Big 5 Exhibition Stands: What Exhibitors Need to Know Before the Show

Hashtag10 designs and builds custom exhibition stands for Big 5 Construct events across the MENA region, Europe, and beyond. With dual headquarters in Cairo and Dubai and in-house fabrication and production capabilities, we deliver stands from initial 3D concept through to on-site installation, for construction, glazing, materials, and infrastructure brands exhibiting at Big 5 events in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and further afield.

Big 5 Construct Egypt runs 23–25 June 2026 at the Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC), New Cairo. Now in its 8th edition, the show brings together 350+ exhibiting companies from more than 20 countries across twelve construction sectors, with attendance exceeding 20,000 industry professionals.

For construction, building materials, MEP, and façade brands, this is Egypt's most concentrated gathering of buyers, distributors, architects, and project decision-makers in a single venue. Your stand is not decoration, it is your sales floor for three days.

The show co-locates with Egypt Infrastructure Expo, which pulls in procurement managers from government and infrastructure sectors. If your brand serves both commercial construction and public infrastructure, the combined audience at EIEC in June is one of the most commercially valuable in North Africa.

The Big 5 brand also runs in Saudi Arabia, where Hashtag10 has delivered stands for regional and international clients including Sphinx Glass — more on that below.

The EIEC is a large, well-organised venue, but floor space at Big 5 Egypt is competitive. Brands that show up with a generic shell scheme stand lose out to exhibitors who have invested in custom booth design.

Three stand configurations work consistently at EIEC:

• Inline stands (single-aisle) are the most common allocation for first-time exhibitors. They work well when the design maximises back wall height, uses lighting to define the space, and positions product displays at eye level for passing visitors. An inline stand that looks considered reads very differently from one that simply fills the space.
• Corner stands get two open sides, which doubles your visibility on the show floor. For building materials brands with physical products to display — glass, tiles, facades, MEP components — corner configurations allow product runs along both aisle-facing edges while keeping a private meeting zone at the back.
• Island stands are the statement choice. At Big 5 Egypt, island positions are typically 36 sqm and above. For brands launching into the Egyptian or North African market, an island stand signals seriousness and draws visitor attention from multiple directions. Hashtag10 has designed island stands for clients across the GCC and Egypt for shows of this scale.

The key decision is not which configuration, it is how well your stand brief translates your brand into a physical space. That is the design work, and it should begin at least 10 to 12 weeks before a show of this size.

At Big 5 Construct Saudi Arabia 2026, Hashtag10 designed and built the exhibition stand for Sphinx Glass, one of Egypt's leading glass manufacturers.

The brief called for a stand that would position Sphinx Glass at the centre of the regional glazing and construction market, communicate product versatility to a technical audience, and create engagement spaces for architects, distributors, and industry leaders.

The design concept — inspired by modern skyscraper façades — used bold vertical glass fins alternating between clear and tinted finishes. The open-corner layout kept the stand accessible while the structural approach, minimal framing and glass-only edges, demonstrated the product's own qualities as a design material. Every zone served a purpose: product demonstration, professional dialogue, and brand visibility.

From concept and 3D visualisation through to fabrication and on-site installation in Saudi Arabia, Hashtag10 managed the full process. The result was a stand that generated high engagement from industry professionals and strengthened Sphinx Glass's positioning in a key regional market.

See the Sphinx Glass project at Big 5 Saudi Arabia →

That experience is directly relevant for brands planning their Big 5 Egypt stand. The show audience, the venue scale, and the build requirements share significant common ground across the Big 5 portfolio.

This is where Egyptian exhibitors have a concrete advantage when working with Hashtag10.

Our fabrication workshop is in Alexandria, Egypt. For a June show at EIEC in New Cairo, this means:

• No international freight delays or customs clearance risk
• Direct oversight of the build at the Alexandria workshop before transport to site
• Faster response to last-minute brief changes than any supplier fabricating outside Egypt
• Lower total logistics cost compared to stands shipped from Europe or the Gulf

A realistic timeline for a custom stand at Big 5 Construct Egypt looks like this:

• 10–12 weeks before show: Brief confirmed, 3D visualisation presented and approved. This is the point at which most critical decisions on layout, materials, and graphics are locked.
• 6–8 weeks before show: Fabrication begins at the Alexandria workshop. Structural components, panels, lighting rigs, and furniture production run in parallel.
• 2–3 weeks before show: Completed components transport to Cairo for review or go direct to EIEC. Graphics and digital elements are finalised.
• Build-up window: EIEC allocates contractor access days before the show opens. Hashtag10 manages on-site installation within the approved build-up schedule, coordinating with show management for any technical requirements.

If you are confirming your space at Big 5 Egypt now, ten weeks of lead time is workable for a custom stand. Under six weeks requires an honest conversation about what is achievable at the required quality level.

From delivering stands at construction and building shows across Egypt, the GCC, and Europe, these are the differences that consistently show up:

• Lighting is not an afterthought. EIEC is a large hall and the general lighting level is functional, not flattering. Stands that use integrated LED lighting — backlit panels, product spotlighting, feature lighting on structural elements — draw the eye from 30 metres away. Stands that rely on hall lighting disappear into the background.
• Visitor flow is planned, not assumed. At a show with 20,000+ visitors over three days, your stand will have peak periods. A good layout channels visitors naturally: open entry, clear product zones, a defined area for meetings that does not block the main display. Stand designs that neglect flow create congestion or, worse, give visitors no reason to enter.
• Product display and brand communication are two different things. Construction and building materials brands often bring every product they manufacture. The stands that work decide what to show, not everything they could show. Your stand should communicate what you want the visitor to remember when they leave, not a complete product catalogue.
• Graphics need to work at distance and at close range. A back wall that reads clearly from the aisle, and detailed product information that works when a visitor is standing in front of it — these are two different graphic briefs. Both need to be planned.
• A meeting space closes deals. Whether it is four chairs around a small table or a private meeting pod, buyers at B2B construction shows expect a place to sit and talk. Stands without any seating lose the opportunity to convert interest into a conversation.

Big 5 Construct Egypt runs 23–25 June 2026 at EIEC. If your brand is exhibiting, design work should begin now.

Hashtag10 serves exhibitors at Big 5 Egypt as part of our North Africa Division, with fabrication at our Alexandria workshop and on-site installation managed directly by our project team. We also serve brands across the Big 5 portfolio in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.

We work with construction, glazing, façade, MEP, infrastructure, and building materials brands — exactly the sectors represented at Big 5 Construct Egypt.

Contact Hashtag10 to discuss your Big 5 stand →

What stand sizes are available at Big 5 Construct Egypt?

EIEC allocates space from around 9 sqm shell scheme positions upward. Custom stand builds typically start from 18 sqm and scale to island configurations of 36 sqm and above. Your floor space allocation is confirmed by the show organiser; Hashtag10 works with whatever space you have booked to produce the most effective design within that footprint.

How far in advance should I commission my exhibition stand for Big 5 Egypt?

Ten to twelve weeks before the show opens is the recommended lead time for a custom-built stand. This allows time for 3D design, client approval, fabrication, logistics, and on-site build. Earlier is always better, particularly if your brief involves unusual materials, complex structures, or multi-market delivery.

Does Hashtag10 handle on-site installation at EIEC?

Yes. Hashtag10 manages the full process from design through to on-site installation and dismantling. Our team works within the build-up and breakdown windows set by Big 5 Construct Egypt's organiser, dmg events.

What sectors does Big 5 Construct Egypt cover?

Big 5 Construct Egypt covers twelve sectors including building interiors and finishes, concrete and cement, MEP services, HVACR, marble and stone, metal, steel and aluminium, digital construction, and windows, doors, and facades. Hashtag10 has relevant project experience across construction materials, glazing, infrastructure, and technology sectors.

Has Hashtag10 delivered stands at Big 5 events before?

Yes. Hashtag10 designed and built the Sphinx Glass exhibition stand at Big 5 Construct Saudi Arabia 2026. The project covered the full scope: concept design, 3D visualisation, fabrication, and on-site installation.