IFE, International Food & Drink Event, organised by Montgomery Events, a division of Montgomery Group, has signed a three-year deal with Full Circle Events & Exhibitions to construct three zero-carbon show features out of recycled and recyclable materials.  

IFE 2023, which took place at ExCeL London on 20-22 March, was the first edition to use the recycled materials for the show’s Sustainability Stage, Trends & Innovation Platform and New Products Tasting Theatre.  

Kane Thomas, Sales & Marketing Director at Full Circle, commented: “When approached by Montgomery Events regarding the features on IFE, we saw instant correlation between their heavy focus on sustainability and our own company values and vision for 2023 and beyond.” 

“Taking the initial brief for this year, we worked closely with the organiser to utilise our full in-house capability across our large format graphics workshop, design studio and production team to approach it from a very different angle. The innovation and creativity of our team, along with the dedication and vision of Montgomery Events has resulted in a longstanding relationship where we are able to create memorable, impactful, on-site attractions to complement their exhibitions.” 

“It's been a great opportunity working on this project to bring together our most eco-friendly components, materials and stock to design the three IFE features this year. With a three-year commitment from both parties, working together to improve sustainability in events, Full Circle will reuse, repurpose, recycle and redesign the features year on year.” 

“We’re thrilled to be joining Montgomery Events in this three-year sustainability pledge, as Full Circle continues its push to be at the forefront of contractor sustainability in the exhibition industry. We’re currently working with other large global organisers to support their own Net Zero journey, giving the full supply chain visibility and participation that is required to help achieve this.” 

Shane Hannam, Managing Director of Montgomery Events, added: “Montgomery Events is on an ongoing journey to run more sustainable events across the global business, and this multi-year agreement with Full Circle is a fantastic step forward and commitment to sustainability which we hope to emulate in our other events.” 

Sustainability Stage 

The Sustainability Stage had the story of its production built into the design. Rustic, edgy and a little different, this space was made using sustainably sourced, recycled materials. 

The stage combined repurposed scaffold railings, 100% recyclable PVC-free canvas wraps and OSB (recycled timber products) along with existing trad units, manufactured in-house at the Full Circle Workshop and with an infinite lifecycle. 

Trends & Innovation Platform 

The recycled ecoVISIONframes that made up the show’s Trends & Innovation Platform served as the most sustainable option for the back walls and surround, using a mixture of Re-board, 100% recyclable PVC-free canvas wraps and reusable foamex for all graphics and branding. The floor covering was 100% recyclable exhibition carpet (which gets turned into PP pellets). 

New Products Tasting Theatre 

The theatre was constructed using a mixture of existing trad units, manufactured in-house at the Full Circle Workshop and with an infinite lifecycle, salvaged timber and recycled ecoVISIONframes. 

The salvaged timber shelving on the back wall allowed for great exposure of the products on show, while still being easily swapped for each session. The floor covering was 100% recyclable exhibition carpet (which gets turned into PP pellets). 

Find out more about sustainability initiatives at IFE this year at ife.co.uk/sustainability