MATERIAL HANDLING

SERVICES & TERMS

Viper Tradeshow Services is equipped to receive exhibitor shipments both at the local warehouse in advance and directly at the show site during the exhibitor move-in period. This billable service is known as Material Handling or commonly referred to as Drayage. Charges for Material Handling are calculated based on the weight of each individual shipment and are applicable to all types of deliveries, whether transported by FedEx, UPS, Common Carrier, etc. It's important to note that Material Handling and the actual shipping or transportation of goods are distinct services.

The Material Handling service covers both the inbound and outbound phases of the show and includes:
Unloading the shipment from the Carrier at the dock
Storing materials for up to a month before the event for Advance Warehouse shipments
Direct freight delivery to the exhibit booth during the show's move-in phase
Storing empty crates and display containers throughout the show
Returning stored crates and display containers to the exhibitor’s booth as the exhibit hall closes and move-out commences
Providing pre-printed outbound shipping documents and labels at no extra cost
Transporting packed shipments back to the onsite loading dock for pickup by the designated Carrier
Loading freight onto the exhibitor’s Carrier of choice It's advised to order

Material Handling services should be ordered PRIOR to shipping any materials. If the actual shipment weight varies from the estimated weight provided at the time of ordering, adjustments will be made accordingly upon receipt of the shipment. Further details on Weight Verification are provided below. Specific dates and times for advance receiving and direct-to-site shipments, along with corresponding rates, are detailed in the online Exhibitor Service Kit, available on the Viper Online Portal. A shipment is categorized based on how materials are sent to either the advance warehouse or directly to the show site. Items sent together may arrive in separate lots, thus qualifying as distinct shipments upon receipt. Unless otherwise stated in the show’s Exhibitor Service Kit, only shipments that are Crated will be accepted at the Advance Warehouse. Crated shipments encompass materials packed in wooden crates, cardboard boxes, fiber cases, or stacked on pallets. Carpet is also considered as crated and is acceptable for warehouse delivery. Uncrated shipments, which include items that are loose or pad-wrapped and susceptible to damage when handled by forklifts or pallet jacks, will not be accepted at the warehouse. Special Handling charges apply when a carrier's delivery requires extra steps such as ground unloading, unloading in stacked or tight spaces, designated piece unloading, or mixed loads with pad-wrapped materials. This also includes carriers like FedEx and UPS due to their specific delivery methods. Late Arrival fees will be added to Advance Warehouse and Direct to Show Site Material Handling costs if shipments arrive outside the designated receiving window. A minimum charge of 200 lb. (2 CWT) is applicable to all shipments. Late fees will be added if the package arrives past the Advance Warehouse deadline or outside the designated exhibitor move-in hours. For situations involving oversized or machinery shipments, it's required to contact Viper Exhibitor Services in advance to ensure the necessary equipment and facilities are arranged and confirmed. Vehicle Spotting refers to the guided movement of vehicles, trailers, or other mobile units to and from a designated exhibit area for staging and display, including outdoor spaces. This service is round-trip and covers both the inbound and outbound phases of the event. Any exhibit material transported within the vehicle or unit is subject to weight verification and standard Material Handling rates. Additional fees for vehicle permits and inspections may apply as per local Fire Marshal regulations.

OUTBOUND LOGISTICS

At the close of the show, a completed and signed Bill of Lading (BOL) is required for all outbound shipments, detailing the shipment content, final destination, and authorization for freight release to the exhibitor’s chosen or preferred Carrier. Pre-printed outbound shipping documents (BOL and labels) can be pre-ordered at no extra cost through Viper Exhibitor Services by filling out and submitting the required information in your show profile on Viper Online Portal or through the Exhibitor Services Kit.

A team member from Exhibitor Services will distribute any pre-ordered outbound materials on site. Once the booth properties are packed and prepared for loading onto the designated carrier, a completed and signed BOL must be submitted to the Viper Service Desk.

All carriers must check in by the publicly stated check-in time during the exhibitor move-out phase. Freight not collected by the designated carrier within the specified timeframe or left behind will be removed from the venue and re-routed via Viper Tradeshow Transportation and shipped to the final destination, the standard shipping rates will apply.

All shipping fees will be settled directly with the exhibitor.

WEIGHT VERIFICATION

When planning the logistics of your shipment, it's crucial to inform the carrier and/or driver that the following documents must be provided upon delivery:

A Bill of Lading that describes the inbound shipment, such as piece count and destination.
A Certified Weight Ticket that verifies the shipment's weight. Material Handling rates are based on shipment weight.

A Certified Weight Ticket offers an accurate basis for estimating Material Handling charges. Before unloading a shipment at the advance warehouse or show site dock, all carriers (i.e., Common Carrier, Van Line, or any other closed-body vehicle with dual wheels) must present a Certified Weight Ticket. Shipments arriving without a Certified Weight Ticket or Bill of Lading will be weighed upon arrival, and this weight will be used for billing purposes and additional special handling fees will apply. Weight tickets will not be accepted after the delivery of the freight.

LIMITS OF LIABILITY & RESPONSIBILITY

All orders are subject to the Viper Tradeshow Services Payment Policy and Limits of Liability & Responsibility. Submitting an order for services, equipment, and/or a shipment consigned to Viper Tradeshow Services by an exhibitor or any agent acting on behalf of the exhibitor will be considered an offer, subject to acceptance and approval by Viper Tradeshow Services at their sole discretion.

By participating in any Viper Tradeshow Services event or exhibit program, the Exhibitor and its agents agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined in Sections 1 through 15 below.

The Exhibitor will also be bound by these terms and conditions if ABC Exposition Services has accepted a shipment on behalf of the Exhibitor or any shipper consigning, picking up, or delivering a shipment to or from ABC Exposition Services or its subcontractors.

Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will not be held responsible for damage, loss, or delays to uncrated freight, improperly packed items, glass breakage, or concealed damage, as determined by Viper Tradeshow Services.
Concerning inbound shipments, there might be a time gap between the delivery of shipment(s) to the booth by Viper Tradeshow Services or its subcontractors and the arrival of the Exhibitor's representative at the booth. Likewise, for outbound shipment(s), there may be a time gap between the completion of packing and the actual pickup of materials from the booth for loading onto a carrier. During such intervals, the shipment(s) will be left unattended in the booth. Therefore, Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will not be held liable for the loss, disappearance, or damage to any items left unattended in the booth at any time. As a result, all bills of lading for outbound shipment(s) submitted to Viper Tradeshow Services or its subcontractors by the Exhibitor will be verified at the time of pickup from the booth and corrected if discrepancies are found.
Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will not be liable for any damage incurred during the handling of materials or equipment that require specialized devices for proper loading, unloading, placement, or reloading, unless a 14-day advance notice has been provided to Viper Tradeshow Services to secure the necessary equipment.
Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will not be held accountable for any loss, delay, or damage due to events beyond their reasonable control, which cannot be prevented through due care and caution. This includes, but is not limited to, strikes, labor disputes, lockouts, or work stoppages of any kind, fire, theft, windstorm, water, vandalism, acts of God, power or utility failures, and other force majeure events.
Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will not be liable for ordinary wear and tear incurred during the handling of materials and/or equipment.
Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors are not insurers; they do not provide insurance coverage for the Exhibitor's property against loss or damage, nor do they offer full replacement value in case of loss or damage. The Exhibitor is responsible for obtaining insurance. The amounts payable by Viper Tradeshow Services under this clause are based on the scope of liability as outlined herein and are unrelated to the value of the Exhibitor's property. Provisions of this clause will apply if the Exhibitor's property is lost or damaged due to the performance or non-performance of services by Viper Tradeshow Services, or due to the negligence of Viper Tradeshow Services, its subcontractors, or their respective employees. In the event of such loss or damage, the liability of Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will be limited to a sum equal to $.50 per pound, with a maximum liability of $50.00 per shipment, whichever is more. This amount will be considered as based on agreed-upon damages and as the exclusive remedy.
Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will not be liable, to any extent whatsoever, for any indirect, special, incidental, attorney fees, or consequential damages. This may include, but is not limited to, any actual, potential, or assumed loss of profits or revenues, loss of use of equipment or products, or any collateral costs that may result from any loss or damage to the Exhibitor's materials or any injury to the Exhibitor's personnel, which may render it impossible or impractical for the Exhibitor to display its materials.
Viper Tradeshow Services will not be obligated to honor any claim or action brought against them or their subcontractors more than 30 days after the date of the incident.
The Exhibitor agrees that, in connection with the receipt, handling, temporary storage, and reloading of its freight, Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will provide these services as the Exhibitor's agent, not as a bailee or shipper. If any employee of Viper Tradeshow Services or its subcontractors signs a delivery receipt, bill of lading, or other document, it is agreed that Viper Tradeshow Services or its subcontractor will do so as the Exhibitor's agent, and the Exhibitor accepts the responsibility thereof.
Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors will not be liable for shipments received without receipts, freight bills, or specified unit counts on receipts or freight bills. Such shipments will be delivered to the booth without any guarantee of piece count or condition.
Empty container labels will be available at the Viper Tradeshow Services Exhibitor Service Desk, in conjunction with Material Handling services paid for by the Exhibitor. The responsibility for affixing these labels lies solely with the Exhibitor or its representative. It is understood that these labels are to be used for EMPTY STORAGE ONLY, and Viper Tradeshow Services and its subcontractors assume no responsibility or liability for loss or damage to the contents while the containers are in storage or for mislabeled containers.
To expedite the removal of freight from the show site, Viper Tradeshow Services reserves the right to change designated carriers if the assigned carriers fail to pick up on time. In cases where the Exhibitor has not provided specific instructions, the freight will be reconsigned and shipped via Viper Tradeshow Transportation. The Exhibitor agrees to be responsible for the payment of charges related to such handling and shipping. Viper Tradeshow Services assumes no liability as a result of such rerouting.
Dry and cold storage of products is at the Exhibitor's own risk. Viper Tradeshow Services assumes no liability or responsibility for dry or cold storage.
The Exhibitor agrees that, in the event of a dispute with Viper Tradeshow Services or its subcontractors related to any loss or damage to any of the Exhibitor's freight or equipment, the Exhibitor will not withhold payment of any amount due to Viper Tradeshow Services for material handling services or any other services provided by Viper Tradeshow Services or its subcontractors as an offset against the amount of the alleged loss or damage. Instead, the Exhibitor agrees to pay Viper Tradeshow Services in full prior to the close of the show for all such charges and further agrees that any claim the Exhibitor may have against Viper Tradeshow Services or its subcontractors will be pursued independently by the Exhibitor as a completely separate matter to be resolved on its own merits.
It is the responsibility of the Exhibitor to ensure that their freight is insured from the time it leaves the Exhibitor's place of business or other point of origin until it is returned to the final destination after the close of the event. It is recommended that the Exhibitor obtain all-risk coverage, which can typically be added via rider(s) to existing insurance policies through the exhibiting organization's insurance representative or broker. The Exhibitor is responsible for ensuring that liability and property insurance is in effect during the inbound and outbound transit of freight, while in storage, and at the show site. All transit claims will be referred to the common carrier.

One moment please...