As our events calendar is refilling with the likes of SATIS in Paris, IBC in Amsterdam and ISE in Barcelona, we are finding that the European logistics landscape is different to what we knew prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and finalisation of Brexit.
Within this blog, we are going to consider what changes you can expect and how you can ensure you are ready to ship to these countries.
Pre show warehousing
Following Brexit, with all the customs changes and new regulation with potential delays, more and more shows and venues are operating a pre show receiving warehouse. This is similar to the US drayage systems we are all very used to working with when attending shows like NAB and CES.
Advantages of working in this way
Delivering the freight to a pre show warehouse does have its benefits, these include:
It gives the exhibitor peace of mind that their shipment is there
It gives the local agent time to arrange customs clearance
It allows time to check the freight for any damage that may have happened during transit
Disadvantages of working in this way
As with most things in life, there is a downside! By using a pre show warehousing process, you can expect collection deadlines for shows to be up to 14 days earlier than you would be used to. This means you will need to amend your shipping timeline to accommodate. In addition to this, costs are higher as the warehouses are often off site and freight then needs to be transferred to the show.
What can you do?
We would recommend taking the following steps:
Reviewing your shipping timelines at least three months prior to the show dates to ensure you have the timescales correct and a warehouse booked
If cost is a big determining factor for you, the earlier you contact warehouses, the better deal you will receive
You may find that outsourcing your full shipping process is more cost effective as often logistics companies will have their own storage facilities or are able to negotiate a better deal if they have several shipments going to the show
Who can help?
Talk to your freight forwarder and check what options are available for your show. If you would like a free quote from us, all you need to do is get in touch.