Event Production Network Warehouse Summit
Everyone in the event industry knows that behind-the-scenes coordination is what ensures success on event day. That’s why the Event Production Network (EPN) Warehouse Summit, which AV Chicago has participated in for the past three years, is such a valuable chance for our industry’s operations, warehouse, and logistics leaders to come together and improve how professionals handle staffing, deployment, inventory, and large-scale coordination.
Our Warehouse Manager, Andy Greiner, attended the multi-day summit with a primary goal: to encourage collaboration rather than competition. It provides a forum for warehouse and operational managers nationwide to collaborate on best practices and emerging industry standards that will continue to support top-tier production.
“Every AV company is different, but we all go through the same struggles and growing pains,” said Grenier. “At the forum, managers can bring their questions to a group discussion and ask for advice from other people who might be experiencing the same problem or maybe have experienced the issue in the past and found a solution that worked.”
This year’s event emphasized several themes shaping our industry, including:
- Product procurement and asset deployment
- Staffing and scheduling structures
- Over-the-road logistics
- Warehouse layouts & workflow optimization
Andy left the summit with clear, actionable items, including new ideas for shipping workflows, prepping workboxes, labeling conventions, improved communication channels for on-site crews, and other initiatives to improve our daily operations.
“There was no right or wrong answer, but everyone talked about what it is they do and why it works for them,”Andy added. This open-style approach builds a shared knowledge base that benefits everyone.
The relationship-building during the event is also truly invaluable. When AV Chicago visited Minneapolis last year for an event, we collaborated with Showcore’s warehouse team to support staging. Likewise, when Showcore visits Chicago, they come to our facility to connect and collaborate.
The event also offers a behind-the-scenes look at how peers manage their warehouse spaces, with various managers giving presentations that provide a clear view of everything from inventory zones, loading patterns, and staging areas to check-in and check-out procedures, as well as space optimization strategies, offering insights and inspiration to others.
The summit emphasizes that as our operations become more efficient, our team will have greater flexibility to focus on creating memorable experiences for our partners. AV Chicago is proud to be a member of EPN and work within a collaborative, supportive community that encourages growth. Although warehousing may be behind the scenes, its influence is visible in every event we handle, from precisely timed load-outs to gear arriving ready to perform.
As the industry continues to grow, participating in events like this ensures that AV Chicago can advance alongside other industry partners and stay informed about future developments that will benefit our events and partners.
Learn more about EPN here.