Focal Exhibitions

Focal Exhibitions designs and builds custom exhibition stands from its UK design and build headquarters on the Newby Road Industrial Estate in Hazel Grove, Stockport, and says it delivers more than 300 projects a year. Its website puts the firm’s experience at more than 30 years (38 on its about page). The company named on the site is Focal Exhibitions Management Ltd, and Companies House lists it and the older Focal Exhibitions Limited at the same Hazel Grove address. It sits in our stand design and build section, and the Manchester shows are close by.

One contract from concept to storage

You deal with one firm for concept design, fabrication, graphics, project management, logistics, installation and storage between shows. Focal says its designers work in 3D, graphic and interactive design, its own craftsmen build each concept in its production facility, and its in-house graphics studio designs and produces all stand graphics. Project managers are on site from the first day of the build, the team handles compliance documents and venue liaison, and after the show it holds a meeting with you to review results and adjust the stand for the next event.

Best suited to larger space-only stands

Its FAQ says it tends to look at stands of 25m² and above, while judging each project on its merits, and its recent builds run from about 20m² to more than 800m². For smaller conference-style shows it also offers modular stands. Its Starkey stand at EUHA in Germany covered 360m² with a bar and lounge, demonstration pods, an interactive product table and private meeting rooms.

A partner if you exhibit abroad

If your calendar includes overseas shows, Focal says more than 60% of its projects each year take place outside the UK, across mainland Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and North America, coordinated from the UK with partners abroad. It runs the full UK and European event calendar for Fischer Connectors, including a stand with a 6 metre high overhead banner, and has designed Colgate’s UK and European show stands for more than 25 years.

Long-running clients and stands you can reuse

Penguin Random House has worked with Focal for more than 25 years at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Frankfurt Book Fair and London Book Fair at Olympia. For KnowBe4 at Infosecurity Europe at ExCeL London it designed a modular stand that adapts to different spaces across the UK and EU. Focal says its custom builds are engineered for repeat use and that some of its stands are now on their tenth year of reinstallation. Before you approach it, our guides to briefing a stand builder and shell scheme or space only help you settle size and budget. Other custom builders listed here include Aspect Exhibitions and Motive Exhibitions.

Source: focalexhibitions.co.uk, focalexhibitions.co.uk/about-us, focalexhibitions.co.uk/faq, focalexhibitions.co.uk/process, focalexhibitions.co.uk/sustainability, focalexhibitions.co.uk/portfolio