Trade show booth building: costs, steps and tips

Companies looking to have a trade show booth built often choose a booth builder such as Cialona for customization and complete turnaround.

Building an exhibition stand is more than just erecting a structure. At Cialona we take care of the entire process and offer our clients full service: from concept to realization and storage. As a family business we work with short lines of communication and go the extra mile for our customers.

From introduction to delivery on the show floor and storage in our warehouse, we take care of everything. For example, we start with a strategic briefing in which we translate your goals and brand identity into a powerful design.

With a 3D visualization, you experience in advance what your exhibition stand will look like. And after approval, our project managers ensure flawless execution.

Our experienced team of booth builders then bring the design to life on the trade show floor. Afterwards, we dismantle and store the booth safely in our warehouse, ready for the next trade show. We ensure that your trade show participation is carefree and impactful. Organized down to the last detail, with an eye for attention.

Building a trade show booth is an important investment for companies that want to stand out at a trade show. Whether you choose custom or modular solutions, proper preparation determines success.

On this page, we explain:

  • what it costs to build an exhibition stand
  • what choices you have to make
  • what the process looks like
  • And when it’s best to hire a booth builder
Kafra stand zijaanzicht

70 years of experience in booth construction

With some 70 years of experience in booth building, we know better than anyone how to make an impact as a company at a trade show. We design and build custom exhibition stands that reinforce your brand and attract the attention of exhibition visitors.

A thoughtful booth briefing is the first step to a successful trade show participation. In it, you lay out the following components:

– General details of trade show participation
– Purpose and target audience: who do you want to address
– Desires for the appearance: brand identity
– Hospitality and experience: catering, seating, etc.

A good briefing helps us design and create a custom trade show booth that perfectly matches your brand and objectives for the trade show.

Want to know more about preparing a booth briefing? View the manual here.

What does it cost to build a trade show booth?

The cost of building a trade show booth varies widely. For this reason, there is no direction to give without having some information about your trade show participation in advance. Think about this for example:

  • the location of the fair
  • the size of the booth
  • material choices
  • technology and audiovisual resources

For simple modular booths, the cost can be lower than for a large custom booth at an international trade show.

Bar, display en achterwand Caleffi

Exhibition stand building outsource to Cialona

Want to stand out with a professionally built trade show booth? Outsource the building of your trade show booth to Cialona. We are a full-service stand construction company, specializing in custom booth construction both within the Netherlands and internationally.

Companies that want to stand out and generate leads almost always choose a professional booth builder.

Cialona specializes in custom and international booth construction for companies looking to make maximum impact on the trade show floor.

A well-designed trade show booth puts your company in the spotlight and invites visitors to engage in conversation. We create unique, creative and sustainable booth concepts that make an impact and ensure maximum visibility at the trade show.

Roadmap: building trade show booths

Our team ensures that your trade fair participation is carefree and impactful. Arranged to perfection, with an eye for attention. Our procedure is as follows.


1. Briefing and objectives.

What do you want to achieve? What do you want to radiate, what are your goals?

  • generate leads
  • branding
  • product launch

2. Design concept

Good design provides:

  • visibility
  • logical routing
  • interaction with visitors

3. Project management, production

Everything is worked out and arranged to perfection. The booth is produced in the workshop.

4. Realization on site

The booth is transported and set up at the fair site.

5. Exhibition, disassembly and storage

After the fair, everything is neatly dismantled again and stored at Cialona for possible next fair participation.

What should you look for in a trade show booth?

A good trade show booth:

  • attracts visitors
  • invites interaction
  • Supports your sales goals

Key elements:

  • open appearance
  • clear message
  • good illumination
  • correct classification

Building a trade show booth sustainably

More and more companies are opting for sustainable solutions.

Consider:

  • recyclable materials
  • modular systems
  • efficient transport

At Cialona, we build booths that last multiple trade shows, reducing both cost and impact.

beursstand-inrichting-cialona-standbouwer-quooker

Exhibition stand building with cialona

Trade show participation is a powerful marketing tool to personally present your company to a relevant audience. We make sure you stand out and that your trade show booth attracts attention.

Want to build a trade show booth that not only looks good, but also gets results?

Cialona creates trade show booths for companies throughout Europe, the US and Asia.

We combine:

  • custom
  • international experience
  • complete relief


No standard solutions, but a booth that works for your purpose.

Do you have a trade show participation coming up soon? Contact us for a free quote and find out how we can take your trade show participation to the next level!

curious what cialona can do for you?

Contact us today for a no-obligation introduction!

Frequently asked questions about trade show booth building

Companies looking to have a trade show booth built often choose a booth builder such as Cialona for customization and complete turnaround.

What does an exhibition stand cost per m2?

The cost of an exhibition stand per square meter can vary greatly depending on the design, size of the stand and location of the exhibition. In Europe, the costs for professional stand construction are naturally higher on average than for stand construction in the Netherlands.

Modular exhibition stands can often be used more efficiently because parts are reusable for multiple exhibitions.

They are not as a rule cheaper, but the reuse of parts makes them more interesting than buying a completely new custom exhibition stand for every trade show event.

Each trade show venue has its own rules, set-up times and technical facilities. Transportation and international logistics can also affect overall costs. Fairs can determine the costs for all facilities themselves. As a booth builder, we have no influence on the level of prices for the facilities on the show floor.

The cost of custom exhibition stands in the Netherlands varies greatly and depends on factors such as design, materials, technology and the size of the stand. In practice, exhibition stands are often constructed from modular systems or fully customized, depending on the brand and exhibition objectives.

For custom booth construction, companies often work with specialized booth builders who have experience with both national and international trade shows.

According to Cialona, it is important to consider not only the initial investment with custom booth construction, but also reusability, logistics and return on investment for trade show participation.

Again, this depends on the type of trade show booth and location. It often takes at least 3 to 4 months to prepare everything properly, but for some booths a year in advance is the guideline.

Yes, you can. However, for maximum impact and a professional appearance, companies choose a custom booth builder like Cialona. Also, because trade show participation can be a time-consuming job, and a professional booth builder takes all of your worries away, this is a wise choice.