Big brands reuse stands at Frankfurt
A number of major lighting companies have reused either most of all of their stands at the Light + Building 2024 exhibition in Frankfurt.
Erco, XAL and RZB were among the luminaire makers who sought to burnish their sustainability credentials with exhibition stands that were constructed from previously used elements and were designed for future use.
XAL said that for its stand it ‘mixed old treasures with new materials’. All its components are already set for future projects.
The kitchen was reused from previous fairs while ,1,000 square metres of drywall panels will be reused at its new office in Graz, Austria. The 52 cardboard seats will be sent to the company’s showrooms across Europe while the modular bar elements will be put in storage from future events.
The 400 square metre carpet flooring will be also be reused in its Graz headquarters.
The major structural elements of Erco’s bold yellow and black stand in Hall Five were reused from the company’s last outing in Frankfurt in 2028. The carpetless floor was painted black and reusable trusses provided additional structures. The moveable seating was made from the flight cases in which the products were delivered.
German lighting giant RZB Lighting said it was acting sustainably and had worked out that 88.8 per cent of its stand had been reused.
French luminaire maker Roger Pradier made a feature of the wooden crates in which its products are shipped.
The moves are designed to address the growing concern over the environmental impact of large exhibitions.
‘Waste generation and diversion is a major challenge in the exhibition industry, due to the nature of the business,’ says Philippe Echivard, chair of the the global exhibition industry’s working group on waste. The association, UFI, has released a report setting out the challenges of tackling waste in the exhibitions industry. ‘While many events organising companies and venues are tackling it seriously, we need to go further collectively, and this report will serve as a basis for future action from the UFI Sustainable Development Working Group.’
• Diary date: Circular Lighting Live 2024, Recolight’s flagship conference and exhibition, takes place on Wednesday 9 October 2024 at the Royal College of Physicians in London. Free to specifiers, Circular Lighting Live 2024 will feature leading experts, specifiers and policy makers who will share their insights into forthcoming standards and legislation, emerging technologies and new business models. More info: www.circularlighting.live
