Crain’s
On Display
Nineteen years ago, Jill Hebert transferred her carpentry skills from the wood shop to the convention center.That’s when she founded Matrex Exhibits, Inc., which designs, builds and breaks down hundreds of display booths a year.
“I know my way around a table saw,” says Ms. Hebert, a former custom furniture maker.
She got the idea in 1981 while attending her first trade show for vending machine manufacturers at
Today, she has 58 employees and 60 clients, including Sara Lee corp. and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. Last year, Matrex’s revenues were up 45%, a jump that Ms. Hebert attributes to landing three new accounts.
These days Ms. Hebert doesn’t have much use for her proficiency with a miter saw. When bidding on a project, she and her staff present clients with computerized models rather than traditional handmade renderings. Once their design is selected, it takes Matrex’s crew of carpenters, graphics designers and engineers up to six months to build a “preview” exhibit for a client, get approval and ship it to the trade show location.
The company’s largest project so far? A 14,400-square-foot exhibit for medical device maker Stryker Corp. at a trade show at
“It took 15 full-size vans to move it,” she says.
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For Additional Information, contact:
Matrex Exhibits
jeff@matrexhibits.com