Why sustainability is the future of exhibition production
Exploring environmentally friendly alternatives to ‘Build and Burn’
“Eco-friendly products may cost more but are reusable, providing a long-term return on investment for your business and the environment.”
As a major service provider in the exhibition industry, ADI Displays is committed to providing sustainable display systems and graphic production solutions to ensure the longevity of the industry. This is achieved through the design of long life products for reuse that decrease the industry’s contributions to landfill and pollution.
With sustainability being the current ‘buzz’ word, how exactly is it defined? And, importantly, how do we proactively ensure our products are eco-friendly?
The Brundtland Commission of the United Nations, 1987 defined sustainability as the:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”[1]
You may have heard the term ‘Build and Burn’. This means an exhibition stand is built to use once and then sent to landfill. Most of these stands are built with wood material for the structure and PVC material for the graphic. It is expensive, a waste of natural resources, not to mention the high labour cost and high transportation cost. Thankfully in today’s world the ‘Build and Burn’ approach is being phased out and the new focus is on ‘the Four Rs.’
The ‘Four Rs’ stand for ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Renew.’ This is the current international trend for exhibition and event industries, and one ADI Displays is proud to be part of. With 2.8 million exhibiting companies worldwide and 30,700 exhibitions per year welcoming 260 million visitors, it is more important than ever for the exhibition industry to commit to using the Four Rs as their shared business vision.
How are ADI Displays leading sustainability in the event industry?
We bring 18 years of expertise, problem solving and innovation to create sustainable alternatives for exhibitions. When developing display solutions we invest heavily in technology that is the most sustainable for graphic production with our eye on the future needs of tomorrow.
We reduce the use of solvent ink printed graphic and PVC, a non eco-friendly vinyl; for rigid graphic panel, we tend to use PET, an eco-friendly resin, rather than PVC. We also invest in dye sublimation printing equipment which uses water-based ink on polyester fabric. To offset the large amount of electricity consumed during the heating and transfer processes of dye sublimation printing , we installed 64 solar panels on the roof of our warehouse, generating 15kwh of electricity ‑ making our graphic production as green as possible.
You can have complete confidence in your supply chain with us; ADI Displays is an Australian company who seek out unique and high-quality products sourced from award-winning manufacturers from around the world.
Our main choice of material for displays is aluminium due to its durable strength and the ability to reuse it over and over again. For example, the frame for our innovative TexFrame™ product can be cut down to create smaller products after its initial use, with offcuts collected by a metal recycler, so there’s minimum wastage and maximum return on your investment, making it all round winner.
One of our most popular portable display products is the BANNERAD™ stand range. These simple banner display solutions can be assembled in minutes, and the display face is PET or polyester fabric - saving the environment ‑ without the use of PVC nothing is sent to landfill. You can reprint new fabric designs so it’s good news for your budget too. These have been used for countless successful exhibitions, trade shows, presentations and branding activations alike.
We are mindful of the need to minimise transportation to avoid excessive CO2 emissions. Our large displays can be flat packed, making them easy to transport. We also rent the hardware, so there’s no storage hassle after the event and the fabric can be reused.
Cost vs. environmental benefits
Cost and budget constraints present challenges for businesses, and we strive to educate our clients about cost versus the benefits of sustainable products. For example, graphic on PVC maybe cheaper than PET or polyester but it’s not kind to the environment, nor is it a long-term display solution.
Eco-friendly products may cost more but are reusable, providing a long-term return on investment for your business and the environment.
We would love to discuss sustainable, innovative and customised solutions for all your signage, printing, graphics and display needs. Please contact our friendly team on 02 8518 1950 or email William Qian at sales@adidisplays.com.au.
[1] UFI Report on the Status of Sustainability in the Exhibition Industry - December 2013, p5
