Company Description
Founded in 1883 by William Widdop, Widdop & Co., are a fifth generation, family run business that supplies homeware and gifting to retail. Evolution today now sees us have our expansive UK head office and distribution centre in Manchester, serving customers across the UK, Ireland, and over 60 countries worldwide. We have in-house design and product development teams that create more than 3,000 new products each year across 35 exclusive brands, and an expansive on-site showroom. Exemplary customer service makes us the first choice of leading retailers and small independent shops worldwide.
Role Overview
The Tradeshow & Showroom Construction role is a hands-on position responsible for carrying out physical construction, setup, renovation, and maintenance work across the showroom, tradeshow stands, and office facilities. Working directly on installations, this role focuses on physically constructing product displays, carrying out showroom updates, and handling general maintenance to support company operations.
Key Trade & Practical Skills Required
- Joinery & Carpentry: Proficient in timber frame construction, building bespoke display stands, partitioning, wall panelling, fitting shelving, mounting cabinetry, and precision measuring and cutting.
- General Labouring & Site Operations: Experienced in heavy lifting, manual handling, site clearance, loading and unloading transport vehicles, tradeshow breakdown, and physical site prep.
- Painting & Decorating: Strong surface preparation skills (filling, sanding, priming) and neat execution of painting, decorative finishes, and touch-ups for showroom and stand visuals.
- Basic Electrics & Display Fixtures: Skilled in mounting display lighting, safely routing cabling, assembling modular exhibition setups, and installing basic plug-and-play electrical display elements.
- Tool Operation & Maintenance: Skilled in the safe, proficient use of hand and power tools (mitre saws, circular saws, cordless drills, routers, nail guns etc.) and keeping equipment maintained.
Duties & Responsibilities
1. Showroom Renovations & Tradeshow Builds
- Hands-on Construction & Joinery: Build, assemble, adapt, and break down all exhibition stands and showroom partitions using joinery and timber fabrication techniques.
- Showroom Refurbishment: Carry out physical renovation tasks within the showroom, including fitting walls, mounting displays, hanging signage, repairing fixtures, and painting.
- Technical Interpretation: Read and work directly from floorplans, technical drawings, 3D layouts, and CAD/SketchUp files to build accurately to specification.
- Material Selection & Handling: Select, prep, and transport appropriate construction materials, timber, hardware, and tools to maintain high build quality and durability.
2. Build Preparation, Labouring & Logistics
- Loading & Logistics: Safely pack, load, transport, unload, and set up all build materials, tools, display stock, and equipment for trade shows and events.
- Specification Gathering: Proactively gather technical specifications, stand dimensions, and venue requirements well ahead of build dates.
- Event Logistics Prep: Complete physical and administrative build preparation, such as organising tool kits, ordering stand services (e.g., electricity), and completing required health and safety documentation with the showroom teams Event Planner.
- Compliance: Strictly adhere to Health & Safety regulations, manual handling guidelines, venue rules, and personal protective equipment (PPE) standards during all activities.
3. Facility Maintenance & Upkeep
- General Handyman Tasks: Perform routine maintenance, basic structural repairs, patch painting, and general physical upkeep across the office building and showroom.
- Quality Assurance: Conduct self-directed quality checks on all completed builds and repairs to ensure structures are sturdy, safe, visually clean, and commercially presented.
- Workshop & Tool Care: Maintain, clean, organise, and inspect all company tools, power equipment, and timber stock to keep them in safe working order.
Additional Requirements
- Travel: Regular national and international travel to trade show venues is required to perform on-site stand construction and breakdown.
- Driving: Possess a valid driving license to drive company vehicles for transporting tools, display materials, and build equipment to and from events.
- Flexibility: Degree of flexibility required, including willingness to work outside standard working hours (early starts, late finishes, and occasional weekend work) during build-up and breakdown phases of major events.
- Physicality: Fully hands-on role requiring physical strength and stamina for lifting, manual handling, overhead work, and real-time troubleshooting during builds.
- Skill Development: Openness to undertake technical trade training (e.g., joinery or construction certifications) to continuously develop personal build capabilities.
Why Join Our Team?
If you take real pride in seeing your hard work come to life, turning a blank floorplan into a stunning, finished exhibition stand or showroom feature, you’ll fit right in.
We are a fast-paced, creative, and supportive team that values quality craftsmanship and a solid work ethic. In this role, you won't be stuck behind a desk or tied to the exact same routine every day. Instead, you’ll have complete practical ownership over your work, exciting hands-on projects to sink your teeth into, and the opportunity to travel to premier trade show venues across the country and abroad during our show season! Apply today with your CV.
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
