Exhibition trailer insurance is a pretty specialist market and there are only a few selected insurers able to handle your specific needs.

It’s crucial to get full cover for your trailer rather than just 3rd party as you are likely to have a large amount of expensive display equipment, marketing materials and furnishings when on site.

One of the most vulnerable times for your trailer is while it’s parked at a showground overnight – obviously, an alarm system and serious security locks are required equipment but having your trailer properly insured will help you to sleep that much more soundly!

Looking for online trailer insurance is a good place to start but beware that many of the brokers and websites found on the internet are simply storefronts for the same one or two firms.

It’s well worthwhile enquiring with standard general insurance brokers to see if they can find you a deal through their underwriters.

Another great source of insurance information is the exhibition trailer manufacturers themselves -  they will have many years of experience with trailers and will be able to suggest the correct value of your trailer for insurance purposes.

Also known as show trailers and promotion trailers, exhibition trailers range from simple A boards on wheels, towable by a small car right up to fully articulated trailers pulled by HGV trucks.

Small Show Trailers

For smaller events and/or marketing campaigns and budgets, a small advertising trailer to pull behind your car can be just the job. Not only does your branding and message get put on full view but you can also keep any marketing materials, such as brochures, magazines or indeed audio visual kit,  within the trailer.

Medium-sized Promotion Trailers

If you require a more substantial display, for example, if you would like to sell physical goods from your trailer, then something the size of a burger stand should do the trick.

This can be pulled by a large 4X4 and is likely to have fold out panels to create an awning, sides and a drop skirt to hide the wheels.

An exhibition trailer like this can be super effective as not only does it build brand but also gives you the opportunity to make sales too.

By expanding on this idea, a complete mobile showroom can built into your trailer, with steps up into it, allowing customers or exhibition visitors to peruse wall mounted displays and discuss requirements with you or your sales force.

Most medium sized show trailers will have stabiliser bars or corner steadies to keep the trailer level when parked. The jockey wheel at the front of the trailer also assists with stability when it is in its lowered position.

The legal limit for exhibition trailers towed by cars or 4X4 vehicles is currently 7 metres in length and most trailers will range in length between 3 and 7 metres.

Large Exhibition Trailers

Where you need a trailer larger than the 7 metre limit but only have a standard driving licence, issued before January 1997, the next option is the lightweight articulated format which is a purpose built, motorised trailer with an engine unit and cab at the front and the exhibition unit pulled and articulated behind.

The great benefit of this system is that the truck and trailer can be branded together using integrated graphics and because the trailer is not unhitched from the tractor unit, the whole vehicle is very stable.

The “big daddy” is the full HGV option with a 13.6 metre maximum trailer length and any number of options including extension pods, gullwings and multiple decks to achieve a maximum floor space. Think Formula 1 hospitality trucks and you’re on the right lines!

Trailer Rental

For all but the largest company, it is not usually economically viable to buy the larger exhibition trailers and so there is a growing market for trailer rental worldwide.

Even when taking into account the costs of hiring a licensed driver and support staff, fuel, etc., exhibition trailer rental can be extremely cost effective where you need to make a big marketing statement. Often the business generated via the trailer more than pays for the trailer rental itself.

Trailer Insurance

Whether you rent or buy a show trailer, insuring it against damage, theft or public injury is crucial.

Specialist vehicle insurance companies will look at your case on an individual basis before giving you a quotation.

Exhibition trailers should be part of any company’s marketing arsenal where face to face contact with customers is a major part of the business.

Tacographs

Regulations surrounding tachographs were revised in 2007 and although this only affects HGV based exhibition trailers, it’s important to at least have some idea of what is covered.

See the DOT website here.

Health and Safety

Health and safety issues always get a bad press but to be honest, they basically boil down to good old fashioned common sense.

If you’re going to have members of the general public walking in or around your show trailer, you need to be certain they aren’t likely to trip or otherwise harm themselves on your trailer.

Fire regulations also apply so it is essential to have a fire safety check and ensure that all electrical work carried out on the trailer has been performed by a qualified and certified electrician.

Your duty of care extends to you and your staff or crew too and without proper adherence to health and safety regulations your insurance is likely to be rendered invalid.

Under the umbrella of health and safety, food hygiene standards must be enforced if you serve food or drinks to customers or staff from your show trailer – the last thing you need is a slew of lawsuits for food poisoning!

Disabilities Discrimination Act

The Act covers everything from making your materials accessible by people with sight and hearing impairment as well as providing access for wheelchairs using ramps and rails.

By taking into account all the measures listed here, you can ensure that your exhibition trailer provides everyone with a safe, secure and enjoyable experience.

The whole point of exhibition trailers and having a presence at an exhibition is to attract and win new customers and business while increasing awareness of your brand and marketing messages.

Here are 3 great tips for making sure you get the most out every exhibition opportunity:

1. Don’t Hide Inside Your Exhibition Trailer

It’s amazing how many companies go to all the trouble and expense of setting up an exhibition stand and then have their sales staff lurk in the back, expecting customers and attendees to simply come to them.
Get out into the exhibition traffic and invite people in.
Make sure there’s an attraction in your trailer like a magician, a juggler, free sweets an awesome audio visual display – anything to draw the eye and pique a customer’s curiosity.

2. Talk To People

Do whatever you can to strike up conversations with traffic passing your exhibition trailer – it may feel hard but exhibition attendees expect it so simply say “Hello” and invite them to see what it is you do.
Standing mute and handing out a goody bag just won’t cut it I’m afraid.

3. Capture Potential Customers’ Details

Try to get as much information about potential customers as you can including names, addresses, phone numbers, email and website and make sure that they leave your exhibition trailer with a specific, named business card so that they can contact you in the future too.

By following these simple tips, your exhibition trailer will start earning its keep.

Depending on your budget, you can hire a “plain vanilla” exhibition trailer which will usually be white, with no internal fixtures and fittings and which you pick up from a depot, or you can go the whole hog and get a fully sign written, fully furnished, multideck trailer with driver, support team and hospitality staff.

For smaller self-drive exhibition trailers, some rental companies will offer extra services such as power generators, audio visual displays and custom branding and sign writing.

A 5 metre  self-drive exhibition trailer is likely to cost from £150 for a day through to approx. £1000 for a week.

For large HGV trailers with expandable pods and gullwings, rentals start at around £600 per day.

If your industry has a limited number of exhibition opportunities per year, exhibition trailer hire makes very good sense.

UK-based Exhibition Trailer Hire Companies

David Wilson’s Trailers Limited, Jubilee Park, Honeypot Lane, Colsterworth, Lincolnshire NG33 5LZ Tel:01476 860833

Freeway Trailers Limited, 23 Dillington, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 5DH Tel: 01480 861990

Marco Trailers Ltd, Railway Road, Newhaven, East Sussex BN9 0AP Tel: 01273 513718

TCM Trailers, 14 Stafford Road, Lichfield WS13 7BZ Tel: 01543 255452

This video provides a tour of a full scale mobile showroom built into one of their exhibition trailers and shows just what can be achieved.

Notice how, from the inside, the showroom looks like a permanent, fully furnished building.

Why make customers come to you when you can take your business to them – the value of an exhibition trailer like this is immense.

Freeway Trailers Limited, 23 Dillington, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 5DH Tel: 01480 861990

Towmaster UK, Unit 5, Amber Court,Off Walthew House Ln, Martland Park, Wigan, WN5 0JY      Tel: 01942 226633

Lynton Trailers (UK) Ltd, Rossington Industrial Park, Graphite Way, Hadfield, Glossop, SK13 1QH Tel: 0161 223 8211

Kompak, Blackburn Trailers Ltd, Whitestone Farm, Main Road, Birdham, Nr. Chichester, West Sussex PO20 7HU Tel: 01243 513550

Torton Bodies Limited, Pilot Works, Holyhead Rd, Oakengates, Telford, TF2 6BB Tel:01952 612648

David Wilson’s Trailers Limited, Jubilee Park, Honeypot Lane, Colsterworth, Lincolnshire NG33 5LZ Tel:01476 860833

Mobex Ltd, Unit 6, Rigestate Industrial Estate, Station Road, Berkeley, Gloucestershire, GL13 9RL Tel: 01453 511 210

Masters Exhibitions & Shows, Units 3-4 North Downs Business Park, Pilgrims Way, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 2TL Tel: 01732 740370

Marco Trailers Ltd, Railway Road, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0AP Tel: 01273 513718

EF-BE Services, Three Firths, Culford, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6DN Tel: 07860 378838

Cosby Suppliers Limited, 42 Cambridge Rd, Cosby, Leicester, LE9 1SH, England
Tel: 0116 286 2564

Blendworth Trailer Centre, Whichers Gate Garage, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, PO9 6BB Tel: 02392 412 731

Showcase Exhibitions Limited, Pelennor, Church Lane, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire LE17 6LS
Tel:01858 880151

Bankfarm Trailers Limited, Unit 12, Leeway Industrial Estate, NEWPORT, NP19 4SL Tel:01633 290291

Elm Uk, 6/8 Brunel Road, Earlstrees Industrial Estate, Corby, Northants, NN17 4JW     Tel: 01536 265823

Armitage Trailers, Unit 11, Ferrybridge Business Park, Fishergate, Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, WF11 8NA Tel: 01977 607155