Getting ready to participate in the SEMA trade show is always an exciting milestone. It’s your chance to showcase your brand, products, and creativity to thousands of curious attendees, and all your effort in planning, designing, and setting up your booth will soon come to life. However, behind every successful trade show appearance is careful preparation, and that includes the logistics of shipping your booth and materials to SEMA.
If you’ve handled general freight before, trade show shipping for SEMA is a bit more specialized and can be tricky for newcomers. To help you prepare, here’s a complete guide to understanding the ins and outs of SEMA trade show shipping.
For SEMA, Freeman typically serves as the official general contractor. Their role covers everything from setup and teardown to acting as the show’s “official carrier.” You’ll have the option to ship your exhibit materials through Freeman or work with a specialized trade show shipping partner, such as Diversified Transportation Services (DTS).
The Las Vegas Convention Center serves as the official venue for SEMA. This is where all exhibit materials and booth displays are shipped and set up for the event.
A trade show shipping company focuses on transporting exhibit freight and efficiently. They arrange both inbound and outbound shipments, making sure your booth arrives on time and returns after the show. Companies like DTS provide dedicated coordination, tracking, and assistance throughout the process.
Before the big event, there are a few crucial steps to take: preparing your packaging, creating accurate shipping labels, and reviewing your exhibitor manual carefully.
Inspect your crates and pallets to ensure they’re in excellent condition. They need to withstand long-distance shipping and protect your materials from potential damage.
It’s also easy to forget small but important items that make booth setup easier. Create a checklist for essentials like:
Your trade show labels should clearly display:
You can generate SEMA shipping labels in two ways:
Before attaching them, make sure to remove all old labels and place the new ones on every side of your freight for clear identification.
The SEMA exhibitor manual, available on Freeman’s website, is your go-to resource for detailed logistics and deadlines. It usually includes:
Understanding these details helps prevent delays and unnecessary fees.
Before shipping, decide whether to send your booth to the advance warehouse or directly to the show.
The advance warehouse is a designated storage facility available about 6–8 weeks before the show. Sending freight here means your materials are stored safely until move-in begins, and organizers will transport everything directly to your booth.
If you choose to ship direct-to-show, your freight will arrive just a few days before the event. This option is ideal for exhibitors with last-minute booth updates or those looking to minimize storage time.
Both methods have pros and cons — the right choice depends on your timeline, budget, and setup needs.
Planning SEMA logistics can be stressful, but working with an experienced trade show shipping partner makes all the difference.
At Diversified Transportation Services (DTS), we help manage every step of the process, from creating a move-in plan to managing paperwork and coordinating move-out. Our team provides personalized support to help ensure your shipment's arrival.
If you’d like to learn more about trade show logistics, check out our full Guide to Trade Show Shipping
Call us today at (310) 521-1200 or click below to request your SEMA trade show shipping quote.
Whether you're a company looking to improve one facet of your supply chain, your entire supply chain, or simply looking for a transportation and logistics consultation, we can help.
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