Our comprehensive guide to exhibiting at Futurebuild 2025
Make the most out of your exhibition stand at Futurebuild 2025
4 – 6 March 2025, ExCel, London
Futurebuild has been one of the UK’s best built-environment trade shows for 20 years.
With the 2025 iteration taking place from 4-6 March at the ExCeL London, we’ve rounded up all of our insider knowledge on what you can expect from this fantastic exhibition (and the venue!).
Need a price for your Futurebuild 2025 exhibition stand?
If your construction product or service is focused on sustainability, reducing carbon emissions, making positive change and impacting the built environment, then there’s no better exhibition to attend than Futurebuild.
For three exciting days in March, key stakeholders in the industry supply chain will gather at ExCeL London (also known as ‘The ExCeL’) to show off their newest ideas, get inspired, and swap tips on creating sustainable construction. Together, they’re working towards reaching net zero in the industry; but they can’t do it without companies like yours!
In 2024, over 18,000 people visited the show. 257 companies exhibited, over 400 brands were represented, and, most impressively, over 52,000 active leads were established.
And 2025 looks set to be just as successful. With the chosen theme for next year being “impact”, 70% of attendees will be actively looking for new suppliers, and 74% will be involved in purchasing decisions, which makes exhibiting at Futurebuild a very appealing prospect!
Many leading sustainability and innovation brands have already signed up for the show, so you can expect to be mingling with the likes of Mixergy, Duracell, Kingspan, and Saint Gobain, to name a few.
Make sure you’re on the exhibitor list beside these big brands!
First, you need to decide what you want to achieve at Futurebuild and weigh this up against the cost of exhibiting. Exhibiting at ExCeL London is not cheap, so you need to be sure that you’re going to see some return on investment (however you measure that!).
Next up, let’s talk budget. You’ll need to account for the space you’ll be using (like the actual area on the floor) and what your exhibition stand will look like. Don’t blow your entire budget on a giant booth only to find yourself short on funds for displays and other essentials! It’s all about striking that perfect balance between having enough space and creating the right atmosphere. Think about how you want your booth to look and the impression you want to leave on potential customers.
Then we get on to the stand itself. Think about what you want to promote to visitors at the show. Do you have hands-on products which need their own display areas? Do you have any big props? And how do you want to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability within the industry? Hiring part of your stand or re-using recyclable materials is a good start, so figure out if important this is to you, and we can do the rest.
Now, let’s ask the big question: who do you want to connect with at the event? Pinpoint your target audience and estimate how many people you’d like to engage. Are you hoping to gather 50 solid leads to follow up with later, or do you want to dive deep with 10 key decision-makers who are ready to seal the deal on the spot? Whatever your aim, set a realistic target. Even if you don’t hit it, having a goal helps you figure out if the event was a success!
Finally, it’s time to put together a solid exhibition brief. This is super important, especially if you’re working with a stand-building partner like us, but it’s also necessary if you’re managing everything yourself.
We’ve worked with a ton of companies – big and small – who’ve all faced that overwhelming feeling of “Where do I even start?” when it comes to writing the brief. That’s why we created our handy guide to take you through each step; it’s been a lifesaver for many of our clients!
Get Futurebuild off to the best possible start by giving us the perfect stand brief.
Futurebuild is an exhibition that we’ve taken the same clients to repeatedly for the past few years.
“The stands we have installed have been designed from the outset to be considerate of materials; sustainability, recyclability, and re-use have been high on the list of our and our clients’ priorities.
“We design with repurpose in mind, so we have a common goal with our construction industry customers”
David Hennessy, Motive Exhibitions Managing Director
We’ve taken several brands to Futurebuild in the last few years. So, we understand how important it is for companies in this sector to have an exhibition stand which aligns with their ethos and value of promoting sustainability.
But just because we’ve put together plenty of stands for businesses like yours, doesn’t mean your design will blend in or be like anything we’ve created before.
Every exhibition stand we build is tailor-made to grab the attention of your future customers and partners.
And yours will be, too!
Promote your core values with a highly sustainable Motive Exhibitions stand.
Exhibition stands we can build at Futurebuild 2025
ExCeL London is one of Europe’s premier exhibition spaces with many different options on their floorplan menu, so there’s pretty much no limit to what you can do with your stand.
Here are some stand types you should consider ahead of Futurebuild 2025.
Bespoke exhibition stands – also known as ‘custom’ exhibition stands – are crafted specifically for your event and tailored to meet your unique business and branding needs.
If your Futurebuild 2025 budget will allow it, one of the best ways to take advantage of ExCeL London’s expansive layout is with a bespoke double-decker stand.
The best thing about modular exhibition stands is their adaptability. We’ve created many of these that have truly wowed visitors at The ExCeL (and at previous Futurebuild shows).
They’re perfect for companies that aren’t quite ready to invest in a permanent stand or don’t have the space to store one between events.
Shell scheme exhibition stands are a budget-friendly option for exhibiting, which is particularly appealing for shows like Futurebuild as securing floor space at ExCeL London can be pricey.
But just because they’re affordable doesn’t mean you have to skimp on design! With a clever approach, a shell scheme stand can be a highly adaptable, visually striking, lead-generating space.
Exhibition stand hire
If your event plans for 2025 are still a bit uncertain, and you’re not quite ready to commit to owning a stand, our exhibition hire service is the perfect option.
Renting is a cost-effective and eco-friendly choice, so it’s an option you should definitely think about for a show like Futurebuild, where sustainability is high on the agenda.
Some clients go all in and rent the entire stand, while others prefer to just lease smaller pieces like furniture. You can even create a hybrid setup, combining custom-made features with rented items for a one-of-a-kind look.
Can’t decide which stand option is best?
Everything you need to know about exhibiting at the ExCel, London
The ExCeL has earned its reputation as one of the top exhibition centres in the world – not least because of its size. The venue can accommodate up to 70,000 visitors at once and welcomes over 4 million guests each year.
And it’s one of our favourite places to work, especially because it’s so accessible. From our office, just off the A1, we can reach the venue in about 90 minutes (which is ideal as we’re setting up stands there nearly every week!)
Part of a significant redevelopment project in London’s historic dock area, The ExCeL whopping 100,000m² of floor space divided into two massive event halls. There’s also a spacious outdoor area and a variety of conference suites. A little tip: the central walkway, known as ‘The Boulevard,’ stretches 600 meters down the centre of the venue, so make sure you pack your comfiest shoes!
ExCeL London boasts excellent transport links by road, rail, boat, and air – it’s just a short distance from London City Airport, has three Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations, its own Elizabeth Line station, and plenty of bus stops. Central London is only 15 minutes away by public transport, plus there are 3,000 parking spaces available via the A13.
Plus, you’ll find hotels and restaurants for every budget right on ExCeL’s doorstep (quite literally; there are bars, restaurants, and hotels at the venue’s entrance and exit points!).
Top tip: pack hi-vis vests for your team; you’re not allowed into the venue on show setup days without one – you’ll get turned away if you try.
Pros of exhibiting at ExCeL London:
- A massive 100,000m² of flexible space gives you plenty of room (and height!) to get creative.
- The transport links are second to none among UK exhibition venues.
- You’ll find 19 hotels on-site or within a minute’s walk away.
- It’s a logistical dream, making it easy to bring in vehicles and equipment for both setup and breakdown.
- The extensive on-site support covers everything from catering to rigging and audiovisual equipment maintenance.
- There’s a great selection of restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and bars on-site.
- The waste removal teams do a sterling job cleaning the venue and show floors after each show day.
- There’s ample parking for over 3,000 vehicles.
Cons of exhibiting at ExCeL London:
- It is expensive to book space (eye-wateringly so).
- Venue charges like rigging, internet connectivity, and logistics are also budget-breakers.
- On-site parking is £25 a day (make sure you factor this into your show budget).
- Food and drink at the venue are expensive (can you see the pattern emerging here?).
- Despite the cost, it’s a very popular venue and prime spaces go quickly. You have to be proactive and book early to avoid disappointment.
- As the space is so large, you need to double-check access points to ensure you choose the correct point to bring in equipment. Otherwise, you could be in for quite a hike!
Motive was a brilliant company to work with. They were so accommodating (especially given our extremely tight deadline) and came up with some great concepts that suited our budget.
From initial conversations with David, through the design stages with Ed, right through to the set-up and build at our event , Motive was a super team to work with. They took away so much of the stress and hassle that events can sometimes bring.
We definitely recommend them!”
Mixergy
Clients we work with
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FAQs
Do you have other clients exhibiting at Futurebuild?
Absolutely! Futurebuild is one of our regular events, and we team up with several clients each year for exhibition design, installation, and breakdown.
Having multiple stands at one venue is a win-win for us and our clients. With a larger team on-site, we have extra tools and project managers ready to go.
How much do exhibition stands cost?
The cost of your exhibition stand can depend on multiple factors:
- Size of your space: How much room do you have to work with?
- One-off or reusable: Are you looking for something just for this event, or do you want a stand you can tweak and use at different venues?
- Your goals: What are you hoping to achieve by exhibiting?
We’ll work closely with you to come up with a plan and design that fits within your budget!
What makes a good trade show stand?
It’s all about being true to your brand and bringing something unique to the show floor.
A standout custom exhibition stand should reflect your brand’s values and goals, aligning perfectly with what you want to accomplish at the event. To make this happen, we need a clear understanding of your vision, which starts with the exhibition stand brief.
Should I just hire a stand?
It really depends on what you’re looking to achieve! People often decide to hire a booth for a few reasons:
- They don’t have a place to store a stand.
- They want to experiment with new ideas and concepts.
- They’re new to exhibiting and want to give it a try.
- They don’t exhibit often enough to justify buying their own stand.
- Different teams within a company frequently exhibit and need to change the graphics often.
- They are looking for more sustainable ways to exhibit and mirror their businesses’ pledge to reduce their carbon footprint.
As a general rule, if you plan to exhibit more than three times a year, it’s usually more cost-effective to invest in your own stand.
Motive Exhibitions, 3 Orion Court, Ambuscade Road, Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Socon, St. Neots, PE19 8YX
