Custom stand design and build since 2001
Custom exhibition stands, designed and built in-house, for shows across the UK
T2 Display design and build bespoke stands from 20 to 100 square metres at the NEC Birmingham, ExCeL London, Olympia and Harrogate. Our carpenters, electricians and fabricators are permanent staff, based in Tamworth, about 20 minutes from the NEC.
Who we are and what we build
T2 Display have been designing and building bespoke exhibition stands since 2001. We are based in Tamworth, Staffordshire, roughly 20 minutes from the NEC Birmingham, and we work at venues across the UK and internationally.
We build custom stands only, for spaces from 20 square metres up to 100 square metres. Every stand is drawn and made from scratch for one brand and one space.
What that means in practice:
- A permanent in-house team of carpenters, electricians and fabricators, not a list of subcontractors
- ESSA members, so we work to the industry's recognised standards for health, safety and competence
- More than 75% of our work comes from existing clients, which tells you more about us than any advert
- Clients include Soudal, Pinarello, Dentally, Journeo, Software of Excellence and Horiba Mira
We have designed and built Lely's key UK event stand at the NEC for six consecutive years, and we built the BSA Guns stand in Hall 6 at The Great British Shooting Show, also at the NEC.
The full service, start to finish
One team, one point of contact, from the first sketch to the empty floor after the show.
- Design tailored to your space, your objectives and the traffic flow around your plot
- 3D visuals so you can see the stand before a single sheet is cut
- Build in our own workshop by our own joiners and fabricators
- Graphics and print, from large format panels to detailed brand finishes
- Electrics and lighting, wired and tested by our in-house electricians
- Transport to the venue
- Installation on site
- Breakdown after the show
- Storage of reusable elements between shows, quoted separately
Design and 3D visuals are free of charge for qualifying enquiries. You see the idea properly before you commit to anything.
AIRSYS
“Your experience and implementation of our requirements and marketing value is top notch.”
Colin Jones, AIRSYS
What a UK custom stand actually costs
We would rather be straight with you than hide behind "prices on application". These are the ranges we work in.
- Fabrication and build is typically around half of any contract value. From £4,000 at the small end, £8,000 to £20,000 mid-range, up to £50,000 to £60,000 on large contracts.
- Graphics and print: typically £3,000 to £8,000 mid-range. A graphics-led build can run £12,000 to £18,000.
- Electrics and lighting: typically £1,200 to £5,000, up to £6,000 on larger builds.
- Transport and logistics: typically £600 to £2,000.
- Installation: typically £2,000 to £5,000, depending on contract size.
- Breakdown: typically £1,500 to £4,000. De-rigging takes nearly as much labour as build-up, so it is a real line, not an afterthought.
A typical mid-range custom build totals £16,000 to £44,000. Where you land inside that depends on the size of the space, the height and complexity of the structure, and how much of the budget goes into graphics.
Modular, hybrid and custom build: know the difference
Three categories get used interchangeably in the UK market. They are not the same thing.
Modular is off-the-shelf system kit: pole and panel, pop-ups, aluminium frames with infill panels. It is pre-manufactured to standard sizes at a standard height of about 2.5 metres. It suits exhibitors doing five or more shows a year on a modest budget, and it can be self-built.
Hybrid is a mixture of modular and custom build, usually system light boxes combined with purpose-built elements. It is much less common now than it once was.
Custom build is designed and made from scratch for one brand and one space, with no system limits on height, shape or finish.
T2 build custom stands. We do not sell modular or hybrid stands as a product line. We explored modular systems many times over the years and invested in the kit, but clients consistently wanted more personalisation, greater height and shape, and a more dynamic presence on the floor. Where a system component such as a light box is genuinely the right answer inside a custom build, we use it.
Timings: when to appoint your stand builder
Exhibition deadlines are set by the venue and the organiser, not by us. Plan backwards from the show date.
- Design approval and the CDM declaration can take up to six weeks.
- So appoint your stand builder at least two months before the show, ideally earlier.
- Finished artwork is needed four weeks before the show.
Book early and you get a considered design, a proper build programme and a calm run-up. Leave it late and the design has to bend around the paperwork. If your show is close, talk to us anyway and we will tell you honestly what is achievable.
Venues we work at
The NEC Birmingham is our home venue, about 20 minutes from the workshop. Being local means shorter transport runs, easier site visits and a team that already knows the halls, the loading routes and the organisers.
We regularly build at:
- NEC Birmingham
- The ICC, Birmingham
- Resorts World Arena, Birmingham
- Coventry Building Society Arena
- ExCeL London
- Olympia London
- Harrogate
- Plus international shows
Wherever the show is, the stand is designed, made and finished in Tamworth first, then transported and installed by the same people who built it.
Who this suits
This is the right service for you if:
- You have a space of 20 square metres or more, up to 100 square metres
- You want a stand designed around your brand rather than a system adapted to fit it
- You want height, shape and finishes that a standard 2.5 metre system cannot give you
- You would rather deal with one team who design, build, wire, transport, install and de-rig, instead of coordinating several suppliers
- You are exhibiting at the NEC, or anywhere else in the UK, and want a builder who will still be there on the last night to take it down
If you are doing five or more small shows a year on a modest budget, modular kit is probably the better answer for you, and we will say so.
Your questions, answered.
How much does a custom exhibition stand cost in the UK?
How far in advance should I appoint a stand builder?
Do you charge for design and 3D visuals?
What size stands do you build?
Do you sell modular or hybrid stands?
Do you only work at the NEC?
Is the work done in-house or subcontracted?
Tell us about your show and your space
Send us the venue, the show date and the size of your plot. We will come back with ideas, free 3D visuals for qualifying enquiries and a clear quote with every line itemised.
Let's work together
Tell us about your show and your stand space. One project lead will work with you from the first sketch to the final dismantle, and we are always happy to sign an NDA.
In-house design & build since 2001 · ESSA member · 75% of clients come back