moment and ask yourself… Are You Ready? If not, don’t wait. Let’s keep working now and together we will be ready to exhibit soon!


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Covid-19 Fears Affecting Trade Shows

Many trade shows are postponing or cancelling across the US and the world over concerns from the Covid-19 virus. There are also many trade shows that have made the decision to continue on, as planned, but with additional health and safety measures added. The situation continues to be fluid so you want to frequently check with each show’s management company and/or the association hosting the event to verify the current status of trade shows, conferences, and other events scheduled in March and April. We are also monitoring the status of upcoming events and working with customers to handle the logistics for any exhibit materials requiring re-routing.

We have been working with exhibitors last night and all day today who were in the middle of a move-in at Natural Products West Expo in Anaheim when they decided to postpone the event. International Housewares in Chicago has cancelled as have several other events. We are recovering freight directly from the show venues and from the advanced warehouses, depending on where the exhibit materials are currently located.

ELITeXPO is here to assist with any exhibit materials that you may need assistance with. Whether you need help getting your shipment back from a show that is no longer happening or you need temporary storage of your trade show materials until the show’s rescheduled date, please give us a call and we will work to find the best solutions for you.

As of today, EXHIBITORLive is still proceeding as planned, as is the AAOS Annual Meeting, The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, and all Bobit Business Media events. Just to name a few.

Most shows that are still going on as planned are adding increased cleaning and disinfection across all high volume touchpoints, adding sanitizing and disinfecting materials for public use, adding signage regarding proper hygiene recommendations, and advising exhibitors and attendees to review the CDC’s travel health notices that are available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV .

As always, we are here and are working all shows that are going on as scheduled, as we normally would. We also have storage capabilities across the country, if needed. Feel free to contact us at info@elitexpo.com or 800-543-5484, if you have any questions.