Exhibiting at Manchester Central: Pull-Up Banners and Foam Board Graphics Ordered Online
Table of Contents
Manchester Central hosts trade shows all year round. Show listings online include Destinations Manchester (14 to 17 January 2027) and DTX Manchester (28 to 29 April 2027), and there are plenty more in between.
If you're exhibiting, you'll know the feeling. Months of planning, a stand booked, and then a sudden rush to get the print sorted.
This guide is for exhibitors, marketing managers and event leads who want to get their exhibition pull up banners and graphics right, without paying for last-minute panic. We'll cover what to print, which sizes to pick, what to check before you design anything, and when to order from London so it all turns up in time.
What exhibitors print before a show
Think about how a visitor moves through an exhibition hall. It's busy. It's noisy. They walk past dozens of stands in a few minutes. Your stand gets about three seconds to make them slow down.
So your print needs to do three jobs.
- Get seen from the aisle. Tall, bold, simple.
- Explain what you do. Clear and quick to read.
- Give people something to take away. So they remember you next week.
A typical exhibitor print list
- One or two pull-up banners.
- A foam board panel or a poster for key messages.
- Business cards for the team.
- Flyers or handouts.
- A spare of anything that could get damaged on the way.
Pull-up banners for your stand
Pull-up banners are the workhorse of most stands. They're quick to set up, easy to carry, and they stand on their own base.
Two widths to choose from
- A pull-up roller banner (800 x 2000 mm) is the classic size.
- A pull-up roller banner (850 x 2000 mm) gives you a little more width for your design.
Both stand about two metres tall, so they're seen over the heads of people in the aisle.
800 or 850: how to choose
If your design is tight, with a long company name or a wide logo, the extra width of the 850 gives it a little more room. If you're lining up two or three banners as a backdrop, pick one width for all of them so the edges match. Either way, check your stand space in the handbook before you decide.
Designing a banner that works at a show
- Top third is prime space. Put your logo and your main message up there. That's what people see from a distance.
- The bottom gets hidden. Tables, boxes and people's legs block the lower part. Keep key info off it.
- One message per banner. If you have two big messages, use two banners side by side.
- Big text, few words. If someone needs to stop and read, you've lost the walk-by.
- Skip the date. A timeless banner can come with you to the next show, and the one after that.
Where banners go on a stand
- Facing the busiest aisle. That's where most people will come from.
- At the back corners, so they frame your stand without blocking it.
- Not in front of your team. People should be able to see a friendly face, not just a wall of graphics.
- On a corner stand, think about both aisles. One banner facing each way can work well.
Foam board panels and posters
Banners grab attention. But sometimes you need a sign that sits on a table, leans on a display or shows more detail.
Exhibition foam board graphics
- An A0 foam board (841 x 1189 mm) is big enough for a product diagram, a map or a bold statement.
- An A1 foam board (594 x 841 mm) is a neat size for a table-top sign or a "Talk to us about..." board.
- Foam board is rigid, light and stays flat. It's for indoor use, which suits an exhibition hall well.
- Our foam boards are printed only. Stands and easels aren't included, so plan how you'll display them.
A1 posters
- An A1 poster is a lighter, flatter option for wall panels or a quick update to your stand.
Things people take home
- Business cards for everyone working the stand. Plenty of them.
- A4 flyers that explain your offer, with a QR code or web address for follow-up.
A tip from the stand
Don't put out your whole pile of flyers at once. Keep most under the table and top up during the day. A tidy stand looks busier than a messy one.
Pack a stand kit
Keep a small box with the things that always seem to go missing on build-up day.
- Scissors and tape.
- A cloth for wiping boards and tables.
- Spare business cards and flyers.
- A pen and a notepad for taking visitor details.
- Phone chargers. Trust us on this one.
Check the organiser handbook first
This is the most important section in this guide. Please don't skip it.
Every show has an exhibitor handbook or manual. It's usually sent when you book. It sets the rules for your stand, and some of those rules affect your print.
Some venues also use preferred suppliers for certain services, and Manchester Central has run a preferred-supplier model for event signage in the past. That may affect what you can bring in, or how it gets there.
What to look for in the handbook
- Stand size and height limits. Check before you choose banner sizes.
- Branding rules. What you can put up, and where.
- Fixing rules. What can and can't be attached to stand walls.
- Delivery rules. Whether parcels can be sent to the venue, when, and how they must be labelled.
- Build-up times. When you can get in to set up.
- Supplier rules. Whether some items must come from an approved supplier.
If in doubt, ask
The organiser would much rather answer a question now than deal with a problem on build-up day. Email them early.
Order timeline from London
Here's how timing works when you order exhibition print online and have it sent to Manchester.
- Standard UK shipping is 2 to 3 working days of production, then about 2 days for delivery.
- Working days are Monday to Friday.
- Same-day delivery is only for London and inside the M25, so it won't help for a Manchester show.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks before | Read the handbook. Note every deadline and rule. |
| 4 weeks before | Finish designs for banners, boards and flyers. Get sign-off. |
| 3 weeks before | Order everything. This is our ideal point. |
| 2 weeks before | Latest sensible order date, leaving room for any reprints. |
| The week before | Check every item. Set a banner up in the office to make sure it's right. |
| Build-up day | Bring spares, tape and a cloth for wiping boards. |
January shows need December planning
For a show like Destinations Manchester in mid-January, the Christmas and New Year break eats up working days. In practice, your print may need to be ordered before Christmas.
Bring it yourself, or send it?
If the handbook allows deliveries to the venue, follow its labelling rules to the letter. If not, have everything sent to your office and bring it with you. Banners in their bags travel well in a car boot.
Treat these dates as a guide, not a promise. With trade shows, a spare week is worth its weight in gold.
After the show
- Roll banners back carefully and keep them in their bags.
- Store foam boards flat, somewhere they won't get knocked.
- Make a note of what worked and what didn't. Which banner pulled people in? Which flyer ran out first? Use it to plan the next show.
- Follow up leads within a week, while people still remember your stand.
Walk onto the floor ready
The right exhibitor print checklist, followed early, means build-up day is about setting up, not sorting out problems. Strong banners, clear boards and plenty of cards in your pocket. That's a stand people stop at.
Choose your banners and boards, upload your designs and we'll print and send them to you. Want help picking sizes? Call us on 020 7701 2515. You can also read more about our banner printing in Manchester City Centre.
