Exhibitions
Enabling Exhibitions during the COVID-19 Recovery Phase.
The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) hosted and organised the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX) 2021 in February earlier this year. This was the 15th edition of the mega events and marked the commencement of the recovery phase from the COVID-19 pandemic, in spite of ongoing global conditions.
The events were pivotal not only for the industry they serve but also as a demonstration of how Abu Dhabi and ADNEC are ready and able to organise, deliver, and host leading international events again in the recovery phase of Covid-19.
ADNEC Services is an award winning, fully integrated business unit of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, that offers organisers, event planners and exhibitors a wide range of customised turnkey solutions including event management, design, audio visual production, stand build, main contracting, graphics and rigging services.
“It was not an easy project, it was the first Saudi Pavilion in the history of the military industry of Saudi Arabia. ADNEC Services helped us to achieve this amazing project and succeeded. Handling 12 different exhibitors with their requirements, they made sure they all fall under one look and feel of the Saudi Pavilion. It wasn’t an easy job, but the team were great."
As the official contractor for IDEX and NAVDEX 2021, ADNEC Services worked within tight frameworks and challenges to make sure they delivered the events on-time and most importantly, safely given new protocols and measures related to COVID-19.
ADNEC Services worked diligently to deliver a wide range of tasks and with a crew of 400 there was a logistical challenge, particularly with regards to distancing measures and business continuity. To overcome this they sought to define a delivery strategy which followed months of precision planning to ensure the safety of all their staff and team during the build-up to manage a timely, successful and safe execution within ADNEC’s COVID safety guidelines.
The ADNEC Service teams are used to working on a 24 hour shifts to deliver a show of this size but as the teams needed a PCR test every 48 hours this presented another challenge. This was overcome with the support of ADNEC’s operations and health and safety teams who prepared 24 hours Covid-19 testing units onsite so anyone that needed to get a test could do so easily enabling ADNEC Services to deliver the event on time.
While IDEX, NAVDEX were delivered to strict safety guidelines, ADNEC Services had to allow for extra spacing required for social distancing and they were able to do so without affecting their creativity. They worked to conceptualise, design and build stunning stands for clients such as the Saudi pavilion who were extremely satisfied with what was delivered.
Stand design is something that ADNEC services is known for and for this particular event the approach had to be adapted to the new design of both stands and booths suitable for COVID measures. Some of the key highlights of these approaches to ensure safety for all exhibitors and visitors were: space for social distancing, smart customer journeys which have one way systems, space in meeting rooms and surrounding exhibits, stations for sanitising, acrylic screens, additional staff to clean clients stands and touchless technology where possible.
IDEX and NAVDEX 2021 exhibitors rated the services provided by ADNEC Services as the official contractor of the shows as “Excellent” in terms of Quality and Responsiveness. The survey was conducted by an independent agency and 596 exhibitors responded to it.
Some of the remarkable deliverables that ADNEC Services had a crew of over 400 members who provided services for over 900 exhibitors including mains and rigging, shell stands of c.1,800 SQM, approximately 35 features, space only stands as well as a live demonstration track, media centre, delegations lounge, networking areas, approximately 29,000 SQM of carpet, approximately 25,000 SQM of signage and teams spread across AV, technical, logistics and account management.
The teams at ADNEC services were proud to play their part in delivering the first event at ADNEC during the COVID-19 Recovery Phase and the first global defence exhibition post the pandemic outbreak.
Some of the remarkable deliverables that ADNEC Services had a crew of over 400 members who provided services for over 900 exhibitors including mains and rigging, shell stands of c.1,800 SQM, approximately 35 features, space only stands as well as a live demonstration track, media centre, delegations lounge, networking areas, approximately 29,000 SQM of carpet, approximately 25,000 SQM of signage and teams spread across AV, technical, logistics and account management.
The teams at ADNEC services were proud to play their part in delivering the first event at ADNEC during the COVID-19 Recovery Phase and the first global defence exhibition post the pandemic outbreak.
