Tektronix came to us with an aging booth, 40 shows a year, and a mandate: go green. What they got was a fresh look made from bamboo, Paperstone, and a whole new way of thinking about trade show sustainability.
Tektronix had been a fixture in the test and measurement world for decades. Oregon based. Globally respected. Forty trade shows a year, every year.
But their custom exhibit had aged. Worn out, inefficient, and increasingly out of step with the company's evolving values.
When the contract for their trade show warehousing and construction program came up for bid in 2008, Tektronix was ready for a change. They wanted a partner who could handle the scale of a 40-show program. They also wanted something harder: a pivot toward sustainability that didn't compromise on quality, durability, or budget.
But before Greenspace touched a single show booth, Nancy Boyd, Tektronix's Trade Show Manager, had a different project in mind. And it was a much harder sell.
Two projects, one partnership. The Bay Area office proved we could deliver under pressure. The trade show program proved we could deliver smarter.
Every material was chosen with intent: for sustainability, for performance, and for the story it tells on the show floor.
Sustainable, regenerative cabinetry, lighter than standard ¾" lumber
100% post-consumer recycled paper countertops: durable, beautiful, zero waste
Non-vinyl graphic substrate with zero VOCs, bio-active landfill breakdown
Forest Stewardship Council certified, responsibly sourced and low-VOC
The trade show program was the prize. But the office remodel was the proving ground. Here's how Greenspace turned a shoestring project in the Bay Area into a long-term partnership built on sustainability, craftsmanship, and trust.
When a San Francisco exhibit firm turned down Tektronix's underfunded Bay Area office remodel, Greenspace stepped in. The budget was tight, the timeline was tighter, and the CEO was hosting a grand opening. We coordinated building permits for the leased space, sourced FSC-certified lumber and low-VOC paint, and installed everything in two days. The sales team told Nancy it was the first time they were proud to bring customers into their own office.
Nancy assumed that eco-friendly materials would cost more. That's the conventional wisdom. We showed her otherwise. Bamboo is cost-competitive with standard exhibit materials. Paperstone countertops cost no more than solid-surface alternatives. Green design isn't a premium line item; it's a smarter sourcing decision. Once she saw the price sheet, the resistance evaporated.
Tektronix's equipment is heavy: oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, waveform generators packed into rack-mount chassis. Standard booth cabinetry would have added even more weight, making shipping and setup harder. We engineered custom bamboo cabinets that were actually lighter than "regular" exhibit carpentry while supporting the full weight of their product line. Nancy admitted she didn't think it was possible.
Tektronix's product lines evolve constantly, so they cannot reuse graphics show to show. Joel Underwood, Greenspace's Graphics Manager, specified polyolefin, a non-vinyl substrate that creates zero VOCs during manufacturing and contains bio-active ingredients designed to break down quickly in landfills into inert humus. The inkjet process uses water-soluble UV inks with very low VOC properties. Recyclable, biodegradable, and indistinguishable from traditional graphics.
By building cabinets from ½" bamboo instead of the industry-standard ¾", we cut weight without sacrificing strength. That seemingly insignificant change saved thousands in shipping, per show. Crating was minimized and made reusable. The lighter booth meant lower drayage, lower labor costs for setup, and a leaner footprint for the warehouse. Nancy's monthly storage bill dropped 40%.
I'm convinced that had we not made the switch to Greenspace, we would have been forced to cut many shows from our calendar to realize the same cost savings benefit. The net effect was that my drayage bill for that show was 50% less than the same size custom booth I'd used the year before.
From blueprint to show floor, three angles on the DesignCon 2010 booth. The elevation drawing, the wide show presence, and the product-level details that made the space work.
Sustainability doesn't mean sacrificing your budget. In fact, for Tektronix, it was the most cost-effective decision they made all year.
Whether it’s a full program overhaul or a single show that needs to make a statement.
We’ll help you build something that works harder, lasts longer, and costs less than you think.