AHR Expo Logistics: Drayage, Labor & Shipping at McCormick Place
The exhibitor logistics that catch teams off guard at AHR Expo — drayage, union labor, and shipping to McCormick Place in Las Vegas.
AHR Expo is next on Jan 25–27, 2027, McCormick Place, Chicago. AHR rotates cities: after Chicago 2027 it moves to Orlando (Feb 7-9, 2028), then back to Chicago (Jan 22-24, 2029).
Show services (drayage, electrical, labor) are cheapest at the advance-order deadline, which lands weeks before move-in — the maths is in our drayage guide.
Dates from the official AHR Expo site, checked 2026-08-16. Always confirm move-in times in the exhibitor manual.
Most AHR Expo exhibitors don't get tripped up by the booth — they get tripped up by the logistics at McCormick Place: drayage, union labor, and getting freight in and out on time. Here's what to plan for.
Drayage (material handling)
McCormick Place freight and material handling is Teamsters work, billed per hundredweight by the show's official contractor — the same advance-warehouse-versus-showsite maths applies as in Las Vegas.
Labor at McCormick Place
Chicago is the opposite of Las Vegas on self-install: McCormick's Exhibitor Bill of Rights lets your own full-time employees set up a booth of ANY size using their own ladders, hand tools, cordless and power tools. IBEW still owns anything past a standard outlet, and Carpenters/IATSE own overhead rigging and hanging signs.
Docks & move-in
North and South buildings plus Lakeside and West — confirm which building your hall sits in before routing freight, because they are a long way apart.
Our advice for AHR Expo
Design for your own crew to assemble. Chicago is the one major hall where power tools and ladders in your own booth are permitted, and that is where the labor saving is. The easiest fix: let us handle the turnkey side — we deliver, install, run on-site support, and dismantle, so drayage and labor are our problem, not yours.
Frequently asked
What is drayage at AHR Expo?
Drayage is the material-handling fee for moving your freight from the dock to your booth and back at McCormick Place. It's billed by weight through the show's official contractor — plan for it early.
Can you handle the logistics for me?
Yes — our turnkey service covers delivery, install, on-site support, and dismantle, so drayage and labor coordination is on us.
More for AHR Expo exhibitors
Exhibitor guides
Exhibiting at AHR Expo?
Tell us your booth size — a free quote, usually same day.