Corporate Events Plus

Quick route to creating a sustainable and environmentally considered event is to choose your suppliers wisely.

Exhibitions are notorious for waste, waste of building materials, waste of power used, carbon footprint for travel.

Choosing the correct suppliers to work with you on a project can go a long way to helping with the sustainability of a project. Even if the end client is not asking – in the future shareholders may quiz a project or even question decisions made during the construction and build process.

It is something I think about when deciding on suppliers. Are materials sourced ethically? is there a robust re-use or recycle plan in place? is the supplier ISO 14001 accredited?

It seems a long way off but the next live days on site are going to be August and September – but before then we are working on planning the derig of the F1 Exhibition in Madrid. The industry is recovering, there is work, there are projects returning since the Covid 19 setbacks.

Wow – where did that time go? Nose to the grindstone – bouncing from one project to another -travelling across the globe by planes, trains and automobiles.

Late nights and early mornings a plenty.

Financial banking Crisis / the death of Lady Diana, Bomb scares by terrorists preventing delegates travelling, ash clouds from volcanos in the sky preventing travel, a global pandemic that briefly closed the industry, Brexit and I think 2 recessions from memory. It has been some ride.

Clients have come and gone and come back again – new clients met – new teams of suppliers added to the faithful list of go to merchants.

Some of our suppliers have been retiring over the past few years – I think because I have surrounded myself with people at the top of their game many have tended to be older – as the company ages, so has the supplier network.

Events are continually evolving, methods of work change, technology changes and suppliers either update or are bypassed.

Could I do it all again now? – errrr the immediate answer is no. That was some effort, risk and commitment.

Would I want to do it all again now? again…………no, I don’t think I do, one benefit of this industry is that I have been able to see first hand what a marvellous world it is out there.

But all that knowledge, all those shows and exhibitions completed, mistakes made and problems solved ensuring success for future projects, what happens to that back catalogue of knowledge if you just stop?

Being middle aged life impacts from both ends – parents pass on and grand children arrive – without spending your time wisely you could miss out on what time you have left with one group and adding your own value to the other.

What of the future? What is that 3 year or 5 year plan now? – I am working on it – the thoughts are there in the back of my head – I think the delay in a decision is that when you are on site with a good team, working for a client who values you, or you are interested in the subject matter of what you are involved with it is difficult to stop doing what you enjoy doing.

The last project group shot after giving a Health and Safety briefing

49 consecutive days on site

IFEMA Madrid working for Round Room Studios for Formula 1

We have been tasked with Technically Directing the first official Worldwide exhibition for Formula 1.

We are so proud of working on this exhibition. Starting from a completely empty exhibition hall we have rigged over 2 kilometres of truss, installed 13 kilometres of data cable and used 22,000 cable ties. 10’s of video projectors and monitors, Dali lighting controlled led and spotlights, bespoke audio public address and infra red audio guide systems.

Organising teams of Carpenters, Electricians, Data and AV specialists, logistics, security and cleaning teams – the project has been all consuming but very rewarding.

We are planning the next venue works now – but first a short break to recharge the batteries

An empty Hall 1 at IFEMA – The markout begins, teams rig truss and install cabling

I am looking forward to sharing some cups of tea and coffee with these guys and girls on the latest project to go into build, 6 weeks ahead in Madrid before rehearsals and a launch of a new exhibition.

Lots of linking in with different departments ahead, Scenery, AV, Local services, Lighting, Curation and Retail.

I am hoping that a team feeling of sharing a warm drink in a cold exhibition hall will help continue a warm feeling while we work together.

It is no surprise that material costs have increased across the world, another impact since the pandemic has been skilled labour. Difficult to find and especially at short notice. It has been estimated that 25% of our resource for labour have found other ways to earn a living and have not returned to the industry.

Interestingly in the search for a mix of our own experienced crew and using local crew it was pointed out to me that although skilled crew locally can be the desired wish it could also be beneficial to have a mix of experienced and younger crew who are training which can offer other benefits such as enthusiasm, strength and a willingness to perform – worth thinking about when selecting a mix of labour within teams on site on larger projects.

I have been enjoying reviewing some test builds this month before installation on a project next year – the value of seeing something built in the flesh before arriving on site is fantastic. The scale, the look and feel, the estimation of installation time all sense checked in advance, this certainly gives everyone more confidence in what we are looking to achieve on site in the time scale we are working to.

We have also been getting involved with some of the objects and artefacts, even assisting with transporting an engine to be used for display.

Flat out – up to our eyeballs – no sleep for the wicked

All expressions heard this week

Exhibition Acoustic Design 

Audio replay at Exhibitions has always been challenging between adjoining booths and exhibitors because audio levels can be overwhelming. 

I am working on a project with multiple areas with audio requirements, the difference is we are in control of the whole environment, some of the experiences for the delegates are via headphones and some experiences are direct from a PA where headsets are not used. 

There are different methods of PA – Localized loud speakers directional from a video screen for example or background soundscapes relevant to the area you are immersed in.

How do you get these areas to work in harmony together?

It is difficult but it is also possible to set boundaries to help audio bleed from one area to another. The use of acoustically absorptive materials on boundary walls can temper sound bleed.

The pacing and sequencing of soundscapes can be choreographed thoughtfully.

The location of loud speakers closer to the delegate so the audio level does not need to be too loud can help.

Time in advance of the project is valuable here – the more work that can be done in the pre production phase of the project with thought to the sound tracks to be used or the soundscapes to be commissioned will pay dividends when the project is installed on site. 

This is an area of work I am really excited to be involved with – I am looking forward to listening to the results.

That it appears is all we are missing – a plague of locusts – the world is in turmoil for sure – The British Government has taken measures of tax cuts that do not agree with the banks and financial services are in turmoil with the value of the pound dropping to it’s lowest level for a long time. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second has passed away which is very sad. The war still rages on in Ukraine causing an energy crisis.

I am working on a project in Spain – The Spanish Government in response to the rising energy crisis has release a declaration, some news if you are planning events which involve customers who require an air conditioned environment.

On August 1, 2022, RDL14/2022 Act is published, with energy saving and efficiency measures, as well as reducing energy dependence on natural gas, in which the air temperatures in conditioned habitable enclosures indicated in paragraph 2 of I.T. 3.8.1 of the Regulation of Thermal Installations in Buildings (RITE), approved by Royal Decree 1027/2007, of July 20, will be limited to the following values:
(a) The air temperature in heated enclosures shall not exceed 19 ºC.
(b) The air temperature in refrigerated enclosures shall not be less than 27 ºC.

In addition, buildings and premises with access from the street included in the scope of application of the I.T. 3.8 of the RITE will have an adequate door closing system, in order to prevent that these remain permanently open, with the consequent waste of energy by energy losses to the outside, so that the permanent opening of the gate that could be closed, breaches the provisions of the regulations. 

If you have any doubt about it, our Management will be able to tell you.

Thank you very much and best regards,

True words – if you want good crew book them at the earliest opportunity.

The market is in flux – events are back & events are getting booked in but there are fewer freelance crew than there used to be because during the pandemic some crew have found other work outside of the industry.

Material costs have increased – lead times need to be longer to secure the look and feel you want.

Interesting times indeed.