MILWAUKEE TOOL
Consistent growth and strategic partnership for more than a decade.
Project Brief
As Milwaukee Tool grows as a company, Derse proactively develops a relevant trade show strategy to drive their business forward.
Strategies
When Derse first partnered with Milwaukee Tool, the company had fewer than 500 employees.
Today, they have more than 13,000 employees.
As Milwaukee Tool has grown as a company, we have expanded and grown their trade show presence. To promote stable growth and expansion in their trade show program, Derse has focused on ensuring that their program remains organized, relevant, and successful on the show floor.
PROPERTY USAGE AND STORAGE
Our approach to Milwaukee Tool’s program is simple: be proactive. Rather than reacting to their schedule of 50 annual trade shows that continues to expand, we are constantly seeking new ways to alleviate stress for Milwaukee Tool’s internal brand team.
With several shows occurring each month, we have created a comprehensive transshipping calendar that ensures properties arrive at their shows on time. In any given month, up to five shows can be taking place at once. With a finite number of properties and the cost of shipping, properties are often sent from one show to the next before returning to our warehouse for storage. The transshipping calendar clearly demonstrates where properties will be and when, so they can be sent to the next show without any complications. By keeping track of the location and scheduled use of each of their tools, batteries, demo stations, truss, and properties, we help our client avoid overlapping usage and proactively prepare for how many tools and assets are needed throughout the year.
When Milwaukee Tool became Derse’s client in 2012, they used 12,000 cubic feet of storage space in Derse’s warehouse.
Today, they use 50,000 cubic feet of storage space.
Generating Cost Savings
To make the most of their storage space and budget, the Derse account team reviews Milwaukee Tool’s properties annually and notifies our client of properties they haven’t used within 6 to 12 months. If those properties are still relevant, they are incorporated into booth configurations for upcoming shows. If they are obsolete and taking up warehouse space, the properties are removed and properly recycled. For example, our 2020 inventory review resulted in an annual savings of $16,794.
RELEVANCE ON THE TRADE SHOW FLOOR
Product Demos
At the heart of Milwaukee Tool’s exhibiting strategy are product demos. As new tools launch every year, new demo stations are produced. Milwaukee Tool’s brand teams work with Derse to ensure relevant product demos requested by their sales representatives are brought to each show along with the necessary resources to make them effective.
At their shows, attendees are encouraged to try out products at each of the stations to get a feel for how they could use Milwaukee Tool’s products in their projects.
As the number of products Milwaukee Tool sells increases, so do the number of product displays. What was once a couple thousand tools and 20 product demo stations is now more than 15,000 tools and 250 demo stations.
Our client’s effective product demo stations begin with their engineering team who builds the structure of the demo. Based on what is needed to demonstrate their tools, Derse makes modifications such as adding piping, plywood, or custom elements so that attendees can use the demo stations for the specific function of the tool.
Entering a New Market
Having recently expanded into a new market, Milwaukee Tool wanted to upgrade their presence at World of Concrete 2023. Working with Derse’s exhibit designers for the first time, they increased their outdoor footprint from 60’ x 60’ to 70’ x 120’ with a goal to host more visitors while successfully featuring more product demonstrations. The exhibit featured two show-stopping corner structures which drew attendees to their space, a presentation area, and more than ten demo stations to make the most of their footprint.
ONSITE SUPPORT TO ENSURE SUCCESS
Derse’s onsite support team consistently brings peace to the chaos of the show floor. Seeking to alleviate stress, Derse’s onsite team reliably solves unforeseen challenges.
In 2023 at World of Concrete, Milwaukee Tool’s team originally did not plan for a roof to be place on top of their storage area, but Derse did! When the weather forecast indicated rain, Derse’s onsite team put their contingency plan to action to build a last-minute roofing solution to keep their stored items dry.
TRUE PARTNERSHIP
As our clients’ dedicated partner, Derse accounts for unexpected scenarios to help Milwaukee Tool achieve success. Our years of trade show experience and familiarity with their brand help us prepare for their shows with open lines of communication and attention to detail.
Derse’s transparent program management has built the foundation of our partnership with Milwaukee Tool.
As we continue to drive business forward for our client, we look forward to
supporting Milwaukee Tool’s future program and company growth.
MILWAUKEE TOOL GALLERY
More images of Milwaukee Tool.
