A sports-themed exhibition stand that scores

Held every two years in autumn, FinnBuild is Finland’s largest event for the construction industry, measured by both visitor numbers and total exhibition space. For Peikko Finland, it’s the most important industry event of the year — a key moment to connect with a wide range of stakeholders.

“This is the most significant trade fair for us in Finland. We invest a lot in how our stand reflects our role as a leading player in the industry,” says Merja Piirainen, Marketing and Communications Manager at Peikko Finland.

While many companies use trade fairs to introduce new products, Peikko took a different approach in 2024. Although they had two brand-new products ready, the focus wasn’t on showcasing them upfront.

Instead, the stand brought Peikko’s core marketing concept Päätyyn asti to life. Introduced just over a year ago, the campaign highlights Peikko’s full-service offering: customers get everything from structural frames to the smallest fastening components — all from a single source. True to the concept, Peikko’s expert team is there to help customers see their projects through to the very end.

To visualise this idea, the stand leaned into ice hockey aesthetics, tying teamwork, energy and Finnish spirit into the construction context.

“The construction sector is traditional and conservative, but the hockey theme gave us a chance to stand out in a fun and relaxed way,” explains Piirainen.

Smooth collaboration from concept to completion

Peikko’s stand was part of the Betonipuisto area — designed and delivered by Messua Oy — which featured 18 different exhibitors. Planning for the stand began in March 2024. With a clear vision led by Piirainen and Sales Director Heikki Jäämaa, Peikko worked closely with Messua to bring their concept to life.

“Messua immediately understood what mattered most to us. They translated the concept into concrete solutions that really complemented our thinking,” says Piirainen.

The details were key. Staff wore custom hockey jerseys featuring product names as sponsor logos — a playful nod that also showcased Peikko’s wide offering. A backdrop wall visualised “Peikko’s Lines”, presenting product categories as player line-ups. A private VIP box provided a quiet space for customer conversations. There was even a tabletop hockey game, which brought the theme to life while offering a fun activity for visitors.

“People even tried to buy the jerseys at the event,” Piirainen laughs. “And many guests stopped to watch the TV screen showing player-style interviews with our team, who talked about Peikko’s products, services and team spirit in the style of post-match coverage.”

Outstanding visibility and engagement

During FinnBuild, Peikko’s stand received overwhelmingly positive feedback — both from event visitors and their own team. The layout allowed for easy movement, and the VIP box worked well for private discussions.

“It’s always difficult to directly measure the business impact of a trade fair, but our visibility was excellent. We received a lot of positive comments and strong exposure, which reinforces the Peikko brand,” Piirainen says.

Peikko has participated in Betonipuisto since it was first launched as a shared exhibition concept in 2018 — and has been a Messua customer even longer. Piirainen herself has worked with Messua since her previous role at Stala and has been at Peikko for the past five years.

She highlights that FinnBuild 2024 and Betonipuisto once again proved how great collaboration delivers great results. For Piirainen, this third joint project with Messua only deepened that trust.

“When built on mutual trust, collaboration can be both smooth and highly effective — and that’s exactly what it was again with Messua,” she concludes.