Exhibiting at The NEC, Birmingham
Everything you need to know about events at The NEC, Birmingham, from our expert exhibition stand contractors
If you’re heading to an exhibition at The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham and need some guidance, you’re in the right place.
We’ve gathered together all the top tips and useful location insights from our expert team of exhibition contractors, who have built countless trade stands and exhibition booths at the venue.
The NEC from an exhibition stand contractor’s perspective
The NEC Birmingham – sometimes called just “The NEC” – is a venue the Motive Exhibitions team knows inside out. In fact, we install bespoke exhibition stands and shell schemes there almost every week, and from our HQ right next to the A1, we can be on-site within 90 minutes.
The larger exhibition halls tend to host the biggest events, where the main challenge is getting noticed among the thousands of other exhibitors and visitors. Luckily, we know all the tricks of the trade and have designed and built hundreds of stands at the venue, all of which have been jam-packed throughout the respective events.
One thing to bear in mind when you’re thinking about your exhibition stand at the NEC is that the maximum height is 4m. There are ways around this, but it’s quite a painstaking process, and you’re not always guaranteed a ‘yes’ when you ask!
We’re well-versed in the venue’s Voyage Traffic Control System (although we won’t comment on whether we like it or not), but if you’re heading here either as an exhibitor or a visitor, make sure you check out the rules. If not, you could find yourself £75 lighter.
About Birmingham NEC
With a floor space of 182,000m², the NEC is the UK’s largest exhibition venue. It hosts more shows and exhibitions than any other centre in the country – and it’s easy to see why.
It has brilliant connections to road, rail, and air and is, in our opinion, easily the most well-connected and conveniently located venue in the UK. Its perfect location means it welcomes 2.4 million visitors and 39,000 companies to the 500+ events at the venue every year.
As well as being an ideal venue for exhibitions and trade shows, the NEC also has over thirty conference suites, so it’s well worth considering if you’re looking to host your own corporate event, conference, or seminar.
As a city, Birmingham is now a central hub for exhibitions and major events. It boasts a huge range of hotels and restaurants for every budget, making it a very attractive location for tradeshow visitors.
Is the NEC the right venue for you? Chat to our team about your events calendar today.
16,500
parking spaces
2.4 Million
visitors annually
500+
events every year
Exhibition stands we build at The NEC
This bright, modern and extensive exhibition venue makes the perfect backdrop for any exhibition stand.
If you’re struggling to decide what type of stand to choose, here are our thoughts.
Bespoke exhibition stands – also known as 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. It’s the best way to stand out from the crowd and create something irresistible to your 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 into large-scale events, they’re the ideal way to exhibit.
Space-only stands tend to have more central positions, which is a big advantage at a huge venue like The NEC.
They’re the perfect option for creating ‘zones’ within your exhibition space, so if you’ve got several products or services to showcase, each can get its own spot in the limelight.
Expert insights from the Motive Exhibition team: pros and cons of the NEC
The NEC Birmingham is one of the UK’s best exhibition venues for visitors and exhibitors – and is also an ideal venue as a stand contractor. Here’s why you should love it as much as we do.
Pro’s
- All stands are on the main show floor, so the footfall is fantastic for making connections and building your brand recognition.
- There’s a mix of space available to book, from huge custom exhibition stands to smaller, adaptable shell schemes.
- It’s ideal if you need to showcase extremely large props (vehicles, machinery, etc.) – the space and event logistics lend themselves to big stands.
- It’s super easy to get to as the UK’s most central major exhibition venue.
- The venue – and the events it hosts – attracts a lot of footfall from potential customers.
- There’s free parking for exhibitors and builders during build and breakdown.
- The venue offers free shuttle buses between the car parks and exhibition halls.
- There’s a free visitor Wi-Fi with enhanced 3G and 4G connectivity.
- It’s within minutes of a huge selection of hotels to suit any budget.
And in the interest of fairness, there are some cons to consider:
Cons
- It’s expensive to book floor space.
- It’s also expensive when you’re there – a sandwich and a bottle of water don’t come cheap!
- The Voyage Traffic Control System can be a bit of a nightmare.
- It’s a very popular exhibition venue, so you need to book your slot early, particularly if you want a large space or a showstopping bespoke double-decker exhibition stand.
- No storage facilities are available at the venue, so you’ll have to organise a separate space for storing packing cases etc.
- If you’re not using an exhibition company, you’ll need to bring your own logistics equipment (trollies, pump trucks, etc.), as the venue doesn’t hire them out. Of course, if you work with us, this will be covered within the project costs!
- Smaller stands could be overlooked as the space is so extensive, but with clever stand design and a good exhibition company behind you, you shouldn’t worry too much about this.
The NEC is probably the most well-known exhibition venue in the UK and home to some major, high-profile, industry-leading events.
“If you’re looking to dip your toe into exhibiting or expanding your exhibition stand and presence, the NEC will give you the most flexibility in terms of space and choice of shows”.
Dave Hennessy, Director, Motive Exhibitions
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FAQs
Our company isn’t from the UK. Can you build a stand for us for an exhibition at The NEC?
Absolutely! We’ve built custom exhibition stands for companies from all over Europe that have attended events at the NEC Birmingham.
We can also help you with the logistics of getting show kit in and out of the country, if you’re bringing anything with you.
If we work with you, can you take our supplies to the venue?
Yes! You can ship your materials to us, and we will pack them up with the rest of your stand for transportation. If you’re travelling by train, the last thing you want to do is take a load of brochures, iPads and products with you, so we organise your exhibition booth logistics as part of a project price.
Or, save the space in your suitcase and hire iPads etc from us! You can hire furniture, AV equipment, and a wide range of props and stand accessories.
Is it easy for exhibitors to get to The NEC?
Yes, very. The NEC is near the M6, M40 and M42. Top tip: tap B40 1NT in your Sat Nav to get to the venue! Once on site, follow the digital screens for directions to the car parks.
The NEC has 16,500 parking spaces spread around the site, and you can pre-book parking via the venue’s website.
Shuttle buses run on a loop around the site every few minutes, taking visitors from the car park to the exhibition hall.
Or, save the space in your suitcase and hire iPads etc from us! You can hire furniture, AV equipment, and a wide range of props and stand accessories.
Is the NEC accessible for disabled visitors?
Yes! The venue is fully accessible to all visitors.
Motive Exhibitions, 3 Orion Court, Ambuscade Road, Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Socon, St. Neots, PE19 8YX
