System Stands with Design Ambition: What Makes Megawall Different
Grey walls, a table, two chairs, one spotlight on the back wall: that is how many people picture a system stand. Yet it is not the profiles that decide whether a stand looks good, but planning, lighting and graphics. A system stand can be inviting, high-quality and distinctive. It costs considerably less than a custom-built stand and can be put up faster. In this guide, we show what matters.
What a system stand is today
A system stand is made of reusable components: aluminium frames, walls, ceilings, lighting and furniture. These parts are recombined for every show and clad with your graphics. We use the proven Octanorm and Maxima systems as well as our own wall system, Megawall.
One figure shows how flexible this is: in 2025 we built around 13,400 system stands at 112 events. And each one carries its exhibitor’s signature.
Megawall: a system stand without the grid look
We have been using Megawall since 2013. It is a modular aluminium frame system without supports and with very slim joints. The wall elements meet almost seamlessly, creating calm, large surfaces instead of a visible profile grid. It combines the cost advantage of system construction with a look you would otherwise only get from a custom build.
Printed fabric runs across the entire wall and can be backlit with LEDs from the inside on request. The light wall becomes an eye-catcher that makes the stand visible from a distance. Counters, shelving and special elements from our own joinery, INUMA, fit straight into the system.
One example: for the joint stand of Robert Bosch GmbH at E-World in Essen, we integrated the Bosch presentation system and a fast-charging station for electric cars, including energy storage, into a 108 m² Megawall stand.
Six tips for a great-looking system stand
- Plan good lighting. Lighting decides whether a stand gets noticed. For more than ten years we have used only colour-accurate LED lighting on every system stand. Side by side in the same hall, the difference is obvious.
- Use large graphic surfaces. Continuous fabric prints instead of many small panels look calm and high-quality. A strong image with little text reads better from a distance than any list.
- Keep it open. A stand that opens towards the aisle invites people in. Put a counter at the corner rather than a closed wall at the front.
- Think about flooring and furniture. A carpet or other flooring in a matching colour, plus furniture that belongs together, turns a space into a room.
- Use the height. A ceiling banner or a taller wall with your logo helps visitors find you from the hall entrance.
- See it first, don’t hope. With our system stand configurator, you can see your stand in 3D before the show. That lets you decide on colours, furniture and graphics calmly.
Why a system stand pays off
- Predictable costs: You rent the material instead of buying it. No storage, transport or disposal of your own stand.
- Quick to deliver: The material is ready to go, in Leipzig and in our warehouses directly on the exhibition grounds in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Essen. That means even short-notice requests can often still be met.
- At scale, too: With around 9,500 running metres of Megawall and more than 16,000 frames in stock, we fit out entire halls. Messe Düsseldorf has relied on Megawall since 2015.
- Sustainable: An aluminium frame is used around 200 times over roughly 20 years. LED spotlights last around 100 uses and need about five times less energy than conventional lights. Fabric prints made from recycled PET bottles can be reused several times.
- One point of contact: Planning, graphics, build-up, lighting and furniture all come from one source.
Conclusion: system is a matter of design
A system stand doesn’t have to look standard. With the right lighting, large graphic surfaces and an open layout, it becomes an appearance visitors remember.
Would you like to see what your stand could look like? Get in touch:
Phone: +49 341 52625 50
Email: vertrieb@messeprojekt.de
Learn more: Our system stands · Reference Robert Bosch
