Testimonial:
Established.inc
Established.inc manages around 20 consumer electronics brands, including Thomson, Blaupunkt, RCA and Schneider. Its partners produce and distribute products worldwide under those brand names. At IFA Berlin, that entire ecosystem comes together, with expo-mate responsible for bringing it all to life on the show floor. For Marketing Director Thierry Métayer, the challenge is not just to build a stand. It is to create a shared presence where multiple brands, product categories and partners all have the space and visibility they need.
From 160 to 600 square meters: Established grows its IFA presence with expo-mate
IFA Berlin is one of the oldest and largest trade shows in the world for consumer electronics and home appliances, drawing global brands and visitors every year. “We’ve been present at IFA since 1924 with Blaupunkt”, Thierry says. “A trade show is a way to present all the products from all our partners in one place. It’s also how we find new partners interested in using our brand name.” For Established’s most important show, that responsibility belongs to expo-mate.
Finding a stand partner who could grow with Established
Four years ago, Established ran a request for proposal. Several stand builders submitted designs, but the decision to choose expo-mate as partner came down to two things. “They were better on the two items we were looking for”, Thierry says. “The design was great, and the pricing was in line with our budget.” What started with a single booth for Thomson has grown into something much bigger. “The first year, we worked with them for Thomson. The second year, it was Blaupunkt and Thomson. Last year, we had three booths”, Thierry says. Each year, the collaboration deepened, and so did the scope of what expo-mate delivered. For Established, expo-mate became the partner that helps turn a complex, multi-brand trade show presence into a booth experience that works for every stakeholder.
“If you are looking for great booths and flexibility, that’s where they are the best.”
Thierry Métayer
Marketing Director at Established.inc
Coordinating many partners on one stage
Established works with different partners for each product category: TV, audio, portable devices and appliances. All of them share the same booth, which makes the project considerably more complex than a standard stand. Every partner needs their own space, their own visibility and their own say in how the booth comes together. “Sometimes one partner calls me at the last minute and says: I need an additional display for my new TV range. Could you find some more space for us?”, Thierry says. “expo-mate is always flexible about that. Never complaining.”
In an industry where last-minute changes are simply unavoidable, that kind of flexibility makes all the difference. It also runs through the entire process, from design decisions to construction on site. “They are doing almost all the project management”, Thierry says. “If you want to decrease the budget a bit, they tell us what can be removed. They give advice on the flow of people, on the logos, on every detail.” For Thierry, that combination of strong booth design and flexibility is where expo-mate proves its value. “If you are looking for great booths and flexibility, that’s where they are the best.”
“It was a great step up from what we did before, and expo-mate made that possible.”
Thierry Métayer
Marketing Director at Established.inc
From one booth to a larger IFA presence
Established’s presence at IFA Berlin has expanded significantly since working with expo-mate. What started as a 160 square meter booth for Thomson has grown into a much larger IFA presence. Last year, Established worked with expo-mate on a 300 square meter booth for Blaupunkt, Schneider and RCA, and a 230 square meter booth for Thomson. At its largest, the company brought four brands together across two booths, totalling 600 square meters. “It was a great step up from what we did before, and expo-mate made that possible”, Thierry says. “Everyone was super happy with the booths. We were congratulated by all our partners, as well as by our own management. That doesn’t happen very often.”
Why Established wants to bring expo-mate beyond Europe
Established also exhibits at CES Las Vegas, one of the world’s largest technology trade shows, working with a different, US-based stand builder there. For Thierry, the comparison between the two ways of working is telling. “We work more closely with expo-mate than with our US agency, especially on the design. The approach to the structure and build feels stronger to us, and the US market is very expensive. At some point, I think it makes sense to bring expo-mate into that market as well. We are already considering them for CES Las Vegas.”
“What we’re working on now with expo-mate could be our best booth ever.”
Thierry Métayer
Marketing Director at Established.inc
Building confidence for their most ambitious booth yet
That trust matters even more this year, as Established prepares its most ambitious booth yet: a stand featuring a Mercedes GT3 that raced the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To keep the project moving quickly and find solutions in real time, the team met with expo-mate in person. “We spent a full day working side by side to finalize every detail”, says Thierry. “That worked really well. What we’re working on now with expo-mate could be our best booth ever.”
That confidence has become a defining part of the partnership. “The team is always confident, whether it’s about hitting deadlines, solving last-minute issues or getting every detail right on site. That gives us confidence too”, Thierry says. Looking ahead to future European events, the choice is clear. “expo-mate will always be the first company that pops into my mind.”
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