Top Exhibit Builders for the SHRM Annual Conference 2026
Finding the right exhibit builders for the SHRM Annual Conference 2026 is a decision that will shape every conversation your team has with HR leaders at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, June 16–19. With over 650 exhibiting companies on the floor and 25,000+ HR professionals walking the expo, the quality of your booth determines who stops, who stays, and who remembers you after the show.
Top Exhibit Builders for the SHRM Annual Conference 2026
About SHRM Annual Conference & Expo 2026
SHRM26 is organised by the Society for Human Resource Management and takes place June 16–19, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center, 9800 International Drive, Orlando, Florida. It is the world's largest annual gathering for HR professionals, drawing CHROs, people operations leaders, talent acquisition teams, HR technology buyers, payroll and benefits managers, and workforce consultants from across the globe.
The Expo itself runs across three show days:
- Tuesday, June 16 — Expo Opening Reception (move-in days: June 13–16 for large booths, June 14–16 for standard)
- Wednesday, June 17 — approximately 8 hours of Expo
- Thursday, June 18 — approximately 7 hours of Expo, with move-out beginning after close
- Friday, June 19 — move-out continues
Island booths of 20×20 or larger have a targeted move-in date of Saturday, June 13. All booths must be fully installed before the Expo Opening Reception on Tuesday, June 16.
SHRM 2026 Booth Pricing: What You Are Actually Buying
The SHRM26 official booth pricing from the exhibitor page is as follows:
| Booth Size | Cost |
|---|---|
| 10×10 Inline | $6,825 |
| 10×10 Corner | $7,249 |
| 10×20 (2 Inline) | $12,708 |
| 10×20 (1 Corner, 1 Inline) | $13,344 |
| 20×20 | $28,078 |
| 20×30 | $39,950 |
| 20×40 | $52,352 |
| 30×30 | $58,500 |
| 30×40 | $76,838 |
Each 10×10 booth includes: 1 full conference pass, 4 expo-only passes, 20 expo-only guest passes for clients, 8-foot draped back wall, 3-foot draped side walls, complimentary exhibitor training webcast, 24-hour perimeter security, and a company listing in the SHRM app directory.
What is not included: furniture, flooring, and electricity. These are ordered separately through the Freeman Exhibitor Service Kit. This is one of the most common budget surprises for first-time SHRM exhibitors. A booth that looks professional on the floor requires flooring, at minimum a table and chairs, and electrical service — none of which come with the space cost. Your booth builder should price all of these from the start.
What the Orange County Convention Center Requires
The OCCC is a large, well-run venue but it has specific requirements that every booth builder working here must know.
- Freeman is the official general contractor: Freeman manages drayage, advance shipping, furniture and carpet rental, and standard services for SHRM. Exhibitors can bring in an outside exhibit builder — an Exhibitor Appointed Contractor — but that builder must coordinate all freight and installation logistics in line with Freeman's processes and the official Exhibitor Service Kit. Any builder unfamiliar with Freeman's OCCC workflow will create friction and potentially cost you money during move-in.
- Flooring is required: The OCCC floor is concrete. Every booth must have some form of floor covering. If your booth builder does not supply flooring as part of the exhibit design, it must be ordered through Freeman. Carpet not ordered in advance through Freeman will be subject to on-site pricing increases and delayed installation.
- Early teardown carries a $3,500 penalty: SHRM Show Management explicitly states that early teardown is a blatant violation of rules and is cause for expulsion from future shows and/or a penalty of up to $3,500. Your booth builder must schedule teardown crews for after the official show close — not before.
- Solicitation is restricted to your booth footprint: All demonstrations, conversations, distribution of materials, and any marketing activity must take place within the contracted exhibit space. Aisle solicitation is prohibited. This has direct implications for booth layout — any interactive demo, lead capture setup, or product presentation must be fully contained within your space.
What Makes a Good SHRM Booth Builder
SHRM is a conference-led event. The HR professionals walking the expo are not exclusively there for the show floor — they have spent three days in sessions, keynotes, and workshops. They arrive at the expo with high expectations for substance and are quick to move on from booths that feel promotional without being genuinely useful.
The best SHRM booth builders understand this dynamic. Here is what to look for:
- B2B and HR tech experience: HR technology, HRIS platforms, payroll tools, talent management software, and benefits providers dominate the SHRM floor. A builder with experience in this environment understands how to design a booth that communicates complex solutions simply, supports one-to-one demo conversations, and gives staff enough room to work through a structured discovery conversation with a buyer. Consumer product display skills do not translate directly here.
- Demo-led layout capability: Product demonstrations are central to how HR tech companies convert at SHRM. Your builder should understand how to structure a booth so that demo stations are visible from the aisle, staff have room to sit alongside a prospect, and multiple conversations can happen simultaneously without one affecting another.
- Meeting area design: Many SHRM exhibitors hold pre-scheduled meetings with existing clients, partners, and warm prospects at the show. A semi-private meeting area within a 10×20 or larger space is often more valuable than additional display shelving. An experienced HR conference booth builder knows how to create that separation within a limited footprint without blocking visibility from the aisle.
- Clean, professional aesthetic: The SHRM audience is corporate, senior, and sophisticated. Booth design that reads as enterprise-grade — quality materials, restrained colour palette, clear messaging hierarchy, professional lighting — resonates with this audience. Loud, promotional-looking booths underperform at SHRM consistently.
- OCCC and Freeman familiarity: As noted above, a builder who has worked at the Orange County Convention Center with Freeman as general contractor will handle installation faster, avoid common logistics errors, and protect your move-in timeline.
Find and Compare SHRM 2026 Booth Builders on Exhibitorly
Quality booth builders for the SHRM Annual Conference 2026 fill their June Orlando calendars early in the year. The earlier you compare options, the more time you have for thoughtful design, unhurried production, and confident decision-making.
Exhibitorly connects HR tech and workplace solutions exhibitors with vetted booth builders experienced in B2B and HR conference environments, familiar with the OCCC and Freeman's logistics, and capable of delivering the professional, demo-ready booth that SHRM demands. Submit your requirements once and receive multiple comparable quotes.
Find and compare booth builders for the SHRM Annual Conference 2026
