Testimonial:
Domino Printing Services
Tara Abbott, Global Events Marketing Manager at Domino Printing Sciences, has been around trade shows long enough to know the difference between a supplier and a partner. As the person responsible for Domino’s exhibition presence, she has heard every pitch, fielded every cold approach, and learned to tune most of them out. Then she met expo-mate.
“expo-mate doesn’t just build a stand, they build an experience”
Tara Abbott
Global Events Marketing Manager at Domino Printing Sciences
Domino Printing Sciences is a global leader in coding, marking and digital printing technology. Headquartered in Bar Hill, Cambridgeshire in the UK, the company operates in over 120 countries and serves industries ranging from food and beverage to pharmaceuticals and industrial manufacturing. It is Tara who makes sure the brand shows up the right way on trade show floors around the world. And it was on one of those floors where everything changed.
It started on a busy show floor in Europe. Someone from the expo-mate team approached Tara among the crowds. Nothing unusual there. Except this conversation was different. “I don’t even remember his name, but the conversation stuck with me. He had a really unique discussion with me. And it was nothing at all with what they do. It was more about our booth and about trends in the market. A really different approach that just sort of resonated with me.”
No hard sell. No feature list. Just a genuine, curious conversation about what actually matters at a trade show. Tara took note. They connected afterwards, she was introduced to the wider expo-mate team, and as she puts it: “The rest was history.”
Tara Abbott
Global Events Marketing Manager at Domino Printing Sciences
Taking the leap
Switching stand builders is never a small decision. You are handing over your brand, your budget, and your reputation on the show floor to a team you have not worked with before. Tara knew that going in. Yet she chose to switch to expo-mate without hesitation. Her first project with expo-mate was Label Expo Europe, one of the biggest trade shows in the industry. “That was my first gamble, working with expo-mate for the first time at Label Expo Europe. But I’m glad I took it, because it definitely paid off. People could see we made the right choice.” The moment the stand went up, the reactions came in from all sides, including from people whose opinions carry weight. “We had everybody commenting. Even our executives were commenting on the quality of the build and how much they loved the look and feel.”
That first project set the tone. When Domino returned for their second international show with expo-mate, the continuity was visible. “The same quality, the same feel, the same standard. People could see we made the right choice.” She has not looked back since. And the numbers back it up. “Our booth rating jumped from an 8 to a 9.5 after working with expo-mate, which is huge. That’s a significant jump and something we’re really proud of.”
“Our booth rating jumped from an 8 to a 9.5 after working with expo-mate, which is huge.”
Tara Abbott
Global Events Marketing Manager at Domino Printing Sciences
International by nature
Domino operates internationally. That means working with different countries, different stakeholders and different languages, often within the same project. “I’ve worked with stand builders in the past where the complexity of working across different countries and languages was a real challenge. With expo-mate, that was never an issue.”
Tara works from Canada, her local partners are spread across Europe, and expo-mate is based in the Netherlands. For Tara, the distance never became a barrier. “The geography makes no difference with them. And they also speak multiple languages, which is helpful. Ron immediately just jumped in and asked a lot of questions and helped ease their minds. expo-mate just stepped in, switched languages, and made sure everyone was on the same page. That’s not something you can take for granted.”
A team that keeps up
Running the exhibition presence of a global company like Domino comes with high standards.. For Tara, the right partner is not just someone who delivers a stand. It is someone who understands how she works. “I’m a very detail-oriented person. And I’ve worked with stand builders in the past where that was a challenge. But working with Ron and the team, from the emails back and forth to the ongoing calls, I just feel like they’re with me. Like they understand my way of working and vice versa. It just works really well.” That kind of alignment makes a difference, especially when the pressure is high and the details matter. “I’m sure I drove Ron insane at times. But he’s a good guy. Very accommodating and probably one of the easiest project managers I’ve worked with.”
“We walk into every show knowing the details are handled and the team is with us every step of the way.”
Tara Abbott
Global Events Marketing Manager at Domino Printing Sciences
More than a stand
Ask Tara what sets expo-mate apart, and she does not hesitate. “It just really felt like they were focused on the experience that a trade show brings, versus just checking a box. I was looking for a partner who really understood all of that and could deliver on everything we were asking. And that’s exactly what they did.” For Tara, that is what changed the relationship from supplier to partner. “At the end of the day, a stand is just a physical structure. What expo-mate brings is the experience behind it. We walk into every show knowing the details are handled and the team is with us every step of the way. That’s what makes the difference.”
Ready to stop checking boxes?
If you’re looking for a partner who brings the same focus, care, and international expertise to your exhibition, let’s talk about your next show.