High-tailing it across the pond

How much lead time does it take to get a successful trade show booth up and running? We planned, organized and successfully implemented a trade show booth in the USA for ADAC Heliservice in 4 weeks. This was made possible by excellent collaboration on the part of the customer – and a good deal of luck.

But let’s start at the beginning: ADAC Heliservice GmbH is the technical service provider behind the yellow rescue helicopters of ADAC Luftrettung. 180 specialists with long-standing experience in maintenance and repair ensure that the fleet is always ready to take off. Technicians at four strategically located sites throughout Germany take care of the helicopters and the medical equipment on board.

The company has built an excellent reputation, and its customer base continues to grow: In addition to ADAC Luftrettung, the helicopter specialists also provide their services to ANWB Medical Air Assistance, the flying squadron of the German Federal Police, various police helicopter squadrons of the German federal states, private helicopter operators and national and international aviation companies.

ADAC Heliservice is also becoming increasingly active internationally and is establishing contacts with new customers and technology partners all over the world. In the spring of 2024, the opportunity arose at short notice for the company to take part in the Heli Expo in Anaheim (California) with its own booth. They were keen to seize this opportunity.

However, an exhibition booth in the USA was a first – for the ADAC Heliservice team as well as for the booth construction partner, who mainly operates in Germany and Europe. As a result, this booth builder was looking for a company that had extensive experience with the implementation of trade show booths in the USA. Thanks to our newly redesigned website, Müller Messebau caught their eye, and they recommended us as a booth builder for the States. A big thank you for this recommendation among colleagues!

We then pulled out all the stops. The first step was for our project manager Erik Keever on the other side of the Atlantic to clarify all organizational aspects with the trade show organizer and the local installation team. At the same time, we adapted the existing booth concept for a trade show in the USA: We made the ceiling suspension that featured a lightweight construction with a fabric cover, and we also used a highly simplified design for the booth and the two freestanding illuminated walls. In the States, where assembly is done by union labor, quick and straightforward assembly is crucial for a successful booth.

Thanks to the quick and straightforward coordination with Esther Rütsch from ADAC Heliservice, we were also able to quickly finalize the design of the cover materials and the booth and send the data over to the production department. A week before the show, all the elements for the booth were ready and loaded onto the truck. From our branch in Cocoa, Florida, we drove across the country to California. There, Erik Keever accepted the delivery of the cargo, after which he supervised the assembly by the unionized booth construction crew. As a result, we were able to hand over the booth to our client on time, one day before the trade show opened.

Many thanks to Esther Rütsch for this glowing review:

“The booth looks magnificent! Thank you so much for your dedication at short notice and the superb implementation. We’ll see you next year in Dallas!“