General contractor

A general contractor is the company a trade show’s organizer hires to build the show floor and run its official services, such as freight handling, booth labor, electrical, furniture, and carpet.

You’ll deal with the general contractor more than with the organizer. It writes most of the exhibitor kit, takes your advance orders, and runs the service desk on the show floor.

What does it control?

• Freight: at most shows, only the general contractor moves freight from the dock to your booth, and it bills you for drayage.
• Labor: it supplies the official crews for installation and dismantle, under the venue’s labor rules.
• Services: carpet, furniture, signs, cleaning, and often electrical and rigging.
• The schedule: your move-in and move-out windows, and the receiving cutoff for your freight.

How do you work with it?

Order early, at the advance rate. Name an exhibitor-appointed contractor by the kit’s deadline if your exhibit house will build your booth. Keep every order confirmation, and check each order at the service desk when you arrive for move-in.

Where do you find it in FieldXM?

In FieldXM’s event logistics, you keep the general contractor’s dates on the event, beside your shipments, travel, and booth shifts. FieldXM watches each shipment and warns you if one may miss the receiving cutoff.