Framo at Marintec China: How We Built Their Exhibition Stand in Shanghai
Show Off built Framo's exhibition stand at Marintec China 2025 in Shanghai. Norwegian project management, a permanent local build team in China and a result that matched Framo's European brand standard.
In December 2025, Framo exhibited at Marintec China in Shanghai. The Bergen-based company, known for its subsea pumping systems for oil, gas and marine applications, needed a stand that communicated the same professionalism they bring to trade shows in Norway and Europe. Show Off got the job.
The result: a custom-built stand with dark navy blue walls, an illuminated Framo logo, a physical pump on display, large digital screens and Scandinavian-style bar furniture. All delivered on the other side of the globe.
The brief: Norwegian brand on Asian soil
Framo is used to exhibiting at a high level across the North Sea region. OTC in Houston, Offshore Europe in Aberdeen, ONS in Stavanger. Their brand is well established. But Marintec China is a different arena. With over 110,000 sqm of exhibition space and more than 2,200 exhibitors from over 40 countries, this is Asia's largest maritime trade show.
The challenge was twofold:
- Brand consistency: The stand had to look and feel like Framo, regardless of geography. Same colour palette, same quality, same professional expression.
- Practical execution: Building a stand in Shanghai requires local knowledge of the venue, regulations, material availability and labour. This is not something you improvise.
Our model: Norwegian project management, local build team
Show Off has an established working model for China that sets us apart from most Norwegian exhibition suppliers. We have:
- Norwegian project managers who travel to Shanghai and are present throughout the build and exhibition period
- A permanent local Chinese team that handles production, installation and dismantling
- Direct communication between Norwegian project management and local specialists, with no intermediaries
This model delivers the best of both worlds. Norwegian quality standards and close client contact combined with local efficiency, material expertise and experience with Chinese exhibition halls.
For the Framo project, this meant the design brief was developed in close dialogue with Framo's team in Bergen, while production and installation were carried out by our team in Shanghai.
The stand design: Dark, professional and product-focused
Framo's brand has a distinct visual identity. Dark colours, clean typography, technical precision. The stand reflected this through every element:
Walls and structure
Dark navy blue walls formed the frame around the stand. The colours created a calm, serious atmosphere that stood apart from the often brighter and more chaotic stands nearby. The Framo logo was back-lit and mounted prominently, visible from a good distance across the exhibition hall.
Product display
At the centre of the stand sat a physical Framo pump. Nothing communicates technical competence better than the product itself. Visitors could see and touch what Framo actually delivers, creating a different kind of conversation than brochures and animations alone.
Digital screens
Large screens along the walls displayed product information, animations and technical specifications. The screens served both as an information channel and as a visual draw that pulled visitors into the stand.
Furniture and meeting zone
Scandinavian-inspired bar furniture and high tables created a natural meeting area. The design invited informal conversations over coffee, which matters at a trade show where relationship building is just as important as product presentation.
Marintec China 2025: Norway as Guest Country of Honour
Marintec China 2025 had an extra dimension for Norwegian exhibitors. Norway was named "Guest Country of Honour", a role that gave Norwegian companies additional visibility and prestigious placements in the exhibition hall.
For Framo, this was an opportunity to present themselves to the Asian market with added weight. Showing up with a polished, professional stand in this context was not just desirable. It was necessary.
Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) is one of the world's largest exhibition venues. Navigating the logistics there requires experience. Our local team knows the hall, the supplier network and the practical rules that apply.
Why this model works
Many Norwegian companies either use a local Chinese stand supplier (affordable but difficult to quality-assure) or ship everything from Norway (expensive and logistically demanding). Show Off's model is a third way:
| Approach | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Local supplier only | Low cost, local knowledge | Difficult quality control, language barrier |
| Everything from Norway | Full control | High shipping costs, long lead time |
| Show Off's model | Norwegian quality + local efficiency | Requires an established local team (which we have) |
Because we have a permanent team in China, we avoid the startup costs and uncertainty that come with finding new subcontractors for every project. Framo got a stand built by people who know the job, led by project managers who understand Norwegian expectations.
The result
Framo stood at Marintec China with a stand that matched their European standard. Dark walls, clear branding, physical product display and digital elements in harmony. The stand functioned as a natural meeting point for existing clients and new contacts in the Asian market.
The dark, calm aesthetic was a deliberate choice to stand out in an exhibition hall where many exhibitors compete for attention with bright colours and flashing lights. Framo's approach was the opposite: let quality speak for itself.
Planning an exhibition in China or Asia?
Show Off builds exhibition stands worldwide, with particular experience in China. We have Norwegian project management, a local build team and a proven delivery model that ensures Norwegian quality without unnecessary complexity.
Learn more about how we work with exhibitions in China, see our Marintec Shanghai page for the next show, or get in touch directly for a no-obligation conversation about your next exhibition project.
We also build exhibition stands in Germany with our own Norwegian team. Read about HAV Group at SMM Hamburg.
Dennis Halvorsen dennis@showoff.no | +47 400 93 099