Exhibition stand consistency as a strategic goal

For Jartek Invest Oy, trade shows have long been an essential platform to meet clients and partners while showcasing the latest solutions and machinery. Olga Markova, Marketing Manager with over 20 years of experience in export and marketing, also sees exhibitions as a powerful channel for strengthening trade show brand presence.

In 2025, Jartek exhibited at Ligna in Hannover, Germany, in May, and at the Wood Fair in Jyväskylä, Finland, in September.

“We’ve participated in Ligna for nearly 20 years, and just as long in the Wood Fair. Both take place every other year – and in the same year. That’s why our goal is to achieve exhibition stand consistency across both events,” Markova explains.

First collaboration with Messua

The 2025 exhibition year was particularly significant for Jartek, as the company launched its renewed brand at Ligna. This set high expectations. The stands needed to be visually striking, consistent, and aligned with the new identity – while also adapting to very different spaces and audiences.

At Ligna, the stand was a 60 m² corner space. At the Wood Fair, it was a 70 m² island stand. Despite these differences, the same look and core elements had to carry through. 

“We invited several agencies to tender at the start of the year, including both events in the brief. Messua’s proposal for Ligna immediately stood out. The ideas felt fresh and inspiring, and their designer Jukka Tiihonen brought something genuinely new to the table. For the Wood Fair, we fine-tuned some details, and the result was spot on,” Markova says.

This marked the first time Jartek partnered with Messua.

Jartek at Ligna

Functional exhibition stand design with natural materials at its core

Across both events, the stands combined thermally modified wood with a colour palette of black and Jartek’s signature blue. The materials were not only visually appealing but also meaningful. The wood was sourced from Jartek’s own customers and partners who use the company’s thermal treatment technology.

“The café area, with its terrace flooring made from thermally modified wood, became the heart of the stand. People genuinely enjoyed spending time there. Natural materials created a welcoming and premium atmosphere,” Markova explains.

Functional exhibition stand design was a key consideration, with storage areas sized to be large enough to serve as a break space for staff and, when needed, as a workspace. Based on experiences from Ligna, a separate phone booth was introduced at the Wood Fair, as industry exhibitions often feature live demonstrations and the noise from machinery in large halls can be considerable at times.

“The flooring element and reception counter are designed for long-term use. Sustainability is considered wherever possible. Interestingly, the phone booth we used at the Wood Fair was already in our office. Messua handled the logistics to and from Jyväskylä smoothly,” Markova adds.

Jartek at the Wood Fair

Balancing engagement and relevance across audiences

Both Ligna and the Wood Fair attract distinct visitor profiles and target groups. As the focus varies by market, the stand activities were adapted accordingly between the two events.

At Ligna, Jartek presented a new product – a compact thermal treatment unit (mini chamber) – using a hologram of its thermal wood production equipment. As an interactive element, visitors could take part in a “Guess the Weight” competition, estimating the weight of a stack of thermally treated wooden slats assembled at the stand.

At the Wood Fair, the audience consisted largely of sawmill professionals, with a stronger focus on sorting processes. Therefore, the activity was changed to the “Buffer Minute Game”, where visitors followed an on-screen animation and estimated how many minutes a buffer system could keep a production line running using only its stored capacity.

“In both competitions, responses were recorded via a tablet, which also allowed us to collect contact details,” Markova notes.

Continuing the collaboration

A key outcome of the project was the creation of scalable exhibition stands that could be adapted across events without compromising brand integrity.

Messua’s agility was an important factor for Jartek. The design process ran smoothly, schedules were met, and even small changes were handled quickly. The final result exceeded expectations.

“Participating in trade shows is always a major project for us, supporting our sales and marketing throughout the year. It was fantastic to see that our stands delivered exactly what we wanted, both visually and functionally. Working with Messua was easy, and the result was highly professional. The collaboration will certainly continue in the future,” Markova says with a smile.

Text: Tia Härkönen
Images: Jartek Invest Oy, Messua Oy