How to prepare for your participation in Solutrans: the complete guide for exhibitors

Exhibitors preparing for Solutrans know that the trade show only happens every two years, and that Solutrans editions often dictate industry purchasing decisions for the following twenty-four months. Preparing for your participation in Solutrans requires a method, not intuition. Solutrans 2027 will be held from November 16 to 20, 2027 at Lyon Eurexpo, over 5 days. Here is how to structure your preparation for the world's leading trade show for industrial and urban vehicles, including the figures and technical details that truly make a difference.

Why Solutrans is the essential event for road transport

The global trade show for industrial and urban vehicles

Solutrans has been organized by the French Bodywork Federation (FFC) since 1988. Its 2025 edition at Lyon Eurexpo brought together 1,100 exhibitors from 21 countries across 100,000 m² of exhibition space, with over 65,000 professional visitors expected. It was the first time in the show's history that the number of new model launches reached a record high. The event brings together the entire road transport value chain: industrial and commercial vehicle manufacturers, bodybuilders, equipment suppliers, logistics providers, and distribution networks. Each edition confirms a growing international dimension, with strong delegations from Germany, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, and China.

A biennial show, a structural decision

Solutrans is held only once every two years at Lyon Eurexpo. A missed opportunity cannot be made up the following year. For manufacturers and equipment suppliers, this is often the window where fleet buyers, carriers, and logistics managers make their investment decisions for the next two years. An exhibitor absent from an edition falls off their prospects' radar for twenty-four months. In years without Solutrans, the FFC organizes "Les Rencontres de la Filière," a one-day event that extends the momentum without the same commercial scale.

Decarbonization at the heart of every conversation

The 2025 edition confirmed a major trend: Solutrans has become the laboratory for the energy transition in road transport. Energy mix (electric, hydrogen, hybrid, CNG), European emissions regulations, AI-driven fleet management, and cybersecurity for connected vehicles are the topics dominating discussions at booths and in Agora conferences. Exhibitors who arrive at Solutrans without positioning their offering in relation to these issues miss out on half of the relevant conversations.

The ideal timeline for exhibiting at Solutrans

12 to 9 months before: defining the project

Everything starts with a specific question: why are you participating in Solutrans? Launching a new vehicle model or bodywork solution, meeting fleet buyers and carriers, demonstrating decarbonization technology, recruiting international distributors, or strengthening your presence with urban logistics operators: each objective concretely changes the booth specifications.

A vehicle launch requires a central location with enough clearance for product staging and maximum signage height. An onboard technology demonstration calls for an interactive demo space with integrated connectivity. This is also the time to book your spot. With 100,000 m² spread across several halls, your position within the hall matters just as much as the square footage. Eight months before the 2025 edition, over 90% of the space was already booked.

6 to 4 months before: design and production

Solutrans is a trade show for large, physical products. Technical constraints shape the design phase from the very beginning. If you are exhibiting an industrial vehicle (truck, tractor, trailer, or utility vehicle), your brief must anticipate: floor load (a loaded truck can weigh 25 to 40 tons; hall floors have weight limits that must be checked hall by hall), vehicle entry onto the stand (access aisle dimensions, ceiling height per hall), power supply for electric vehicles shown in charging demos, and staging that highlights the vehicle without turning the stand into a simple indoor parking lot.

For equipment manufacturers and solution providers without vehicles, the challenge is different: in a show where neighbors are displaying trucks and trailers, a 20 m² stand presenting software or onboard equipment must compensate for its size with strong staging and a concrete demonstration. Credibility is proven on the stand, not in the brochure. This is also the time to decide between custom-built stands and modular stands. For a 5-day biennial show, a robust modular stand designed to last is often the most economically rational option.

2 months before: communication and team training

Solutrans attracts exhibitors from 21 countries and significant international delegations. Pre-show communication must be in both French and English, with special attention to key industry markets (Germany, Benelux, Italy, and emerging African markets for certain manufacturers). Eight to twelve weeks before, announce your participation on LinkedIn and via email. Four to six weeks before, present your planned innovations and launches, and open your appointment calendar. At a 5-day show, a significant portion of qualified leads is planned in advance: your pre-show appointment calendar is a reliable indicator of expected commercial return.

Team training must be tailored to the visitor profiles at Solutrans: fleet buyers (specific questions on TCO, maintenance, availability), independent carriers (they compare, they have little time, and they test the speaker's credibility in just a few exchanges), logistics managers for major brands (they are looking for arguments to decarbonize their fleets), and international delegations (who require a fluent English-speaking contact).

During the show: lasting five days

Solutrans lasts 5 days, including a late-night session until 10 PM on Thursday. It is the longest show of this type in this guide. Team fatigue is the primary operational risk. Use a rigorous rotation (no more than two consecutive days for any team member without a change in role), set daily objectives differentiated by the expected visitor profile for that day, and hold a debriefing at the end of each day to consolidate priority contacts. The Thursday late-night session is an often underutilized window: the traffic is different, more relaxed, and conducive to informal exchanges that lead to serious business conversations the following day.

Solutrans budget: what you really need to plan for

Often overlooked expenses

Beyond the floor space, costs specific to a vehicle show include: logistics for bringing in and removing vehicles (conveying, transport on platforms for non-road-legal machinery), insurance for exhibited vehicles (check with your insurer: a vehicle on display at a show may fall outside your standard fleet coverage), electrical hookups for electric vehicles in charging demos, and daily cleaning of the vehicles on display over the 5 days.

Indirect costs over 5 days are higher than for a 3-day show: accommodation in Lyon (to be booked several months in advance), team catering for the duration, and product budget if you have a reception area with activities. For full details: cost of a stand, what you really pay per square meter.

Modular or custom stand: how to decide

Since Solutrans is biennial, the decision between modular and custom arises as it does for any infrequent show: a custom stand rebuilt identically for each edition costs about 80% of the initial build, compared to €3,000 to €6,000 for reassembling a well-designed modular stand. For an exhibitor who returns every edition and potentially exhibits at other transport shows in the intervening years, a modular stand amortized over several events is often the most rational choice over a 4 to 6-year period.

Generating qualified leads during Solutrans

A lead capture system tailored for the transport industry

Fleet buyers visiting Solutrans aren't there to collect brochures: they are there to see, touch, test, and make decisions. Your lead capture system must reflect this reality. Use systematic badge scanning, immediate context notes (fleet type, current engine types, renewal plans, and timelines), and quick qualification with 2-3 questions before starting a long demonstration. This is the logic behind turning a booth into a lead generation machine, even at a trade show for physical products.

Using Agora conferences to boost visibility

Solutrans hosts a packed program of conferences at the Agora covering decarbonization, European regulations, urban logistics, and AI. Speaking at a conference or being cited as a reference during a panel discussion generates visibility that extends far beyond the show floor. For equipment manufacturers and tech providers whose offerings address energy transition challenges, this is an opportunity to seize during the preparation phase.

Post-show: turning contacts into opportunities

The 48-hour follow-up window that really counts

Five days at a trade show means that contacts from the first day have had time to visit ten other booths before heading home. Follow-up must start during the show, not after: assign a lead consolidation manager to work at the end of each day, with initial follow-ups sent the very next morning for priority contacts. For international leads, provide follow-ups in English and technical materials translated within 48 hours.

Reporting that proves trade show ROI

At a biennial show where the lead-to-order conversion cycle can span 6 to 18 months, reporting must measure business impact over that entire period. Vehicles ordered, maintenance contracts signed, and vendor status secured with logistics decision-makers: these are the metrics that justify the budget for the next edition. For the full method: how to calculate trade show ROI.

Conclusion: where do you really stand?

A successful Solutrans experience doesn't just depend on your booth or location. It relies on rigorous preparation, a strategy aligned with the industry's current challenges (and in 2025-2027, decarbonization is the lens through which every offering will be evaluated), and a sales follow-up process that doesn't stop when the halls close. To learn more about exhibiting: solutrans.fr.

FAQ

What are the dates for Solutrans 2027?

Solutrans 2027 will be held from November 16 to 20, 2027 at Lyon Eurexpo, over 5 days (including a late-night opening on Thursday until 10 p.m.). The trade show brings together 1,100 exhibitors from 21 countries across 100,000 m² of exhibition space, exclusively reserved for road transport, bodywork, and logistics professionals.

When should you book your stand for Solutrans?

Ideally between 12 and 18 months before the event. Eight months out from the 2025 edition, more than 90% of the space was already booked. As the show is biennial, booking late means settling for remaining spots or waiting two years.

What budget should be planned for a Solutrans stand?

The budget depends heavily on the surface area and whether or not vehicles are being exhibited. For exhibitors with vehicles, you must include logistics costs (conveying, transport), insurance for the displayed vehicles, electrical connections for demonstration vehicles, and accommodation costs for the team over 5 days in Lyon.

Modular stand or custom-built stand for Solutrans?

For a recurring exhibitor, a modular stand is often the most rational choice over 4 to 6 years. Custom-built remains relevant for a product launch or a first-time participation where visual impact is a higher priority than amortization.

How do you exhibit an industrial vehicle on your stand?

By planning ahead from the brief: the vehicle's floor load and the hall's weight limits, access dimensions (aisle width, ceiling height), power supply if the vehicle is electric or hybrid, and the staging that highlights the equipment without turning the stand into a simple covered parking lot.

How long before the show should you start preparing your presence?

Strategic planning starts 12 to 18 months in advance, given the high demand for space. Stand design and technical procedures begin 4 to 6 months before. Pre-show communication and team training intensify in the final two months.