Exhibitors who will be shipping via air may contact Freeman for services and answers to questions by calling 800.995.3579 or email exhibit.transportation@freeman.com.

CFI International Perishable Shipping 

Office Address:
Commodity Forwarders, Inc.
88 Black Falcon Ave., Ste 140
Boston, MA  02210
Phone: 617.439.0740

www.cfiperishables.com

REQUIRED: Label All Freight
For your convenience, shipping labels have been included below for you to print. Make sure all freight is clearly marked with your company name, event name, and your booth number. You can contact Freeman directly to obtain any related costs associated with either shipping option. 

Advanced Freeman Warehouse Label   Direct to Show Site Shipping Label   

Refrigerated Shipping Label   Frozen Storage Shipping Label   Machinery Shipping Label

1. Paperwork from the transportation company should clearly state the description and weight of each piece of machinery.
2. Please use the machinery shipping labels provided above to help clearly identify any crates or skids.

If you are shipping your perishables use the “refrigerated” and/or “frozen” label provided in this section of the exhibitor resource center.  Include your booth number on the shipping label to ensure that cartons are placed in the appropriate reefer units. PLEASE NOTE: To ensure quick retrieval of stored products, please place labels on the TOP and SIDES of your containers.
 

If you will be carrying perishables to the expo in a privately-owned vehicle, simply bring perishables to the reefer area on the docks and a Freeman Representative will show you where to store them. Note: All perishables that are not labeled will automatically be placed in the freezer units.  There is ample refrigerator and freezer storage space on the truck docks for all perishable seafood products. You do not need to order storage space. It is provided automatically, at no charge.
 

Freeman representatives monitor all freezer and refrigerator storage during the expo to assist you with any questions you might have.  For security reasons, only exhibitors with Exhibitor Badges will be permitted to remove product. While storage space within the units is free, material handling charges apply if Freeman carries, delivers or otherwise handles product. Exhibitors may handle their own product or pay Freeman to do it. All perishables should be delivered to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center beginning Thursday, March 13th from 8:00AM to 4:30PM.
 

Please note: Event Management and/or its agents will not be held liable if spoilage results due to incorrectly labeled packages containing perishables. If your boxes are not labeled upon receipt at the loading dock they will be automatically placed in FROZEN storage. Please be very explicit about which storage unit you would like your product to be stored

We strongly encourage exhibitors with large booths to ship to the Freeman Warehouse – Shipping your freight to the warehouse will ensure that your materials will be in your booth so that you can begin installation as soon as you arrive. Freeman will accept crated, boxed, or skidded materials beginning Tuesday, February 11th, 2025, and will deliver the shipment to your booth. All containers must be labeled as shown at the right. Warehouse materials are accepted at the warehouse Monday through Friday between 8:00am – 4:00pm. To avoid additional after deadline charges, materials must arrive by Thursday, March 6, 2025.
 

Please note that the Freeman Warehouse does not accept uncrated freight (loose, pad-wrapped material and/or unskidded machinery), COD shipments, hazardous materials, freight requiring refrigerated or frozen storage, a single piece of freight weighing more than 5,000 pounds or a single piece of freight beyond the dimensions of 108" H x 93" W. Certified weight tickets must accompany all shipments. If required, provide your carrier with this phone number: (888) 508-5054

Advanced Freeman Warehouse Label 

Correctly Labeling your Direct Shipments of Machinery or Perishable Product can save you significant Material Handling Charges! Make sure to use the Machinery Label if you are shipping a piece of machinery to receive the lower machinery material handling rate. If you are shipping Perishable Product that will not be shipped out, using the correct Refrigerated or Frozen Storage labels will ensure you are only charged the one way material handling rate. International Exhibitors are strongly encouraged to read the “Tips for Exhibiting in Boston” document that outlines the details of what charges are typically billed to exhibitors in the US.

Freight will be received at the BCEC during the following dates/times:

Thursday, March 13   8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday, March 14        8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday, March 15    8:00 am – 5:00 pm
 

NOTE: ALL carriers MUST check in at the Marshalling Yard before proceeding to the Boston Convention Center loading docks. Shipments that arrive before March 13th may be refused by the facility. All shipments accepted on Saturday will have overtime charges applied.

Labels:

Set-up and dismantle labor must be performed by your own full time employees or by union labor. Union labor must be hired through Freeman. The hiring of casual labor is not permitted. Exhibitors may hire an Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC) to supervise the installation and dismantling of their exhibit. The EAC will not be allowed to perform labor required to set-up and dismantle the exhibit unless they are members of the appropriate local union. If you are planning to use an Exhibitor Appointed Contractor, please complete the Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Form.

Freeman Quick Facts   Labor Jurisdiction   Tips for Exhibiting in Boston 

TARGETED MOVE-IN SCHEDULE:

• Thursday, March 13          8:00 am - 5:00 pm **Targeted Move-In 600 sq. ft. or larger 
• Friday, March 14               8:00 am - 5:00 pm 
• Saturday, March 15           8:00 am - 5:00 pm 
  • EXHIBITS MUST BE MOVED IN & SET UP BY SATURDAY, MARCH 9 AT 4:30 PM
  • All labor performed after 4:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and all day on Saturday will be assessed overtime charges.
  • Set up staff may continue to work on exhibits after the closing hour but may not reenter the building after exiting. Please plan accordingly and bring all supplies needed to stay after hours

For the convenience and safety of exhibitors and patrons all freight and material handling must enter and exit the facility through the loading docks. Exhibitors will be allowed to hand carry one item, one time, in or out of the facility without having to access the loading dock. Hand carried freight is defined as one item that can be easily carried by an individual exhibitor without the need for dollies or other mechanized equipment. Parking is not allowed at the entrance of the facility and the use of passenger elevators for movement of freight is not allowed. All packages are subject to inspection by facility personnel.

Exhibitors may unload their own shipments through the POV dock provided they meet the following criteria:

1. The shipment must be delivered in a company owned truck or rental vehicle or from a car, van or truck owned by personnel of the exhibiting company. All trucks, including company owned or rental vehicles over 24’ in length will be off-loaded or loaded by the official material handling contractor.
2. The unloading must be performed by bonafide, full-time employees of the exhibiting company.
3. The exhibiting company must use its own hand-operated, non-motorized equipment, which they have provided: two-wheeled hand trucks and four-wheeled flat trucks are permitted. The use of fork trucks, pallet jacks, lift gates or any other mechanical equipment is not permitted by anyone other than the official drayage contractor.
4. Privately Owned Vehicles (POVs) should check in with Freeman for the location of the designated POV unloading dock. Please make sure your driver is well aware of these procedures. If your driver accepts help from onsite labor at the docks, the exhibiting company will be charged for this service.

Please have your entire booth “expo ready” at least one hour before the opening on expo day. Last minute set up results in an unprofessional appearance to visitors and missed sales opportunities for exhibitors. Buyers in the Key Buyer Program have been invited to access the exhibit hall beginning at 8:00AM, two hours before the official expo opening each day for the “Key Buyer Power Hour.” Key Buyers have been encouraged to use this time as an opportunity to plan their day and preview the exhibits before the crowds arrive. Exhibitors are not required to staff their booths during this time but should be aware that Key Buyers may be in the exhibit hall. Buyers have been reminded that the show is not officially open at this time and therefore exhibit staff may be finishing last minute booth arrangements and may or may not be available to speak with them.

No display material, in whole or in part, may be removed from the exhibit area prior to the close of the expo at 3:00PM, Tuesday, March 18th. 
 

Important Information:

• All booths must be staffed for the full hours of the expo. An empty booth or early dismantling subjects your company to a significant fine and loss of location for the following exhibit year. Please make your travel plans accordingly. 
• Empty crates will be returned immediately after the removal of the aisle carpet. Due to the size of the expo, it may take up to 5 hours to return all empty crates to the expo floor.

• Tuesday, March 18                 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm
• Wednesday, March 19           8:00 am - 4:30 pm
• Thursday, March 20               8:00 am - 12:00 pm

 All labor and outbound material handling services performed after 4:30 p.m. will have overtime charges applied.

ALL CARRIERS MUST CHECK IN NO LATER THAN 10:00AM ON THURSDAY, MARCH 20th. Drivers not checked in by this time will risk the possibility of their shipments going out on the house carrier at the exhibitor’s expense.

If you have not done so in advance, you may make arrangements to have your exhibit returned by visiting the exhibitor service desk area onsite. Representatives from various freight companies will be available to assist you.

Please note: To avoid overtime charges, if you are shipping out during straight-time hours, you must arrange for a dedicated freight carrier.