Build-up and dismantling
How the build window opens, how vehicles and staff are registered, how the stand's power is switched on, what the handover record says and what happens on dismantling night. Venue rules, penalties and what the exhibitor has to do.
Build day is where months of preparation meet the hall; on a well-planned project it passes without incident, on a poorly planned one every problem surfaces on the same day. The rules in this section come from Tüyap's 2026 floor plan notes and prohibitions, the support conditions from the Ministry of Trade circular. Our own build routine is described on the production and installation page.
01
The build window and entry
The organiser publishes the build and dismantling schedule in the exhibitor manual: which hall opens on which day and hour, whether large stands get early entry, whether night work is allowed. At Tüyap and CNR Expo build-up usually starts two to three days before opening; island and double-deck stands can request a day's early entry. At German fairs the window is three to four days, stretching to a week at large fairs such as bauma and HANNOVER MESSE.
Vehicles enter with a registered plate; the organiser issues a ramp slot and unloading time is limited. A vehicle arriving without a slot is the most common cause of build delay. If parts were loaded in the order they come off, unloading finishes quickly.
Everyone working on build-up and dismantling registers on Tüyap's decorator and stand contractor information portal and uploads the legal documents for workers (social security, safety training, vocational qualification); the exhibitor's own staff are included. Persons under 18 may not enter during build-up and dismantling.
02
Build day: order and checks
- 01
Plot check
Plot size, corner points, columns and service hatches are compared with the floor plan; hatches and duct openings must stay accessible at all times.
- 02
Floor and frame
The pre-prepared floor covering is laid (carpet with double-sided tape, no screws into the floor), the structural frame goes up and anti-tipping weights are placed.
- 03
Power and lighting
The MYK-certified electrician installs the wiring to the project, connects the board with its residual current device and signs the compliance form; the venue's electrical unit switches the line on. LED fittings are mounted.
- 04
Surfaces, graphics, furniture
Wall surfaces and graphic panels are fitted, lightboxes connected, furniture and showcases placed, products unpacked. The fire extinguisher (one per 50 m²) goes in a visible spot.
- 05
Cleaning and handover
Packaging and waste leave the hall, empties go to the forwarder, the stand is cleaned. The exhibitor checks the stand against the drawing and signs the handover record, at least a day before opening.
What to check at handover: do dimensions and height match the project, do all sockets and screens work, are there spelling errors in the graphics, have the keys to locked showcases been handed over, does the storage compartment lock, is the fire extinguisher in place, does anything project beyond the stand boundary into the aisle. Shortcomings are written in the record and fixed before opening.
- 2 hours
- time allowed to remove waste from the hall during build-up; a per-cubic-metre penalty beyond it (Tüyap)
- 5 times
- penalty for every hole drilled into floor or wall, as a multiple of the stand's square-metre sale price (Tüyap)
Source: Tüyap prohibitions (MAKTEK 2026)
Source: Tüyap prohibitions (MAKTEK 2026)
We read the technical manual so you do not have to
We submit the stand project to the organiser together with the engineer's approval, the electrical load declaration and the fire certificates. The crew entering the hall on build day is registered, certified and has worked in that venue before.
03
During the fair
The stand must open on the first day of the fair and stay open until closing time on the last day; an exhibitor who packs up early or withdraws staff is left off the observer report list and its support application is not assessed (Circular art. 43). The rule is the same at home and abroad.
Throughout the fair a named technical contact with a phone number should be on the stand or at the end of the line; a faulty spotlight, a dead screen and a loose panel are fixed the same day. Opening a duct cover during a power cut is forbidden; the venue's electrical unit is called. Stand cleaning is the exhibitor's responsibility; daily service can be bought from the organiser's contracted cleaner.
How to record visitors and prepare staff is covered in stand staff and lead management.
04
Dismantling night
Dismantling starts at closing time; at most fairs only products and hand luggage may leave in the first hours, with vehicle entry and stand dismantling opened afterwards. The order is the reverse of build-up: products and graphic panels are separated and packed, furniture and showcases loaded, power cut, the frame taken down, the floor lifted. Rented power, water and internet connections are closed by the venue.
The zero waste rule applies at dismantling too: no stand waste may be left, all material leaves the hall and the plot is handed back empty and clean. Floor tape is removed; damage to floor or wall is penalised per hole. The dismantling window is usually closing night and the following day; for a stand that overruns, the venue removes the material and invoices it.
Your products and graphic panels are shipped to your address; the stand structure was produced for that fair and is our responsibility after dismantling. How products, samples and empties are kept after the fair is covered in after the fair and storage.
05
Frequently asked questions
- Do we need to be present during build-up?
Not for the whole build, but yes for the handover. Being on the stand for the last half day is enough to unpack and place the products; you or a person you authorise signs the handover record.
- Can the build run overnight?
It depends on the venue and organiser; at some fairs the build window is open 24 hours, at others night work carries a surcharge. At German fairs night work permission is obtained in advance. A stand with a correctly calculated build time does not need night shifts.
- Can we pack up half a day early before the fair ends?
No. Packing products or withdrawing staff before the fair ends breaks the support condition and the organiser's contract; most organisers also penalise early dismantling.
- What happens to the stand after dismantling?
The stand is produced for that fair; after dismantling the structural material is our responsibility and is sorted under recycling rules. Your products, samples and graphic panels are shipped to you; the design and graphic files stay with us for your next fair.
Sources
- Tüyap floor plan notes and prohibitions (MAKTEK 2026) — Tüyap / ITO
- Circular on fair supports art. 43: exhibitor obligations — Turkish Ministry of Trade
- Messe Düsseldorf build-up and dismantling information — Messe Düsseldorf
If your fair date is set, the countdown has started
The stand calendar starts the day the plot contract is signed. Send the fair name, date and plot size; within two business days we come back with a concept visual and an itemised quote. Asking for a quote commits you to nothing.