Production and materials
Display cases and lockable units
Lokman Türkoğlu · Founder & Head of Design · 3 min read · Last updated:
Short answer
How do you choose a display case for a stand?
Three questions settle it. What is the exhibit worth: valuable small items need a locked, toughened-glass case fixed down. How must it be seen: an object read from every side needs four glazed faces, while a wall-backed presentation suits a unit closed on three sides. How often will the stand travel: frequently moved stands favour acrylic over glass and a demountable frame over a heavy carcass. Lighting comes after those three and is solved so that it does not add heat.
Glass or acrylic
Glass reads clearer, resists scratching and never looks cheap. In exchange it is heavy, it breaks, and it needs a purpose-made case to travel. Case glass is used toughened, since leaving no sharp fragments when it breaks is a safety requirement.
Acrylic is light, does not shatter and is easy to ship. The problem is the surface: it scratches readily and hazes over time. An acrylic case used at four fairs will not hold its first-day clarity. On frequently moved portable layouts it is still the right call.
The exhibit matters too. Small, glossy items people want to inspect closely favour glass; large, light objects read from a distance favour acrylic. The height an exhibit should sit at is dealt with separately on our design page.
The carcass under the case is a decision too. A closed plinth pushes the exhibit forward and buys storage inside it; an open frame on legs lightens the space but hides nothing beneath.
Locks, fixing and responsibility
A lock on its own is not security. A locked but light case can be carried away whole from a stand left in an empty hall overnight. So units holding valuable exhibits are fixed to the floor or wall and given weight in the carcass.
Key management is its own heading. How many keys are on site, who holds them, where the spare is. When the only key on the stand goes missing, the case cannot be opened that evening. Cutting two and giving one to the crew leader is enough of a solution.
Insurance is usually skipped over. The venue provides general hall security, but responsibility for goods inside the stand stays with the exhibitor. High-value exhibits get their own policy, and whether they leave the stand overnight is decided in advance.
Where the lock sits is worth thinking about. A lock on a face the visitor sees spoils the look and advertises the target; on the back, within reach of staff, is enough.
Lighting and heat
Case lighting works inside a closed volume, so its heat sits straight on the exhibit. On food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and sensitive electronics, heat spoils the product within a day. The source is moved outside the box, to the top edge or the base, putting distance between it and the exhibit.
Direction is the second decision. A single downward source reflects off glossy products into the glass and shows the visitor their own face. Low-intensity light from two edges resolves it.
The other way to cut reflection is to darken the background. A glossy product on a pale base throws aisle light back at the glass. Contrast between a dark interior and a lit exhibit brings the product forward.
Cleaning the glass is the last detail and the most noticeable one. A case covered in fingerprints devalues whatever is inside it, so a cloth and a short morning routine belong on the stand.
Can display cases be hired?
In standard sizes, yes; venues and suppliers offer hire units. If the exhibit is not a standard size, or the case has to carry the brand look, building it is the better route.
Should the product stay on the stand overnight?
Not if it is valuable. A locked case deters but does not guarantee; small high-value items are collected each evening and moved into a locked store.
Sources
- Exhibitor information — Koelnmesse
- German trade fair industry association — AUMA
- Istanbul Chamber of Commerce — İTO