Free VIP Guest Pass to Exhibitor 2012!

February 3, 2012

We’re getting ready for EXHIBITOR 2012, our largest trade show of the year, and we’d love to see you there.

You can get a free VIP Guest Pass to the show, courtesy of Brumark! Just visit www.Exhibitor2012.com/BrumarkTotalFlooringSolutions and use Special Promotion Code 4030.

You’ll get free admission to the show and the Monday evening reception. EXHIBITOR runs from March 5 – 7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Brumark will be at Booth #1745 — come on by and see our new flooring solutions. We can’t wait!

Delivering Holiday Joy with Exhibit 4 Smiles and the EDPA Foundation

January 6, 2012

What a way to start the holiday season! Exhibit 4 Smiles and the Exhibit Designers & Producers Association Foundation (EDPAF) delivered holiday gifts and smiles to more than 200 chronically ill children in Las Vegas and Chicago in December, and Brumark had the honor of participating in the Chicago delivery.

After reaching 70 kids in Las Vegas last year, Exhibit 4 Smiles expanded to Chicago by partnering with the Children's Hospital at the University of Illinois of Chicago this summer. Senior Account Manager Rick Pierson chaired the Midwest EDPA Chapter's Exhibit 4 Smiles fundraising initiative and did an amazing job of raising donations, purchasing presents and organizing the delivery. Brumark president Dave Walens and Marketing Director Mark Fournier were also on hand to help pass out gifts and capture smiles on film.

One of the best things about participating in Exhibit 4 Smiles is that you can see and feel first hand the happiness your donation brings to a child with a life-threatening illness. It was a day full of laughter, tears, joy and hugs, and it was one that we will never forget. You can see photos and videos on the EDPAF Facebook page and in the Exhibit 4 Smiles Facebook Group.

With the generosity of individuals from across the industry and around the world, this initiative grew significantly in 2011 and will only grow more in future years, to reach more children. We are so proud to have been a part of this, and look forward to helping Exhibit 4 Smiles expand in years to come. We hope you will join us.

How to Choose the Right Event and Trade Show Padding

October 28, 2011

Padding doesn’t tend to get much thought. But this hardworking, unseen product is a very important component of exhibit and event design.

That’s because comfortable carpet padding conveys an element of quality attendees will sense as soon as they step onto your floor.

There are several types of padding available. So how do you choose? It all comes down how — and how often — you will use it.

If you plan to use your padding just once, rebond padding is an economical option. It’s made from recycled scraps of high-density foam bonded together. Brumark offers 5'- and 6'-wide rebond padding in three densities, including a unique 1"-thick pad that eliminates the need for double padding.

If you want to reuse the padding a few times, consider fiber padding. It's denser than rebond, and won't rip when you remove it after attaching it to the floor with double-sided tape. Fiber padding is made from recycled polyester fibers, and is a very stable option. It's available in a convenient 10' width.

For maximum reusability, select polyurethane padding. It's not as dense as fiber padding, so it's more comfortable. Brumark offers 10'-wide polyurethane pads in two thicknesses.

Need a pad that will support a heavy load? The soft, spongy makeup of foam padding allows it to sustain heavy weight, so it's ideal for use under a variety of flooring options. Our foam pads are 5' wide.

We can help you select the right padding for your application and budget. Just contact us today!

New Exhibit 4 Smiles Website

October 21, 2011

Imagine a chronically ill child, one who spends her days in hospital clinics instead of at school and the playground. A little boy in constant pain who is surrounded by doctors and nurses, instead of his friends. Their overwhelmed, worried and stressed parents.

Unfortunately, this is the reality for too many families of children with life-threatening illnesses. And the holidays can be especially hard.

That's why Brumark is proud and excited to support Exhibit 4 Smiles (E4S), a nonprofit organization backed by industry professionals with huge hearts. This grassroots movement was started by Costas Varkarotas, VP of branding and innovation at The Expo Group, to deliver smiles and holiday gifts to children suffering with life-threatening illnesses. This spring, the Exhibit Designers & Producers Association Foundation (EDPAF) extended its support to E4S, to help this valuable nonprofit organization expand its reach.

E4S has a new website, where you can learn more about the organization and its goals and pledge a donation. You can also read a blog post by Brumark Senior Account Manager Rick Pierson, who is volunteering his time to head up E4S efforts in the Midwest, and see what E4S hopes to accomplish in Chicago this year.

We hope you'll consider joining us in delivering smiles to some very deserving children this December!

Trade Show Flooring Projects, New Products and More…

October 7, 2011

It’s a good thing the Brumark team loves to be busy! As usual, we’ve been crossing the country to meet with clients, install flooring in trade show booths and at events, attend vendor days and much more. (Except for Monty, who's just back from vacation — nice tan!)

Here are just a few of our recent projects:

• National Business Aircraft Association Annual Meeting & Convention (NBA2011) in Las Vegas this week — we’ve installed a number of large booths in the Las Vegas Convention Center, as well as static displays at Henderson Executive Airport

• The Society of Exploration Geophysicists’ annual meeting (SEG2011) in San Antonio — we had a number of floors with inlays and one custom 50' x 50' Vista Wood Floor rental

• State Farm National Convention — the team worked through the night to install five 40' x 40' Vista Wood Floors in just seven hours

• Pack Expo in Las Vegas last week — we installed a 20' x 80' Brumark raised floor

• Updated price guide and website

• Introduction of the new FlexFloor Clear Choice™ — custom-printed rollable flooring with superior image durability

• Launch of the new Brand It! Modular FlexFloor™ — vibrant digital images of any size printed on superior-quality vinyl tile

• Solar Power International tradeshow and conference (SPI '11) in Dallas next week — we'll be working on a number of flooring projects. Contact James if you're attending the show and need assistance.

• Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit, PMA 2011, in Atlanta — Monty will be attending on 10/17; let him know if you'd like to meet!

Our team is always willing to pitch in where needed. In fact, Vivek, our VP Finance & Operations, recently spent seven straight days loading trucks. That's just one of the many ways we're willing to do whatever it takes to provide the event and trade show flooring solutions you need, on time and on budget!

So what have YOU been up to? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to contact us if we can assist you with any of your upcoming projects!

Interlocking Trade Show Flooring: Interlocking Carpet Tiles and Beyond

September 29, 2011

Interlocking trade show flooring remains a very popular option for exhibits and events. That’s not surprising, given the versatility and convenience of these products.

Interlocking flooring is easy to transport, install, dismantle and reconfigure. And it’s cost-effective, too, because you can just replace a damaged section, rather than the entire floor.

There are a wide variety of interlocking flooring products available today, to fit a range of budgets, applications and designs:

• Interlocking carpet tiles – Carpet squares are a low-cost, easy and comfortable flooring solution. They typically consist of foam with carpet on top and are often made of recycled and recyclable material. Interlocking carpet tiles can be mixed and matched to easily create your own design. Brumark’s BruLock™ Interlocking Carpet Tiles are available in custom tiles and beveled edges, and our SoftCarpet™ line offers textured carpet in interlocking squares.

• Rubber floor tiles – This is a durable, highly reusable way to protect floors and add safety and comfort. Rubber flooring tiles are shock absorbing and reduce sound, and can be used indoors and out. They can be installed without toxic adhesives, and recycled rubber flooring tiles made from recycled tires make this an extra eco-friendly choice.

• Specialty tiles – Create a very upscale look for a low installed cost with Centiva on SnapLock®. These beautiful tiles are easy to clean, are slip-resistant and commercially rated for heavy traffic, and install without tools and adhesives.

• SwissTrax – These low-maintenance, chemical-resistant tiles are a good way to create a custom design at trade shows and more. Brumark offers a variety of SwissTrax colors and styles.

• SnapLock® – These strong, low-maintenance tiles snap easily into place, and are available in a range of attractive colors and styles.

• Foam interlocking floor mats – Foam mats are a very economical and comfortable option with a number of uses. They are extremely convenient to install and are available in a variety of colors.

And of course these convenient options have far more uses than trade shows and events. Interlocking flooring is perfect for retail environments, offices, mobile and guerilla marketing, special events, museums and more.

Check out examples of some of our interlocking flooring projects, including custom BruLock carpet tiles, Centiva on SnapLock, and SwissTrax, in the Brumark Image Gallery!

8 Reasons to Use Turf Trade Show Flooring

September 23, 2011

It's football season, which gets us thinking about artificial turf flooring. First used in the Houston Astrodome in the mid-1960s, this versatile indoor-outdoor flooring has come a long way in the past 45 years. And it's definitely not just for sports any more!

In fact, turf trade show flooring is an increasingly popular solution for exhibits and events. Here are 8 reasons why:

1. It's extremely realistic. Today's technology allows for artificial turf flooring that looks just like real grass. This realistic turf is a beautiful, long-lasting, low-maintenance flooring solution.

2. It's a unique way to make a stylish statement. Turf flooring is also available in a number of fun, attention-grabbing colors that will make your exhibit or event stand out from the crowd.

3. It's perfect for outdoor events. Turf flooring can withstand heavy traffic and inclement weather, while natural grass can become trampled, damaged and muddy.

4. It brings the outdoors in. Add a breath of fresh air to your event or exhibit by using turf flooring for an outdoor theme.

5. It's available in a variety of price points. Brumark offers a range of turf flooring options to meet any budget and application.

6. It's an eco-friendly flooring option. Turf trade show flooring is a sustainable flooring choice. Brumark's turf flooring is manufactured from pre-consumer recycled materials, with a backing made of eco-friendly polyolefin materials. Plus, it's 100% recyclable and doesn't require watering, fertilization or pesticides. Which leads to our next reason…

7. It is low-maintenance. No mowing, watering, or fertilization required — saving you time, money and hassle!

8. It can be combined with other flooring materials for a unique, textured look. Add the unexpected to your flooring design by incorporating or inlaying turf flooring with other materials. The possibilities are almost endless!

Check out the Brumark Facebook page for photos of a recent turf trade show flooring project — and a project in which we dyed carpet to look like grass! Then contact us for ideas and solutions to make your next trade show flooring project a complete success.

Color Trends in Exhibit Carpet

September 15, 2011

As designers and artists have long known, color can affect moods and motivations. And at trade shows and events, flooring is a very effective way to create or reinforce a powerful color scheme.

So let’s look at some of the latest color trends in exhibit carpet, which takes its cues from fashion and home décor.

Natural Hues
Colors based in nature continue to be popular, with calming earth tones and neutrals inspired by natural materials such as wood and stone. Reds, pinks and purples that echo flowers, the greens of leaves and grass, and the blue of water are also showing up in carpet.

Brown
While brown has been popular for a few years, lighter shades are now more prevalent.

Green
Green is moving away from yellow tones to lush, darker shades.

Blue
Today’s blues are inspired by both water and fashion. You’ll see shades that reflect deep water, while other blues are reminiscent of navy and denim clothing.

Pink
Pink has been trendy in clothing fashion for a while now, and is no longer considered solely a feminine color. Today’s popular pinks have a gray tone for a classic look with an updated twist.

Violet/Purple
This carpet color can create a rich, comfortable look. It’s also inspired by nature, with red and pink tones from flowers. And The Color Marketing Group selected “P’Zazz” — described as “a strong red-purple with a wink to Hollywood” — as the “next” contract color for offices, retail and more.

Gray
This might be the hottest color of all right now. We saw a lot of it at EuroShop this year, and it’s trendy in countertops and kitchen and bath tile. Gray is a very versatile color, ranging from soft gray to dark charcoal and metallics. It can be a great way to create a sleek, modern look, and is often used with bright accent colors.

And with Brumark you have more exhibit carpet color options than ever before. Whether you want carpet custom-dyed to match company colors, inlays of different colored carpet or flooring materials, or other custom designs, we’ll work with you to make your vision a reality. Just give us a call today!

PET Exhibit Carpet is Earth-Friendly AND Client-Friendly

September 8, 2011

PET carpet is really taking the forefront in event and exhibit carpet options. To manufacture this carpet, plastic beverage and ketchup bottles are recycled into PET chips, which are then extruded into polyester yarn. And it turns out that using plastic bottles results in advantages not available in typical, non-recycled polyester carpet.

Because PET has a high melting point, PET carpet is durable and wear-resistant. And because nothing sticks to plastic bottles, PET carpet is naturally very stain-resistant, too.

Check out the full list of PET carpet benefits:

Benefits to Your Clients
• Affordable and durable (almost as durable as nylon)
• Resistant to wear and abrasion
• Highly resistant to stains and soil without being treated
• Soft, comfortable feel
• Good color density and colorfastness
• Can be continuous dyed

Benefits to the Environment
• Keeps plastic bottles out of the landfill
• Longer product life than standard polyester carpet
• Carpet fibers can be recycled again and again

The next time you need event or exhibit carpet, be sure to ask us about Brumark’s recycled PET carpet options. Your clients — and the environment — will thank you!

Create a Stunning Custom Look with Printed Flooring

September 1, 2011

If you haven’t considered printed flooring for trade show exhibits and events recently, you may just be surprised by all the options now available at a great price!

Thanks to technological advancements and product innovation, printed flooring is available in more formats than ever before. And with vibrant colors, detailed graphics, and more applications, printed flooring is a dramatic way to grab attention and reinforce a brand.

Brumark offers three custom printed flooring options:

FlexFloor™ Clear Choice Rollable Custom Printed Flooring – 10’ Wide
• Extremely durable image — graphic is printed on the back of clear flooring for maximum life
• Can print virtually any size image
• Convenient — 10' wide for fast installation and dismantle
• Reusable
• Four texture options
• Also available in a portable floor, FlexFloor Clear Choice to Go!™
• Great for trade shows, events, retail, dance floors, stage covers, anti-fatigue mats and more

Brand It! Modular FlexFloor™
• Vibrant digital images of any size printed onto superior-quality vinyl tile
• Engineered for durable, high-impact design
• Also available with interlocking tile sub-floor
• Quick, easy installation and dismantle
• Easy shipping

Brumark Dye Sublimated Carpet
• Durable
• Large spectrum of vivid colors
• 10'-wide printing provides a huge printable area
• Transparent dyes provide true solid color gradients
• Can be steam cleaned

Printed flooring is a memorable way to grab attention at a trade show or stand out at an event. And it has many uses in retail, offices and more. Contact your account manager for details!