An exhibition stand built to the inspection deadline.
Stand contractor, structure, screens, lighting, power and paperwork for the MaestroDMX stand at PLASA Show 2026, Olympia London — from drawing inspection to break-down.
The brief.
MaestroDMX, the music-reactive lighting controller from PEAKLUMEN, exhibited at PLASA Show 2026 on a 4m × 2m space-only stand next to Cameo and Adam Hall. The brand needed a UK stand contractor who could turn a design from their German team into a built, inspected, powered and lit stand inside Olympia's build window — and be there to take it down again.
MAV Hire took the whole job: the ground-supported truss structure, the black drape back wall, a central 65-inch screen with two side screens, a compact PA, a lit rig for the controller to drive, all power, DMX and HDMI cabling, the risk assessment, method statement and CDM plan, the stand design inspection submission, and the Voyage Control delivery bookings for Olympia.
Eight square metres, a lot of rules.
- A space-only stand: no shell scheme, so the whole structure had to be designed, drawn, approved and built from scratch.
- Olympia rigging rules — anything flown needs venue rigging approval, so the structure had to be ground-supported and under the height limit.
- A stand design inspection form, risk assessment, method statement and CDM construction phase plan submitted and approved before build.
- Drawings revised after inspection when two extra screens and a column PA were added to the brief.
- A hard deadline: structure ready for programming by midday Saturday, complete for PLASA's inspection by 4pm, with break-down on the Tuesday evening.
- A lighting rig that had to be patched and addressed in advance so the MaestroDMX controller could run it live on the stand.
What we delivered.
Structure
- Ground-supported black 290mm quad box truss, 4m × 2m × 3m, on steel base plates.
- Earth-bonded to venue regulations, with all elements inside the stand boundary.
- Black flame-certified drape back wall, 4m × 3m, backed as PLASA requires.
Screens and audio
- Central 65-inch display truss-mounted on the rear span.
- Two side screens on HDMI splitters for product content.
- Compact column PA with feeds to the demo table for the controller's audio.
Lighting rig
- Four JB Systems Challenger Wash moving heads across the header.
- Seven Chauvet DJ FXPAR 6 RGBW pars, laid out symmetrically.
- Chauvet COLORstrip PiX ILS pixel battens along the base.
- Full DMX patch and address plan supplied ahead of build so the MaestroDMX demo ran first time.
Power, cabling and control
- 16A single-phase feed from the floor, with our own distribution to lighting and table.
- All power, DMX and HDMI runs dressed and clamped to the truss.
- Safety bonds and clamps on every fixture; PAT-tested kit throughout.
Compliance and logistics
- Risk assessment, method statement and CDM construction phase plan.
- PLASA stand design inspection form submitted; drawing inspection notice cleared for build.
- Voyage Control delivery slots booked for Olympia; vehicle details registered.
Build and break
- Carpet and walls in place Friday, structure and rig built Saturday morning.
- Ready for programming by midday, inspected and signed off by 4pm.
- Clean break-down Tuesday evening within the tenancy window.
The full spec.
Structure
- Black 290mm quad truss, 4m × 2m × 3m frame ×1
- Truss corner blocks and base plates ×4
- Black drape, 4m × 3m, flame certified ×1
- Demo table / podium ×1
Screens and audio
- 65-inch display, truss mounted ×1
- Side display, approx. 50-inch ×2
- HDMI splitter ×2
- Column PA system ×1
Lighting
- JB Systems Challenger Wash moving head ×4
- Chauvet DJ FXPAR 6 ×7
- Chauvet COLORstrip PiX ILS batten ×3
- Lighting clamps and safety bonds as req.
Power and control
- 16A single-phase distribution ×1
- DMX cable runs as req.
- HDMI runs as req.
- Power leads, 16A and 13A as req.
Paperwork
- Risk assessment ×1
- Method statement ×1
- CDM construction phase plan ×1
- Stand design inspection form ×1
Crew
- Build crew ×2
- Break crew ×2
Inspected, lit and open on time.
The stand passed PLASA's inspection on the Saturday afternoon and opened with the show on the Sunday morning. The MaestroDMX controller drove the rig live for three days on a patch that had been planned before a single case arrived at Olympia.
For the exhibitor, it meant one UK contact for structure, screens, lighting, power and compliance — and no surprises at the venue.
Exhibition stand contracting, answered.
Do you build stands at Olympia London and ExCeL?
Yes. We act as stand contractor for space-only stands: structure, drape, screens, lighting, power distribution and the health and safety submission the organiser requires. We book deliveries through the venue's logistics portal and work to the build and break schedule.
Can you handle the risk assessment and method statement?
Yes. We prepare the risk assessment, method statement and CDM construction phase plan, and complete the organiser's stand design inspection form and any drawing revisions the inspector asks for.
Do you need rigging approval for a truss stand?
Not if the structure is ground-supported and under the venue's height limit, which is how we build most small stands. Anything flown from the roof needs the venue's rigging contractor to approve it, and we will tell you up front if a design needs that.
Can you pre-programme lighting for a product demo?
Yes. We supply the DMX patch and address plan in advance so your controller or ours drives the rig from the moment it is powered — exactly what the MaestroDMX stand needed.
Where are you based?
Near Diss in Norfolk. We cover trade shows in London and across the East of England, and travel further for the right project.
Exhibiting at PLASA, Olympia or ExCeL?
Send us the stand number, the size and your design and we will quote the build, the rig, the power and the paperwork as one job.
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More of our work
This is one job of many. The gallery has 60 photos from festivals, weddings, parties and exhibitions.
