Renting an arcade or event machine for a trade show, exhibition or festival can sound daunting — official forwarders, shipping deadlines, advance warehouses, customs. It isn’t. Most of our customers are agencies or first-time exhibitors who have never arranged show logistics before, and they manage it without trouble. This guide walks you through exactly how it works, from your first quote to the machine coming safely home. Read it once and you’ll understand the process better than most seasoned exhibitors.
It comes down to one thing: how far your venue is from us
We design, build and ship every machine from our own warehouse in Goirle, the Netherlands. How your machine reaches you depends on whether your venue sits inside or outside our direct-service zone.
Within ~400 km of Goirle
Benelux, western Germany and northern France. Full service: our own courier delivers the machine to your stand at your time slot and collects it again after the show. You do nothing but switch it on.
Italy, Spain, southern France & beyond
Ex-works: we fully prepare, crate and label the machine ready for collection at our warehouse. Your show’s official forwarder ships it to your stand and back. It keeps your costs down — and we guide you through every step below.
What is an “official show freight forwarder”, and why does it matter?
This is the part nobody explains, so here it is in plain English. Almost every major exhibition centre appoints one official freight forwarder for each show — you may also see it called the “official logistics partner”, “appointed handling agent” or “on-site handler”. It matters for one simple reason:
At most large venues, only the official handler is allowed to move goods on the hall floor. They run the show’s advance warehouse, deliver to every exhibitor’s stand at set times, and remove everything again at breakdown. It’s a safety, insurance and access arrangement that applies to the whole show.
Where to find your forwarder’s details (and the deadlines)
There are two reliable places to look:
- Your exhibitor manual or exhibitor portal. When you book a stand, the show gives you a manual (a PDF or an online portal). It lists the official forwarder’s name and contact, the order forms, the advance-warehouse address, and — most importantly — the inbound shipping deadlines.
- The show organiser. If you can’t find it, send them one line: “Who is the official freight forwarder for the show, and what are the inbound shipping deadlines?” They’ll point you straight to it.
How the forwarder collects your machine from our warehouse
Once you know who the official forwarder is, the rest is straightforward. They collect the crated machine from our warehouse in Goirle, ship it to the venue, deliver it to your stand, and after the show reverse the journey back to us.
To set it up, you only need to confirm three dates with the forwarder — and pass them to us:
- Collection from our warehouse in Goirle (NL).
- Delivery to your stand at the venue.
- Collection from your stand and return to us after the show.
That’s it. With those three dates, we’ll have your machine crated and ready on the collection day, and we’ll know exactly when to expect it home.
How we prepare your machine — crated, labelled, programmed, plug-and-play
Before anything leaves us, your machine is made ready to travel and ready to run:
- Crated. Built into sturdy transport packaging — a wooden crate where needed — sized for safe handling and forklift transport.
- Labelled. Shipping labels, “fragile” and “this way up” marks, and your show, hall and stand number, so the on-site handler delivers it to exactly the right place.
- Pre-programmed. Games, difficulty, pricing or free-play, and any custom branding are loaded and tested before dispatch. It arrives configured for your event.
- Plug-and-play. On site you (or the handler) simply position it and switch it on at a standard socket. No assembly, no technician, no tools.
- Photographed at dispatch. We record its condition with photos when it leaves, so everyone is clear on how it went out.
On the day — at your stand
The forwarder’s handler places the machine on your stand at your delivery slot. You plug it into a normal mains socket, switch it on, and it’s running — pulling people in. At breakdown, the same handler collects it from your stand. You never touch logistics on the floor.
How the rental period is calculated
The rental runs from the day the machine leaves our warehouse to the day it returns — transit included, not only the show days. Because the forwarder’s collection and return are scheduled around the show, handling time adds to the total. The tighter the forwarder’s turnaround, the shorter and cheaper the rental — and we’ll estimate it with you up front so there are no surprises.
The security deposit
For rentals that travel beyond our direct-service zone, we hold a refundable security deposit equal to the machine’s full replacement value, alongside the rental fee. It’s standard practice and protects both sides. Normal event wear is expected and absolutely fine; the deposit covers significant damage or non-return, and is refunded in full on safe return in good condition. Because we photograph each machine at dispatch, its condition is never in dispute.
UK, Switzerland and Norway
These countries sit outside the EU customs area, so goods must clear customs in both directions — which makes a short rental slow and costly. For these destinations we usually recommend buying instead, which we’re happy to arrange.
Your step-by-step checklist
- Ask us for a quote — tell us your venue, city, dates and the machine(s) you’d like. You’ll get one clear quote back.
- Find your forwarder — from your exhibitor manual or the organiser, get the official forwarder’s name, contact and shipping deadlines.
- Get the three dates — ask the forwarder when they’ll collect from our Goirle warehouse, deliver to your stand, and collect & return after the show.
- Send the dates to us — we crate, label, programme and photograph the machine, ready for collection.
- Show day — the forwarder delivers to your stand; you switch it on.
- After the show — the forwarder collects and returns it to us; your deposit is refunded.
What we need to give you a quote
- The venue and city
- Your hall and stand number (if you have it yet)
- The show dates
- The machine(s) you’d like
- For venues beyond our direct-service zone: your exhibitor / shipping manual or the official forwarder’s details, if you already have them
Still have questions? Our rental questions & answers cover the details, or just ask us for a quote and we’ll walk you through your specific show.