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The World’s Leading Home + Housewares Show

March 2–4, 2025 | McCormick Place | Chicago, IL

The World’s Leading Home + Housewares Show
March 2—4 | McCormick Place | Chicago, IL

Exhibitor Services Kit

Cost Savings at McCormick Place
Return to the ESK

COST SAVINGS AT MCCORMICK PLACE

Take advantage of the following opportunities when planning the setup of your booth.
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BOOTH SETUP

Exhibitors can perform the following work in a booth of any size using ladders, hand tools and power tools designated safe by McCormick Place. An “exhibitor” is defined as a full-time employee for at least six months.

  • Setting-up and dismantling exhibits using ladders, hand tools and power tools (deemed safe by McCormick Place).
  • Assembling and disassembling materials, machinery or equipment.
  • Installing signs, graphics, props, drapery, and skirting exhibitor tables.
  • Delivering, setting-up, plugging in, interconnecting and operating electrical equipment, computers and audio visual devices.
  • McCormick Place will have various hardware supplies available for purchase on Show site starting on Monday, February 24. If you need last minute items, save time by purchasing what you need for booth set up and tear down right at the FedEx Office located in the South Building, Level 2.5. Commonly used items such as tool kits, batteries, tape, cleaning products, hanging supplies, light bulbs, ladders, shelving, etc. will be available.
  • Reduce your material handling and drayage costs by eliminating special handling charges. Special handling charges can increase your expenses by 30% but can be avoided if shipments are packed correctly and do not require special handling to be unloaded. Learn more by reviewing the material handling form and special handling instructions.

OFFICIAL SERVICE CONTRACTOR (FREEMAN)

  • Be sure to order your Freeman provided services online and prior to February 1st. Paper forms will incur additional costs and is not recommended. By online ordering, you could save 10% off the discounted rate for select items.
  • To make your online ordering experience faster and more efficient, Freeman online allows you to take your 2024 order and duplicate it for the 2025 Show. This is assuming that your booth configuration has stayed the same from the previous year.

DISPLAY LABOR RATES

  • Make sure to check the display labor rates your company is being charged. If you are not using the Show’s General Contractor, Freeman, as your booth installer, please review the display labor rates your company is being charged to see if they are comparable to the display labor rates IHA has negotiated listed below.
    Straight Time $138.37          Time-and-a-Half $207.56         Double Time $276.75
  • Be sure to complete your booth set-up by Friday, February 28, 2025 to avoid overtime fees on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING SERVICES

  • IHA has chosen Freeman to provide all electrical and plumbing services for the 2025 Show. Please see the below rates.
    Electrical Labor                                 Plumbing Labor
    Straight Time         $121.35                  Straight Time          $133.92
    Time-and-a-Half    $182.16                  Time-and-a-Half     $198.15
    Double Time          $242.70                 Double Time           $261.64
  • Exhibitors with inline or peninsula booth types that order 120-volt electrical services totaling 20amps or less have the option
    for general placement along the back line of their booth space with no labor or material charges. Inline or peninsula booths
    that require custom placement of any 120-volt services will be subject to labor and material charges. Island booths that
    order 120-volt services will be subject to labor and material charges.
  • Exhibitors that order 208-volt or 480-volt services will be subject to labor and material charges regardless of booth type.
  • All electrical installation labor (regardless of type) comes with a corresponding dismantle fee. This dismantle fee is based
    on 50% of the installation time, not on the electrical rate. For example, 1 hour of installation time would be billed ½ hour of
    dismantle time, 2 hours of installation time would be billed 1 hour of dismantle time, etc.
  • A Frequently Asked Questions guide for electrical service has been developed to help your company save money and streamline the setup process. Please review the IHA’s Electrical FAQ available in the online Exhibitor Services Kit.
TIPS:
  • 120V electrical services totaling 20amps or less can be ordered along the back line of your booth with no labor or material charges. If custom placement of any service is required, labor and material charge will apply.
  • If you need electrical in a location other than the rear of your booth and want to avoid additional labor charges, bring your own UL approved extension cords (3 wire, 14 gauge minimum with a ground) to get power to the front of the booth without hiring labor. Most home improvement stores sell UL approved extension cords. Any exhibitor bringing in their own extension cords cannot install them under carpet or flooring. Extension cords must be taped on top of the carpet or flooring.
  • Fire regulations require that booth power be disconnected at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4. Electrical service to exhibits will be turned off at this time unless a special request for power has been placed with the Freeman Electrical Service Desk prior to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4.
  • During show move-in days, power is on from 8:00am – 4:30pm. During show days, power is turned on one hour prior to open of show and turned off one hour after the show closes. Power is turned off one hour after the close of the show and remains off. Any booth requiring power outside these windows during move-in or tear-out will need extended power. Any booth requiring power outside of posted show run hours requires 24-hour power.
  • Check your electrical order for scissor or condor lift equipment and/or crews. Most electrical on our Show should be pulled from the floor, not the ceiling. However, based on booth needs and power contained in electrical ports within any given booth space, electrical may be required to be sourced from the ceiling. Please contact Freeman Electrical with any questions.
  • If using your own power strips, they must have circuit protection.
  • At Show close on Tuesday, March 4, Freeman will consider 5:30 p.m. to 9:30pm straight time.
  • Prices listed on the Freeman electrical forms are for the entire Show, not daily.
  • Order your electrical and plumbing service(s) before the advance rate deadline of February 1, 2025 to ensure cost savings. If not, try to order at least 48-hours in advance to maximize the benefits of the extended straight time window. (The only guaranteed start time for labor is 8:00am and must be ordered 48 hours in advance. All other start times or will call labor is subject to wait times and availability at time of check-in.)
  • There is only one connection point per outlet ordered. Power strips / quad boxes can provide additional plug-in locations. To calculate your electrical needs, take the wattage on the bulb and multiply it by the number of lights you will be using. For example, a track light with 4 lights, each requiring a 100-watt bulb, uses 400 watts of power. Therefore, you should order a 500-watt service and would still have 100 watts left for another item.
  • 5amp services may not be split. 10amp services can be split between two locations. 20amp service can be split between four locations.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

OVG Hospitality is the authorized food service provider at McCormick Place. More information can be found within the online ESK.

  • Exhibitors can bring their own food and beverage items into McCormick Place. However, any food and beverage items brought in from the outside must be for the exhibitors’ personal consumption only. Keep an eye out for a list of local restaurants that welcome exhibitor orders.

BOOK YOUR HOTEL THROUGH ONPEAK, IHA’S OFFICIAL HOUSING PROVIDER

IHA not only negotiates the lowest rates in the city, but also secures Housewares only incentives and amenities for your stay in Chicago. Book through OnPeak, IHA’s official housing provider, to secure your Show accommodations at www.onPeak.com/TIHS25.

Early-Bird rates expire on December 31, 2024 – be sure to book your hotels today! Hotel loyalty points can be earned when loyalty number is given at the time the reservation is made.

LOADING AND UNLOADING – AUTOMOBILES AND SMALL UTILITY VEHICLES (ASUV)

  • McCormick Place allows exhibitors to unload and load automobiles and small utility vehicles at the exhibit floor docks without hiring union labor. Please review the ASUV forms within the online Exhibitor Services Kit for locations.
  • There will be no weight restrictions and exhibitors will be able to use manual carts and dollies to transport their materials.
  • Exhibitors will have a maximum of 20 minutes to unload and load their materials.
  • ASUV Program hours are:
    Inbound
    Dates                                      Hours
    Friday, February 28, 2025       8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    Saturday, March 1, 2025          8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    Outbound
    Dates                                      Hours
    Tuesday, March 4, 2025          5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
TIPS:
  • Approved vehicles are defined as a family or small business owned vehicle used for light hauling including: automobiles, pick-up trucks, mini-vans, full-size vans and sport utility vehicles. Please see the ASUV (Automobile & Small Utility Vehicles) section within the online Exhibitor Services Kit for examples of approved vehicles. This does not include multiple axle vehicles, flatbed trucks, box vans, trailers or recreational vehicles.
  • Manual carts and dollies will not be available for rental/use on-site. Be sure to bring your own equipment.