Tropeaka Expo Stand & Video Wall

Overview

​The Custom Made team were briefed by our great long-term client, Tropeaka, who were showcasing a new range of products at the Naturally Good Expo 2021 @ ICC Sydney. Tropeaka always come to us with new and exciting ideas and this show was no different!

With the easing of restrictions around the global pandemic, the Custom Made team was very excited to be back in the mix with our first post-lockdown build! Having worked with Tropeaka on a number of shows across the last few years, the stand design is an evolution of a number of iterations, including both existing and new assets.

The Tropeaka team are at the top of their game and always looking to push our design and construction capabilities with their ideas. The stand for Naturally Good was no different. The stand itself included existing floor and benches, with the substantial additions of 3D lettering, LED video wall and a massive printed fabric banner. The combination of these elements created one of the most striking stands Custom Made has been a part of and dominated the exhibition space!

Using our sub-contractor network, we were able to deliver a dominant, striking stand that created energy and excitement in the exhibition hall. Managing the construction, installation, management of sub-contractors and all of the other related logistics allowed Custom Made to deliver another successful show for the Tropeaka team.

Design and Planning

​Knowing that a number of existing stand elements had worked well for the Tropeaka team at previous shows, the design centred around the re-use of these elements in a familiar format. Custom Made then worked with Tropeaka to develop a number of new ideas that could be incorporated into the design.

The drive to be at the forefront of their game means that Tropeaka are looking for a cutting edge stand to properly represent their brand. The addition of 3D lettering, a large LED video screen with striking imagery and video, and a huge double-sided hanging banner allowed us to create a build that ticked these boxes and some! The challenge for Custom Made was to incorporate the new elements into an existing design in a way that:

• ​Maintained the function of the stand
• Delivered a striking, fresh, exciting look to showcase the new range of Tropeaka products
• Was easily installed within the exhibition time and space requirements

To deliver on the above, we were required the use of much of our in-house expertise and network of suppliers. Some of the specific challenges we faced:

​It was important to ensure we could combine the existing elements into a design that incorporated a wish-list of exciting new components. This heavily involved our design team as they put together a suite of renders and build drawings to ensure both the look and function of the stand could be maintained. This gave us and Tropeaka confidence that the stand design would function and look as needed.

Ensuring we had the components and expertise on board for the LED rear wall. At 6m wide x 2.4m high, this was a substantial element! We relied on our supplier network to source and install the LED panels; liaised with our client and design team to ensure the video format was both suitable and striking; and managed the on-site installation, testing and maintenance of the wall during the exhibition.

Hanging the 5m wide x 7m high banner in a way that allowed it to be best viewed throughout the exhibition space. This was challenging given the scale - we needed to rely on the rigging expertise of the exhibition teams while also directing the sub-contractors to hang the banner straight and facing the correct entrance of the exhibition hall.

Production and Logistics

​As with all of our Custom Made builds, a full pre-build was undertaken at the warehouse prior to going on site. This gives us the opportunity to ensure the stand construction is as expected and in the case of the Tropeaka stand, ensure the new elements are properly incorporated.

One of the tricky elements to manage was the rear video wall as this was unable to be included in the pre-build for a number of reasons. Given the requirement to have substantial bracing and plates to allow the wall to stand, we had to go into significant detail with our design team to ensure the correct modifications were made to the floor prior to arrival on site.

​The significant logistical challenge on this stand involved the management and liaison with the sub-contractors involved in the install of a number of elements. This required a high level of detail in the planning phase as the build needed to be performed in a specific order of elements. To ensure we delivered, we needed to follow a set plan:

1. Installation/hanging of large banner above stand space - this was first as the stand space itself was needed for access to the rigging
2. Floor plates, truss and cabling installed for video screen
3. Flooring installed around video screen truss and over LED cabling - cut outs in flooring matched the truss locations exactly as required
4. LED panels installed onto truss - this allowed the wall to be powered up and tested while the rest of the stand was built
5. Other stand elements installed and finished

​Given the large number of moving parts, the Custom Made team was required to be flexible and make a number of judgement calls as the installation proceeded. Combined with the input of the Tropeaka team, we were able to deliver another great stand for a valued client!