OrangeDoor has officially launched ODXPO, a dedicated exhibitions division offering clients three approaches to stand design and delivery, following investment in modular systems, warehousing and specialist staff.
Led by head of events and exhibitions Chris Anstead, supported by senior exhibition manager Will Dexter and a growing team, the offer brings together fully bespoke stands, reusable modular designs and a lighter option for smaller spaces and budgets.
The launch marks the next step in OrangeDoor’s expansion following its merger with US events business Unbridled. Speaking to micebook, founder and CEO Elizabeth Heron revealed that the agency’s team has grown by around 35% since the merger, with recruitment continuing.
When micebook met the combined leadership team earlier this year, exhibitions were identified as an area for investment. ODXPO now gives that ambition a dedicated identity, building on work the agency has long delivered for existing clients.
“We’ve continued to grow our exhibition client base, but until now, we haven’t really actively promoted that side of the business,” says Anstead.
The concept took shape following Dexter’s arrival last year. The pair developed a business case at the start of 2026, securing support from OrangeDoor’s senior leadership and Unbridled, with the first deployment of the agency’s own system taking place in April.
Since then, the team has expanded, delivering multiple stands at individual shows and investing in stock that can be configured, tested and stored in its own warehouse.
ODXPO Bespoke offers fully custom stands developed around a client’s brand, objectives and space. Flex uses a modular, reusable system that can be reconfigured across different shows, while Lite provides a streamlined option for smaller spaces, tighter budgets and shorter lead times.
Flex currently includes around 14 pre-designed stand options, alongside scope for further configurations and bespoke elements. Owning the system gives the team greater control over design and delivery, with stands pre-built and checked before arriving on site.
“We can then tailor these ODXPO Flex systems to their needs,” adds Dexter. “What do you want to get from this show? Is there an activation you want to bring in?”
Reuse is central to the approach. The aluminium framework can be adapted to different footprints, while graphics can be designed to work across a client’s annual show calendar, stored and brought out again.
Lite also supports sponsor exhibitions within conferences and roadshows, using illuminated displays and counters that can be combined with screens and other elements. The team has already taken the system on an eight-stop European roadshow.
For Anstead, the wider opportunity lies in connecting the physical stand with everything that happens around it. ODXPO can draw on OrangeDoor’s creative, marketing and events teams to support activations, communications, hospitality, accommodation and associated events.
“I think having the backing of the events team, the creative team, the marketing team behind us, really allows us to offer that kind of full 360 service for clients that want it,” says Anstead.
That starts with understanding why a brand is exhibiting and how it will attract and engage the right people. “A huge part of that pitch process was the attendee journey, so start to finish,” he says of a recent bespoke proposal. “But that journey starts before the show itself.”
The team considers pre-show communications, the visitor’s route through the stand, product interactions and staff briefings, alongside how conversations will be followed up afterwards.
Accessibility is considered throughout the design process, from incorporating ramps and lowered counters to making on-stand activities accessible to all visitors. The three options give clients room to develop their exhibition presence over time, moving between formats as their needs and budgets change.
Further growth is planned, with a potential European warehouse among the options being considered as demand develops. For Anstead, the ambition is to build the division’s reputation for quality while protecting the service it delivers.
“We want to be the best we can be at this within our industry,” he says. “We have the internal knowledge, we have the skill set, and we now have the resources to be able to do this.”
That means scaling carefully, with continued investment in people and equipment. “We want to be known as the company that shows up and provides clients with outstanding service and outstanding product,” he adds.
Heron believes the combination of agency-owned exhibition systems and OrangeDoor’s wider event capabilities helps set ODXPO apart. With investment in other areas of the business also underway, she hinted that further new offerings will follow as the agency’s next chapter takes shape as part of the Unbridled group.