Our comprehensive guide to exhibiting at the Fire Safety Event 2027
Make the most out of your exhibition stand at the Fire Safety Event
27-29 April 2027, NEC Birmingham
The Fire Safety Event is one of the UK’s leading exhibitions for fire protection and prevention professionals to discover new products, explore best practices and stay informed on latest challenges, trends, and regulations.
The 2027 edition will take place at the NEC, Birmingham. Whether you’ve attended The Fire Safety Event before or are planning your first visit, here’s what you can expect.
Need a price for your Fire Safety Event 2027 stand
The Fire Safety Event is where the UK’s fire protection and prevention community comes together.
Over three focused days at the NEC Birmingham, 13,500+ professionals including installers, risk assessors, building managers, compliance teams and senior decision-makers connect, learn and discover the latest fire safety technologies and innovations.
The event spans specialist zones covering detection, suppression, evacuation systems, high-risk environments, training and emergency preparation, alongside co-located shows The Security Event, The Health & Safety Event and The Workplace Event. It attracts well-known brands and leading suppliers demonstrating approved products, solutions and live, hands-on testing.
2027 is set to be even bigger. With 300+ exhibitors, 88% of visitors saying the show is critical to their business and 89% in C-suite or senior management roles, The Fire Safety Event is the place to meet influential buyers, launch new fire safety products and generate high-value leads.
Don’t miss your chance to join them – book your stand at the Fire Safety Event today!
The old saying “fail to prepare, prepare to fail” is never more accurate than when planning an exhibition – especially if the event is going to cost you a lot of money.
First, you need to decide what you want to achieve at the Fire Safety Event and weigh this up against the cost of exhibiting. With floor space somewhere between £250m² and an eye-watering £1250m², you really need to get this nailed down.
Next, budgets. You need a budget for the floorspace, and the exhibition stand itself. There’s no point blowing your entire event budget on a huge stand space and then having no money left to fill it with. Make sure you balance the size of the stand vs. how you want your stand to look and feel, as well as the impression you want to make with your target customers.
Then, ask yourselves, “Who do we want to meet at the show?”. Work out who you want to talk to – and how many of them. Is your priority to make 50 new leads to follow up post-show, or is it to meet and engage with 10 decision-makers ready to purchase on the spot? Whoever you need to talk to to meet your business objectives, set yourself a realistic target. You might not hit it, but you’ll never really know whether the show has been successful if you don’t have some goals in mind.
And finally, make sure you give plenty of thought to your exhibition brief. This is especially important if you’re working with an exhibition stand partner like ourselves – but you’ll need one even if you’re doing everything in-house. We’ve worked with loads of growing SMEs, specialist brands, and even household names who were all in the position you are in now (the “This-is-overwhelming-I-don’t-even-know-where-to-start” phase!), and found our guide on how to write the perfect exhibition stand brief really helpful.
Make sure the Fire Safety Event gets off to the best possible start with a tip-top stand brief
“We’ve seen first-hand how varied spaces and stand designs can be at the Fire Safety Event.
“Our advice is that it’s not worth spending 90% of your budget on your space and leaving yourself with hardly any options on what you can do with your stand.
“Even the scales out; budget for a smaller stand which looks great, rather than going big on floor space for the sake of it.”
David Hennessy, Motive Exhibitions Managing Director
We know how important it is for companies in this sector to have an exhibition stand that reflects their values and speaks directly to a highly qualified audience.
With years of experience behind us, we understand that every business is different. That’s why every stand we create is fully tailored to your brand, your goals and the people you want to reach.
We don’t do one-size-fits-all, and we know what’s been effective or done before at past shows, so with our help, you will definitely stand out from the crowd. Each exhibition stand we build is designed to attract your specific ideal customers and partners.
Make your the Fire Safety Event goals a reality with a Motive Exhibitions stand
Exhibition stands we can build at the Fire Safety Event
The NEC is a modern and extensive exhibition venue and makes the perfect backdrop for any exhibition stand, big or small.
Here are our recommendations for stand types to consider ahead of the Fire Safety Event.
Bespoke exhibition stands – or ‘custom’ exhibition stands – are designed especially for a specific event to a defined set of brand requirements and business objectives.
A bespoke option offers that all-important creative flexibility at a bustling venue like The NEC. At a busy event like the Fire Safety Event, a bespoke stand is the best way to stand out from the crowd and create something irresistible to the niche target audience.
Modular exhibition stands are great if you need a cost-effective, adaptable exhibition system.
They consist of many pieces that link together to create a seamless display and provide the ultimate in exhibiting flexibility without compromising on visual impact.
These budget-friendly options are a winner at a venue like the NEC, where floor space comes at a premium price.
Shell schemes are traditionally the smallest exhibition stand systems and are super cost-effective (which is all the more important as the NEC isn’t the cheapest venue to exhibit at!).
But don’t be put off by their small size – your imagination is the only limitation of a shell scheme stand. If this is your first foray to the Fire Safety Event, a shell scheme stand is the ideal way to exhibit.
Exhibition stand hire
If you aren’t quite sure what your future events calendar will look like, so can’t commit any budget to buying an exhibition stand, then we offer an extensive hire service.
Some of our clients hire a whole stand, while others hire small elements like furniture. You can even create a hybrid stand design by combining custom-made props and elements with hired off-the-shelf products. Cost-effective and sustainable, hiring is a great exhibition option, and it is definitely worth considering if this is your first big show.
Can’t decide which stand option is best?
Everything you need to know about exhibiting at the NEC, Birmingham
We’ve built (and dismantled!) dozens of stands at the NEC.
The venue hosts some of the country’s biggest exhibitions, so the key to making the Fire Safety Event (or any other event at the NEC) a success for your business will be getting noticed amongst the other 300+ businesses vying for visitor attention. This often comes down to location – stands around networking/presentation areas get maximum visibility but do come at a cost. Our tip is to book floor space at the front of the halls. Don’t be fooled into thinking that being right in front of the doors is the ideal spot; people often just walk on by as they rush in or out of the hall.
The NEC is a fantastic, modern event and exhibition space, so there isn’t much to complain about. But, as with every facility, there are a few things to be aware of before you arrive.
Based on our experiences at the venue, our team have put together the pros and cons you should consider.
Pros of exhibiting at the NEC:
- A variety of stand spaces are available, ranging from large, custom-built exhibition stands to smaller, flexible shell schemes.
- It’s an ideal venue to accommodate large stands and displays.
- It’s the UK’s most central major exhibition venue, so getting here is a doddle.
- The venue and its events draw a high volume of potential customers.
- Free parking is provided for exhibitors and contractors during setup and teardown.
- Complimentary shuttle buses run between the car parks and exhibition halls.
- Free visitor Wi-Fi is available.
- It’s just minutes away from a wide range of hotels to fit any budget.
Cons of exhibiting at the NEC:
- Once you’re there, expect high costs – a quick lunch and a bottle of water won’t come cheap!
- The Voyage Traffic Control System can be a hassle.
- As it’s a popular exhibition venue, early booking is essential, especially if you want a large or prime spot.
- There are no storage facilities on-site, so you’ll need to arrange separate storage for packing cases and other materials.
- If you’re not working with an exhibition company like us, you’ll need to bring your own logistics equipment (trolleys, pump trucks, etc.) since the venue doesn’t provide them.
- Smaller stands might get overlooked in such a large space, but don’t let this put you off; with clever stand design and the right exhibition partner, you can wow the crowds regardless of your stand size.
Brilliant company to work with from start to finish, understood what we were trying to show at the exhibition and created a stunning stand that got a lot of comments over the 2 day event.
Communication on the day of the set up and breakdown was spot on.
Massive thanks to the team at Motive for all their help in creating a very successful show.”
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FAQs
How much do exhibition stands cost?
Several factors will influence the cost of your exhibition stand:
- The size of the space you’ve booked.
- Whether you anticipate your event to be a one-off exhibition or whether you need an exhibition stand you can reuse and reconfigure multiple times.
- What you want to achieve from exhibiting.
- Whether you’re hiring or buying.
We’ll collaborate with you to create a design which works within your budget.
What makes a good custom exhibition stand?
A good custom exhibition stand reflects your brand’s values and business objectives, aligning with your goals for whichever event you’re exhibiting at.
To achieve this, we need to understand what you want us to create – this comes from the exhibition stand brief.
Do you have exhibition stand ideas for The Safety & Security Event Series
If you’re exhibiting at the Fire Safety Event, one of six shows under The Safety & Security Event Series, your stand needs to do more than look good. Visitors are senior decision-makers who value practical learning, credible expertise and solutions that genuinely improve workplace safety. Here are some ideas to help your stand cut through the noise and attract the right conversations.
Create interactive, engaging experiences
Hands-on demos work brilliantly at this show. Let visitors test equipment, try out software or see your product in action. You can also build engagement through simple games or competitions, or introduce multi-sensory displays to create an immersive experience that sticks in people’s minds.
Showcase products clearly and confidently
Put your hero products front and centre and use targeted lighting to highlight key features. Digital screens are ideal for rotating messages, product walk-throughs or customer case studies. If you have more detailed information to share, interactive touchscreens let visitors explore it at their own pace without waiting for staff.
Make space for comfort and conversations
A small lounge or seated area goes a long way at a busy show like this. It gives visitors a reason to pause, recharge and talk to your team. You could also host short expert sessions or mini workshops on relevant industry topics to offer extra value and position your brand as a trusted authority.
Get your branding and layout working hard
Keep your messaging short, clear and instantly easy to understand. Use lighting creatively to guide attention and design an open, welcoming layout that encourages people to step in rather than walk past. Consistent branding across graphics, screens and staff uniforms helps your stand feel polished and professional.
Show your commitment to sustainability
If sustainability matters to your business, reflect it in your design choices. Reusable or modular structures, recycled materials and digital resources (instead of stacks of printed brochures) all show you’re serious about reducing waste.
Motive Exhibitions, 3 Orion Court, Ambuscade Road, Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Socon, St. Neots, PE19 8YX
