Packaging Machinery Stalls: Running a Live Line on the Stall Floor

Packaging machinery sells best when it runs. Buyers want to see product go in one end and come out filled, sealed, labelled or cartoned at the other. A running line on the stall floor is the most convincing thing you can show, but it turns the stall into a small factory with power, air, consumables, waste and safety to plan.

The stall has to be designed around the line, not the other way round. Get the layout, services and viewing right, and the line becomes the stall's main attraction. Get them wrong and you have a noisy machine that visitors cannot see properly and your operators struggle to keep running.

Lay out the line first

Start with the line drawing from your engineering team: each machine, conveyor and accumulator in order, with dimensions. Then decide how it sits on the stall. The best layouts show the whole process from one side, so a visitor standing in the aisle sees in-feed, processing and out-feed in one look.

• Straight lines along the long aisle-facing side show the full flow clearly
• L-shaped or U-shaped lines fit tighter stalls and bring out-feed back near the front
• Place the most interesting step, such as filling or sealing, closest to the main viewing spot
• Leave operator space behind or beside each machine for loading and adjustments
• Plan where finished packs collect, and whether they are handed out or binned
• Keep a clear route for bringing in consumables during the day

Services: power, air and extraction

Packaging lines need more services than most stalls. List what each machine needs and share it with your builder and the organiser early.

Power

Check the organiser's manual for the type of power available, the load you can book and the deadline for ordering it. Lines with heaters, sealers and motors can need a large connected load. Plan where the supply enters the stall and route cables in trays under the platform, not across the floor.

Compressed air

Many packaging machines run on compressed air. Ask whether the venue supplies it, and if not, whether you can bring a compressor and where it can stand. Compressors are noisy, so place them in an enclosed corner of the stall or wherever the organiser allows, and plan the air lines under the platform.

Extraction and heat

Heat sealing and shrink tunnels give off heat and sometimes fumes. Keep these away from fabric walls and graphics, and check the organiser's rules on heat-producing equipment.

Platform and floor around the line

A line of machines is heavy and needs to be level so conveyors transfer product smoothly. Standard stall platforms are not designed for this. Most often, machines stand on the hall floor in a cut-out, or the line zone is left at floor level with a flat finish. Check the organiser's floor load limits in the exhibitor manual and give your builder the weight of each machine.

1. Mark the line position on the hall floor from the approved layout.
2. Build the platform around the line zone, leaving the machine area clear.
3. Move in the machines, place them, level them and link the conveyors.
4. Connect power and air, and route cables and hoses under the platform.
5. Build walls, fascia and graphics around the running line.
6. Run the line with real product and consumables before the show opens.

We dry-assemble every stall at our factory in Bengaluru before it ships, which lets us check cut-out sizes, cable routes and wall positions against the line drawing in advance.

Safety, guarding and viewing

Visitors will get close to a running line. Use the machine's own guards, and add clear polycarbonate screens where moving parts are near the aisle. A low barrier or a step edge keeps the crowd at a safe distance without blocking the view. Put an emergency stop where operators can reach it quickly.

A slightly raised viewing step along the aisle helps visitors see over the first row of people. Screens above the line can show close-ups of the sealing jaws or labelling head from a camera, which helps when the action is fast or small.

Consumables, waste and storage

A running line uses film, cartons, labels, product to pack and cleaning supplies, and it creates waste. Plan a store room big enough for a day's stock, and a waste area that stays out of sight. Ask the organiser when deliveries are allowed during show days, and how waste is collected. If you pack a real product, think about what happens to the packs at the end of each day.

Keeping the line running all show

A line that stops during peak hours with a crowd watching does more harm than no demo at all. Plan for it to run reliably for several days.

• Bring spare parts for the wear items that fail most often, such as sealing elements and belts
• Run the line on a schedule rather than nonstop, so operators can rest and machines cool down
• Keep a tool kit and cleaning supplies in the store room, not in an open crate
• Assign one operator per shift who knows the whole line, not just one machine
• Keep a printed card at the stall with what the line produces, its speed range and formats

Packaging exhibitors at Paperex South India 2026, which runs from 3–5 Dec 2026 at Chennai Trade Centre, or Mumbai shows at Bombay Exhibition Centre should start planning lines early. Our lead times are 3–4 weeks for Karnataka, 4–6 weeks for the rest of South India and 6–8 weeks elsewhere. See how we build custom exhibition stalls.

Planning a packaging machinery stall?

Send us the show, your stall size and the line drawing with machine weights and service needs. Plan your project with us, or WhatsApp or call +91 70190 58391.