This week in pre-build, we were joined by the lovely Julian Woods, CEO at Garage Equipment Association (GEA), to view the team’s exhibition stand ahead of Automechanika 2025.
This year, GEA wanted to go all out for their stand, to celebrate their 80th anniversary! In light of this significant milestone, the pre-build phase was crucial, as it allowed Julian to check that every detail was just right ahead of the show.
In this article, we share some of Julian’s thoughts on the stand, the show and his experience working with Quadrant2Design.
About the Garage Equipment Association
The GEA is a trade association that supports the garage industry, ensuring its members can provide equipment and services to the automotive aftermarket.
GEA strives to keep members up-to-date with the latest vehicle technologies and standardisation, helping them thrive in the garage and test equipment, supply, service and calibration industry.
Automechanika 2025
Automechanika is the world’s largest trade fair for the automotive, aftermarket and service industry. It is held in multiple venues worldwide, including Frankfurt, Birmingham, Dubai, and Shanghai!
The GEA will be attending Automechanika Birmingham, which takes place from the 3rd to the 5th of June, bringing together over 550 leading brands from over 25 countries and 15,000 senior UK-based visitors.
The Exhibition Stand Design
When GEA first approached us for their exhibition stand design, they requested a stand with clear branding on an open, tall structure, and a professional, rather than flashy finish.
The stand utilises a 6m x 3m, open 1 layout, with height for visibility and high-quality imagery to set the scene. One notable feature is the “member wall”, which is fully illuminated to draw attention and place emphasis on the brands.
In the video, Julian shared that GEA was making more of an event out of their presence at Automechanika, even hosting a dinner on one of the nights. The dinner and anniversary made it extra important for the stand to impress guests and draw them into the world that is GEA!
Julian was very pleased with the look of this exhibition stand. In the video, he shared:
This year is the 80th anniversary. We also have a dinner planned one of the evenings of the show as well, so we're making a bit more of an event this year. So, I'm very pleased with the results of the stand!
Visiting Pre-Build
We touched on the importance of pre-build earlier, with an emphasis on this being a special occasion. Here at Quadrant2Design, we build every stand in full ahead of every event. Clients are always invited to attend this pre-build and ensure they are 100% happy with the stand. If they cannot attend, we send in-depth video footage and images for the client to review!
This experience is invaluable. With the majority of contractors, you only see renders and 3D visuals in the lead-up to the event – you never see the stand built in full. With Quadrant2Design, clients receive technically accurate renders and a complete pre-build.
Julian mentioned the value of this experience in his interview:
It's really nice. I am really pleased with the quality of what I have seen. I got a good impression from the CAD drawings supplied, but it's always different to walk around and see it! Ahead of the event, I've got a much better plan of how the stand will work!
For many clients, including GEA, pre-build also serves as a dress rehearsal for the final event.
See, pre-build was a twofold thing. One is to have a look at the stand, and two was to help me visualise and spatialise where the furniture is going to go.
The Flexibility of Reconfiguration
Not only does this stand look great, but it is also very flexible! The team already has a second reconfiguration mapped out for a show later this year. Many of our exhibitors go on to use their exhibition stand at other Automechanika events across Europe, where the ability to reconfigure to new spaces comes in very handy!
Julian really appreciated this aspect of the exhibition stand design:
This design of stand is a lot more configurable and changeable to different show environments and different floor plan areas - we're very pleased working with Quadrant!
Looking Forward - Road Transport Expo 2025
We loved having the GEA team in pre-build, and we’re excited to see this stand installed at Automechanika 2025! After this event, GEA will be right back with a new configuration at the Road Transport Expo 2025!
If you have an exhibition project in mind and would like an exhibition stand that guarantees impact, get in touch with our expert design consultants. Email us at design@quadrant2design.com or call us at 01202 723 500.
For more information on Quadrant2Design, please take a look at our credentials.
