Material Handling Made Easy

What is Material Handling and Drayage?
Material Handling, or drayage, are interchangeable terms that refer to the unloading of your shipment, transporting it to your booth, storing and returning empty crates and cartons, and reloading shipments at the close of the show.  Show Management appoints an Official Services Provider, GES, to offer these services to exhibitors for a specified fee to coordinate, manage, and receive shipments related to the show.

Why Do Exhibitors Need Material Handling?
All conventions, trade shows, and events have rigid timelines associated with move-ins and move-outs.  Additionally, venues often lack the facilities, equipment, and manpower necessary to receive and store exhibit freight. Large shows can have even more intricate timelines and rules, installing and dismantling in mere days. This requires a significant amount of logistics, labor, and skilled workers with forklifts to ensure the seamless flow of freight. Since no show is the same, understanding material handling pricing and how to calculate it will help you budget in advance and save the most money possible on your material handling costs.

How Can GES Material Handling+ Save Exhibitors Money?
Material handling costs vary in every city and venue, which can lead to unforeseen material handling costs after a show, resulting in you exceeding your budget. Here’s how GES Material Handling+ can save you money:

1. Cost Certainty - Material handling rates are determined by weight per pound and when freight arrives, within or outside the posted date ranges. Freight weighing less than 25 lbs is calculated at a flat rate. This makes it easier to budget. 
2. Simplified Invoicing – There are only three Material Handling+ rates:  standard rate, non-standard rate, and flat rate (see Rate Definitions below [make this a hyperlink that will jump to the “Rate Definition” section down below] ).  This, along with simplified line-item invoicing makes reconciling post-show invoices hassle-free.
3. Ship Early at the Same Cost as Direct-to-Show - When available, you can ship individual items up to 4,400 lbs each to the Advance Warehouse, within the posted date range, for the same material handling rate as shipping Direct-To-Show.  This results in your shipment being ready and in your booth by Exhibitor Move-in and won’t have to worry about the possibility of delayed freight.
4. Money-Saving Tips – Use GES Transportation+ to save 10% on material handling costs when you ship roundtrip with GES Logistics, for non-local shipments of 5,000 lbs or less.  Contact our logistics team to get a quote. (Discount does not apply to local, small package, truckloads, or complete shipments over 5,000 lbs).
5. Save Time and Avoid Delays – Securely pack freight in crates, fiber cases, or on pallets and shrink-wrap all items to avoid damage during shipping or show site delivery.

1. Material handling rates for freight more than 25 lbs are determined by when the freight arrives, within or outside the posted date range. Posted date ranges can be found on the show's ordering site on the Important Dates and Deadlines page under Show Information.
2. All freight less than 25 lbs per shipment is billed at a flat rate.
3. For UPS, FedEx, DHL, and Amazon shipments, billing will be determined by the weight designated by the shipping carrier on the Material Handling Agreement.  
4. All shipments, including Airfreight, MUST HAVE a Material Handling Agreement that shows the number of pieces, weight, description of the freight, and a certified weight ticket.
   
   NOTE: GES reserves the right to weigh shipments at show site to confirm documentation accuracy and determine if weight is missing from supplied carrier documentation and clarify any possible discrepancies.  

1. Material handling rates for freight more than 25 lb are determined by when freight arrives, within or outside the posted date range. Posted date ranges can be found on the show's ordering site on the Important Dates and Deadlines page under Show Information. 
2. All freight less than 25 lb per shipment is billed at a flat rate. 
3. For UPS, FedEx, DHL, and Amazon shipments, billing will be determined by the weight designated by the shipping carrier on labels or bills of lading. 
4. All shipments, including Airfreight, must have a bill of lading showing the number of pieces, weight, description of the freight, and a certified weight ticket. 

1. Standard Rate– 25 lbs or more
   Shipped to Advance Warehouse and arrives within the posted date range
   Shipped Direct-to-Show and arrives within posted Move-in dates or on-target
2. Non-Standard Rate– 25 lbs or more
   Shipped to Advance Warehouse and arrives outside the posted date range
   Shipped Direct-to-Show and arrives outside posted Move-in dates or off-target
3. Flat Rate – Less than 25 lbs 
   Shipped to the Advance Warehouse or Direct-to-Show and arrives anytime.

• Review the posted date range for Advance and Direct-to-Show delivery on the show's ordering site under Important Dates and Deadlines. 
• Click on Material Handling/Drayage Services under Shipping, Drayage, and Material Handling to view show rates. 
• Determine when you want your shipment to arrive and where you want to ship it. To obtain the lowest rate, Standard, plan for your freight to arrive within the posted date range at the Advance Warehouse or Direct-to-Show.
• Determine an accurate estimate of your freight’s weight in pounds.  Weight designated by the shipping carrier on the inbound shipping label or Material Handling Agreement will be used to determine freight weight for billing purposes.
• Multiply the weight by the rate to determine the cost. All shipments less than 25 lbs will be calculated at a flat rate.