Shipping Terms
Advance Shipping – shipping your trade show display to the show contractor’s warehouse in advance rather than to show site
Air Freight – exhibit materials transported by airplane
Air Waybill – a bill of lading that specifies the terms for a shipping company to transport goods to a specific destination by air; this is the shipper’s document
Bill of Lading (B/L) – a document of title establishing the terms of contract between a shipper and a transportation company
Blanket Wrap / Pad Wrap – un-crated exhibit properties or materials that are wrapped with blankets or other protective padding for shipment via van line
Carrier – a company that transports exhibit freight to and from a trade show such as a van line, common carrier, rail line, or air carrier
Common Carrier – a common carrier hauling exhibit freight usually accepts only crated exhibit materials and consolidates properties of several exhibitors bound for the same destination into one shipment
Consignee – a person or company to whom goods are shipped
Dock / Loading Dock – a platform or area within a trade show facility where exhibit freight is loaded onto (shipped) and removed (received) from carrier vehicles
Forced Freight – when a bill of lading or material handling agreement listing exhibit properties to be picked up by a carrier designated by the exhibitor is not turned into the trade show contractor service desk or if the designated carrier does not check in with the service desk by a specified time or doesn’t show up to pickup the exhibit freight, the show contractor will either take the freight to their warehouse or ship it back to the exhibitor via its own preferred carrier at a non-discounted price
Freight – exhibit properties and other materials shipped to or from a trade show for an exhibit
Freight Desk – an area in the exhibit facility (usually near the freight doors or loading dock) where inbound and outbound trade show exhibit materials are handled
Marshaling Yard – an area where trucks delivering exhibit materials wait for orderly dispatch to show site
Packing List – a document prepared by a shipper listing items being shipped along with other information needed by the exhibit transportation company
Padded Van Shipment – a shipment via a van line of trade show exhibit properties that are wrapped in blankets or other protective padding rather than crated or cased
Pro-number – a number assigned by a carrier to identity a specific shipment
Shipping Case – a reusable container used for packing and transporting trade show displays and other exhibit materials
Shipping Crate – a wooden container for packing and transporting exhibit materials; can be constructed for single use or customized for extended reuse
Shrink Wrap – a method of wrapping and sealing materials in plastic for protection during transportation or storage
Skid / Pallet – a portable wood platform used to transport by forklift heavy objects or groups of materials for easier handling
