FreeMan FAQ

First, you must choose your carrier. Freeman can provide a shipping quote by selecting your show and clicking the Shipping tile on the show landing page or you may choose to ship with your own selected carrier.

You can ship your freight either to our warehouse or to the show site. Shipping addresses are available on the Show Contacts page and shipping dates are on the Show Schedule page.

If you are shipping with an outside carrier, there is no need to inform Freeman your freight is headed to us. Ensure your freight is properly labeled and Freeman will provide material handling to bring your freight to your exhibit space.

You can ship your freight in advance to our warehouse (recommended), or to show site during the show move-in dates for most events. The shipping dates for each location differ.

The warehouse will accept crates, cartons, skids, trunks/cases and carpets. Loose or pad-wrapped material must be sent directly to show site. Please Contact Us if you want to ship oversized material that requires special equipment to the warehouse.

Refrigerated and frozen items must be sent to show site.

Shipping addresses are available on the Show Contacts page.

Prepaid shipping charges designate that the transportation charges will be paid by the exhibitor or third party.

Collect shipping charges require the company receiving the freight to pay shipping charges. Freeman will not accept items marked as collect.

Collect shipments will be returned to the delivery carrier. To ensure that your freight does not arrive collect, mark your bill of lading “Prepaid.”

You can ship your materials up to 30 days before the event, and Freeman will store the materials until it is time to deliver to the show site.

If you use the advance warehouse, you are given peace of mind with a notification letting you know your materials arrived.

Your items will be delivered to your exhibit space before your scheduled move-in starts, giving you more time to set up your exhibit.

The warehouse will accept crates, cartons, skids, trunks/cases and carpets. Loose or pad-wrapped material must be sent directly to show site. Refrigerated and frozen items must be sent to show site.

Each event has a show schedule that will have specific dates for shipping. Navigate to your show and then click on the View Show Schedule link in the show timeline to see shipping dates

We can receive your freight at the warehouse before the show and will deliver to your booth for you so that it’s ready to be unpacked when move in begins.

You can ship to the warehouse after the deadline date and before show site receiving begins, and a late fee may be charged.

Show site receiving is best for last minute needs, items that require refrigeration, or uncrated, large, or special handling freight. We can receive at show site during move in hours for the show. Check the Show Schedule page for move in hours.

Materials should be packaged to protect items both internally and externally by using containers, crates, cases and/or cartons that are skidded secured onto pallets with banding, shrink-wrap, or breakaway adhesive. Labels should be placed on every freight piece. Shipments are often handled and forwarded multiple times throughout the shipping and transportation cycle. Packaging materials in this way will ensure the safety of the items and make the delivery of your materials to your booth more expedient. Improper packaging may decrease or nullify the carrier’s liability for damage claims or loss.

Proper Labeling identifies your shipment and ensures safe and timely movement. Labels should be placed on both the long and short sides of each carton or box.

Shipping Labels should be placed on every piece of your shipment. The shipper and consignee information must match the bill of lading information correctly, and your labels must be legible and complete.

Event-specific shipping labels are available to print for each event for easy labeling.

You will want to bring:

• Order confirmations for all products & services ordered
• Copies of what you have shipped, how it was shipped, and tracking numbers.
• Outbound shipping information including your carrier, and address to be shipped to.
• Permanent markers for writing on empty container labels.

When you arrive at the show site, you will want to visit your exhibit space and check that everything is there. If you shipped any items to our warehouse, you will want to compare each item to your shipping records. If you ordered electrical services or carpeting, you’ll want to verify these items have been installed.

Freeman furnishings will arrive according to the show schedule. The show delivery schedule is posted at the Exhibitor Service Center, as well as other locations throughout the hall. If anything is missing from your booth, please call or visit the Exhibitor Service Center.

If you ordered exhibitor supervised labor, please check in at the labor desk to retrieve your labor when you’re ready.

Note: Labor is only guaranteed at the start of the day.

There is no need to check in with the Exhibitor Service Center upon your arrival. However, please feel free to stop by, or give us a call, if there is something with which we can assist you with.

If you ordered Exhibitor Supervised Labor for your booth, you will need to check in at the Labor Desk to retrieve your labor.

We primarily receive questions about orders, shipments, services, labor, invoice balance, empty stickers, material handling, and loading.

If we don’t know the answer, we’ll work to figure it out.

Those items that you shipped to the warehouse by the warehouse deadline date should be in your booth by the time you arrive on your first day of move-in.

If all your items that were shipped to the warehouse are not in your booth by the first day of your move-in, bring your tracking and shipping information to the Exhibitor Service Center. To save time and steps, you can also call the Service Center at the number listed on the Show Contacts page.

First, we will determine if the shipment has been received. If the shipment has not been received, Freeman representatives will help you track it. Or, if you prefer, you can track the shipment yourself.

If you ordered carpet through Freeman, it should be in your booth on the first day of move-in. If you’ve ordered carpet and plan to include electrical make a note in both orders that electrical must be installed before carpet. This will ensure that the electrical is installed prior to carpet installation regardless of provider.

Freeman furnishings will arrive according to the show schedule. The show delivery schedule is posted at the Exhibitor Service Center, as well as other locations throughout the hall.

This depends on the union / labor jurisdictions for your show. Find this on FreemanOnline by selecting your show, then scrolling down the landing page to find Forms & Brochures, and locate the Labor Jurisdictions link.

There may be a lapse of time between the delivery of your shipment(s) to your booth and your arrival. The same is true for the outbound phase of the show – the time between your departure and the actual pick-up of your materials. During these times, your materials will be left unattended. We recommend that you arrange for a representative to stay with your materials or that you hire security services to safeguard your materials.

Pick up your empty stickers from the Exhibitor Service Center or from Freeman employees on the show floor. Place a sticker on each empty container with your company name and booth number.

Labeled containers will be picked up periodically and stored in non-accessible storage during the show.

At the close of the show, the empty containers will be returned to the booth in random order. Depending on the size of the show, this process may take several hours.

Your empty containers will be returned at the close of the show, after the aisle carpet has been picked up.

Keep in mind it can take as many as eight hours to return all empty containers, depending on the size of the show. Please make sure that you arrange your travel accordingly.

Check in at the labor desk in order to pick up your labor. You may contact the Exhibitor Service Center to make sure your labor order has been placed.

If you completed your outbound shipping information in advance, your Material Handling Agreement will be delivered to your booth during the event.

If not completed in advance, then yes, you need to stop by the Exhibitor Service Center to pick up and complete your outbound shipment paperwork.

Once your shipment is packed labeled, and ready to go, you will fill in the piece count and return the form to the Exhibitor Service Center. This paperwork notifies your outbound carrier that your shipment is ready to be picked up.

Contact your preferred carrier (Freeman Transportation or other carrier of your choosing) in advance and arrange for them to pick up your shipment. For your convenience, show-recommended carriers will be on site to handle outbound transportation.

Each shipment must have a completed Material Handling Agreement in order to ship materials from the show. All pieces must be labeled individually. Complete and submit the Outbound Paperwork in advance. Regardless of which carrier you use, if you submit this form to Freeman in advance, we will print your shipping labels and bring them to your booth before the show closes. You may also contact the Freeman Exhibitor Service Center at show site for your shipping documents.

After materials are packed, labeled and ready to be shipped, the completed Material Handling Agreement must be turned in at the Freeman Exhibitor Service Center.

In the event your selected carrier fails to show on final move-out day, your shipment will be rerouted to the Freeman carrier of choice.

Refer to the Quick Facts for the dismantle and move out information for your show. For most shows, the pickup should be scheduled during move out hours from the show site facility. The Quick Facts also lists the show site address, move out hours, and carrier check in time.

The Quick Facts form can be found on FreemanOnline by selecting your show, then scroll down and look on the left side of the screen for the Quick Facts link.

If you have something valuable in your shipment, it is advised that you wait for your carrier to arrive or hire a security guard to supervise the movement of your items. You should also insure your valuables from the time they are shipped from your facility until they are returned after the event. Also, do not label boxes with the contents if they are expensive or high-tech materials (e.g., plasma screen, computer equipment).

However, if your Material Handling Agreement has been signed and returned to the Exhibitor Service Center and your materials are packed and labeled properly, you are welcome to leave the exhibit floor and Freeman will release your materials to your outbound carrier.

Select your show and click the View Show Schedule page for the date and time the show needs to be cleared. Also refer to this Show Information for the time that your shipments need to be cleared by your outbound carrier.