Kværner: ONS stand concept inspired by the STOREN crane

The assignment

Kværner planned an exhibition stand for ONS 2020. The goal was to present the brand in a strong and professional way, while also creating space for many meetings during the event.

In the oil and gas industry, ONS is a key meeting place. The stand therefore had to work as more than a visual surface. It had to support relationships, conversations, and business meetings.

The concept

Show Off won the project and entered the planning phase. One important design move was the overhead structure. Its form was inspired by the crane at Kværner's yard, known as STOREN.

That gave the stand a clear industrial reference. Instead of creating a generic oil and gas stand, the concept was connected to something specific from Kværner's own world.

The challenge

The stand had to look strong and work practically in a busy exhibition hall.

It needed to solve several needs at once:

• clear brand presence in a large hall
• meeting spaces for many conversations
• a design feature that felt relevant to Kværner
• construction and planning that could be delivered safely
• an expression suited to oil, gas, and industry

What happened

The project did not go into production. Due to COVID, ONS 2020 was cancelled and the project was stopped through force majeure.

Even though the stand was never built, the case is still relevant. It shows how Show Off works in the early phase of large exhibition stands: winning the project, understanding the brand, finding a physical design concept, and planning a stand that both looks right and works in use.

Why the case matters

The Kværner concept shows the value of building exhibition design around something real from the client.

The overhead structure was not just decoration. It referenced STOREN and Kværner's industrial identity.

For oil and gas clients, this kind of design move can make a stand more recognisable, more relevant, and easier to remember.