Gallagher Convention Centre · Exhibitor Guide
What South African Businesses Need To Know
For prospective exhibitors, the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand is best approached as a multi-hall campus venue rather than a single-space booking. The complex offers approximately 30,000 m² of indoor exhibition space across five multipurpose expo halls, supplemented by significant outdoor demonstration areas. This combination makes Gallagher the natural home for South Africa’s heavy-industry calendar, including the Africa Automation Technology Fair and similar plant and machinery exhibitions. The two primary indoor configurations are the full halls, booked for complex for large-format shows, and the smaller individual rooms booked out for more targeted events.
Operationally, Gallagher’s compliance path requires planning well ahead of build-up. Structural drawings for elevated or complex stands must be submitted for sign-off before build-up begins; permit packs for temporary structures carry their own lead time. If your stand relies on stable connectivity, contract dedicated Wi-Fi or hardwired access separately; shared venue Wi-Fi at Gallagher is not suited to business-critical use.
On This Page
Table of Contents
The Venue Layout
Floor areas, ceiling heights, and how the spaces are typically used.
The Gallagher Convention Centre offers around 30,000 m² of combined event space across five numbered halls, an auditorium, several smaller rooms, and two bespoke banquet venues. The four main halls (1, 2, 3, and 5) make up 27,000 m² of that total and are ideal for large events. All halls feature a single-level load-in.
Hall 1
Size: 4,050 m²
Ceiling: 4.99 m to 5.63 m
Loading doors (h x w): 4.2 m x 3.5 m
Pillared multi-purpose hall. Unlike the other Gallagher halls, Hall 1 lacks evaporative air cooling and heating systems, ducting with water and electrical connections, and organisers’ offices.
Hall 2
Size: 6,640 m²
Ceiling: 7.46 m to 9.83 m
Loading doors (h x w): 5 m x 5 m
One of the larger halls ideal for big exhibitions and conferences, it can seat up to 7,000 people. An upper lobby adjoins the hall, along with a convenient 110 m² store room. It’s directly above Hall 1.
Hall 3
Size: 5,594 m²
Ceiling: 8.61 m to 10.41 m
Loading doors (h x w): 5 m x 4 m
A medium-large hall with a high ceiling suitable for all kinds of events. The upper lobby adjoins the hall, connecting it with Halls 1 and 2. There are plenty of loading doors.
Hall 4
Size: 2,520 m²
Ceiling: 6.13 m to 10.77 m
Loading access with ramp (h): 3.7 m
The smallest of the main halls. A public phone is available on-site, and a small storage room sits at the back of the venue. It’s best utilised for specific events.
Hall 5
Size: 7,392 m²
Ceiling: 6.94 m to 9.05 m
Loading shutters (h x w): 5 m x 4 m
The largest of the main halls with a long, thin rectangular layout. The ceiling isn’t as high, but the impressive venue length makes up for it. A service ramp and kitchen are adjacent, making it ideal for events that require catering solutions.
Worth knowing — The Gallagher halls can be reconfigured, which can result in a reduction in total hall size depending on your specific event. Always confirm the exact layout with your exhibit organisers before committing to a set stand size.
What Gallagher Is Best For
Use cases this venue serves well, and where a different choice would be smarter.
Gallagher is the right venue for:
- Gauteng-centric trade shows where the target audience is drawn from Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the broader Highveld industrial and commercial base.
- Heavy industry, mining, engineering, and manufacturing exhibitions, as the venue’s hall load ratings and large outdoor demonstration areas easily accommodate heavy machinery and vehicle displays that cannot be run at other venues.
- Events that require outdoor demonstration space alongside indoor stands — Gallagher’s campus layout supports simultaneous indoor and outdoor programming in a way that CTICC and Sandton Convention Centre cannot.
- Large-scale annual shows with complex logistics, including high freight volume, large contractor teams, and extended build-up periods.
- African continent plays — Midrand’s position as a Gauteng hub makes it a practical base for regional buyers and international exhibitors targeting sub-Saharan markets.
The Build Process
Move-in logistics, height limits, rigging arrangements, and build windows.
Move-in
Gallagher’s loading access is hall-specific. Halls 1 and 4 load from Gallagher Avenue; Halls 2 and 3 load from Richards Drive. The current event manual pattern requires exhibitors to off-load and immediately move vehicles to designated parking.
During breakdown, the official handling and lifting contractor in control moves up from the holding area into the bay.
Key Practicalities
- Service doors: these vary, but are usually 5 m height × 5 m width or 5 m height x 4 width. Hall 1 has slightly smaller service/loading doors, and Hall 4 has a unique loading ramp facility that’s almost 4 metres high.
- Parking and loading facilities: 5,000 parking bays are available on-site, along with drive-in loading bays.
- Freight: the venue is designed for large-volume freight, and trucks up to 12 metres can be accommodated.
- On-site drayage: Forklift and mechanical lifting are available but incur a lifting fee; hand-carry porter support is also available and is sometimes free.
- Security: On-site storage solutions are available at some of the halls, giving you extra peace of mind.
Stand Height
Gallagher Convention Centre hasn’t published exact stand height limits, but past exhibitor manuals give a 5-metre maximum stand height, depending on hall location. Always cross-check the current event manual against the hall-specific ceiling figures above.
The back-of-stand walling above 2.5 m must be finished and presentable on the side facing adjacent stands. Various manuals specify fines of around R5,000 for non-compliance by the stated deadline.
Rigging
Ceiling suspension at Gallagher must be carried out exclusively by Gallagher staff; this is not a task for the stand contractor. Halls 2 and 3 have limited rigging areas, and suspension plan drawings require venue approval before any work begins.
Worth knowing — An older Gallagher rules document states the main beam can handle 1,000 kg total and 500 kg per hook, with roof beams rated at 30 kg. Confirm these before your event.
Build Days
The Securex 2026 manual gives the clearest published example of a typical Gallagher build schedule. The services manual and stand design submission deadline is usually 2 months before the show. Seven days before access, meanwhile, your contractor safety file submission should be due.
All stands must be dressed by 22:00 the evening before the show opens, while the full venue must be cleared by 15:00 the day after breakdown.
Getting To Gallagher Convention Centre
Address, public transport options, road access, and parking arrangements.
Location
Gallagher Convention Centre is at 19 Richards Drive, Midrand, Gauteng. On the R101 Old Pretoria Road, it’s roughly equidistant between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
By Public Transport
The Midrand Gautrain station is the closest rail connection, but the venue is not walkable from the station. Delegates and exhibitor teams arriving by Gautrain will need a taxi, ride-hail, or an organiser-arranged shuttle for the last mile. Build this into delegate communications rather than assuming independent walkability. Gautrain connects OR Tambo International Airport to Midrand Station via an interchange at Marlboro.
By Road
Gallagher has direct access from the N1 from both Johannesburg and Pretoria. OR Tambo International Airport is approximately 45 minutes by road in normal traffic. Vehicles load into the venue from Gallagher Avenue (Halls 1 and 4) or Richards Drive (Halls 2 and 3).
On-site Services
Wi-Fi, catering, furniture, electricity and security at Gallagher Convention Centre.
Gallagher offers solid on-site infrastructure for trade exhibitions, with a number of exclusive supplier arrangements that exhibitors need to account for in their planning.
Food and beverage is managed exclusively by Gallagher Convention Centre. External catering is not permitted for general food-service use; all catering must be arranged through the venue. Event manuals may also apply a utilities fee for food-stand operators. A 2025 manual cited R2,000 per catering stand as a utilities charge. Treat this as an indicative benchmark.
Electricity is available and generator backup is also advertised by the venue. HVAC is available in Halls 2, 3, 4, and 5, which have evaporative cooling and heating.
Wi-Fi is available free of charge in designated areas. Dedicated or enhanced connectivity can be ordered through the venue, keeping in mind that shared guest Wi-Fi is not suitable for business-critical stand operations.
Rigging and ceiling suspension is carried out by Gallagher staff only. Stand contractors may not perform ceiling suspension or work independently.
Worth knowing — Gallagher’s rate cards for electrics, cleaning, security, and connectivity are not available as a single current public tariff. Budget these lines from the event-specific service-order forms for your show, not from general venue marketing materials.
Costs To Plan For
Indicative rates for stand space, services, rigging, and ancillaries.
The cost cards below give an overview of the costs you can expect at Gallagjer.
Stand space — organiser package
Includes wall panels, fascia, carpet, at least one fluorescent light, a 220 V plug point, and daily vacuuming. Extra electrics ordered separately.
Stand space — venue base rate
Floor area only. No carpet, no electrics, and no furniture are included. Floor covering is the exhibitor’s responsibility (drop sheet, PVC, or chipboard).
Power
Basic power included in package stands; additional circuits are ordered via the event service order form. Electrical ducting services are available Halls 2–5. Full power backup is in place in case of a power outage.
Rigging
Handled through Gallagher’s preferred rigging supplier and charged per point. Quote-based.
Wi-Fi / IT
Free shared Wi-Fi in designated areas; dedicated connections available upon request. Point-to-point 10mbps fibre lines are available for ~R3150.00 each ex VAT.
Furniture
Contact Booth Exhibits™ or your preferred supplier for more info.
Catering
Certified Halaal in-house catering is available through GC³H, the venue’s preferred in-house catering service. Meals can be ordered in bulk as package deals. Contact the organisers for more info.
Stand cleaning / security
Package stands include daily vacuuming. Total 24-hour general security during build-up and show period is standard.
Insurance — public liability
Public liability cover above R3 million is recommended for exhibitors and contractors. Contact the organisers for a more precise reccomendation.
Penalties (organiser examples)
Can vary by event. One example is Securex 2026: R5,000 for back-of-stand walling above 2.5 m not finished by the stated deadline; R5,000 for late hall clearing.
Parking
Gallagher offers over 5,000 parking bays for both exhibitors and visitors to use. Most of it is uncovered.
Gallagher vs Durban ICC
How Gallagher compares to Durban ICC on scale, visitor profile, and environment.
These regional venues are convenient but have some major differences. The decision usually comes down to these factors:
Scale
Gallagher: A combined 30,000 m² event space with 27 separate venues. The primary exhibition halls span Halls 1 through 5, with Hall 5 alone covering a footprint of roughly 7,390 m². Ground-level logistics and campus scale make it the practical choice for South Africa’s largest industrial and trade shows.
Durban ICC: An 11,600 m² main convention area divided into 22 interlinked halls, ranging from 306 m² (Hall 6A/6B) to 2,760 m² (Hall 2). The adjacent Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC) adds a further 6,000 m² of flat-floor exhibition space.
Visitor profile
Gallagher: Best reached by private vehicle or organiser shuttle from Gautrain Midrand station. The venue draws a Gauteng industrial and trade audience.
Durban ICC: A city-centre venue at 45 Bram Fischer Road, Durban, with the Hilton Durban Hotel directly adjacent. King Shaka International Airport is approximately 35 km north of the city. The venue draws a KwaZulu-Natal and broader coastal audience, and suits events where hotel adjacency and urban positioning are part of the delegate experience. It is not a rail-connected venue.
Environment
Gallagher: An open campus in Midrand: practical, operationally focused, and low-friction for heavy freight and large-scale exhibition builds. Its strength is industrial-scale logistics; its limitation is that the surrounding environment offers little in the way of urban amenity or walkable hospitality.
Durban ICC: A polished city-centre convention complex with hotel adjacency, concourse catering, and courtyard spaces. The venue’s character is conference-led: it hosts exhibitions, but its carpeted halls, 6-metre service-panel grid, and 10–12 m ceiling heights suit well-fitted modular stands more naturally.
Gallagher Convention Centre and Booth Exhibits™
Booth Exhibits™ has experience designing and building stands at Gallagher Convention Centre across automotive, industrial, agricultural and creative-industry events. For ideas on stand design that works in Gallagher’s hall environment, see our project portfolio. To discuss a specific show in Midrand, contact the Booth team or see our South African exhibition stand design and build services.
Exhibitor Templates
Working planning templates for Gallagher Convention Centre. Use as a starting point — adapt to your specific show and organiser.
Exhibitor timeline
6–9 months before open
Owner: Commercial lead
Confirm space-only vs package; verify hall allocation and floor-load compatibility with build specification.
4–6 months before open
Owner: Project manager
Appoint your desired stand builder and logistics partner.
10–12 weeks before open
Owner: Ops lead
Book power, connectivity, freight handling, security, and catering via event service-order forms.
~6 weeks before open
Owner: Design lead
Finalise design; submit everything by organiser’s deadline.
30 days before open
Owner: Safety lead
Submit EMS fire safety plan for any temporary structure; finalise insurance and badge orders.
14 days before open
Owner: Safety lead
Submit contractor safety file; confirm City of Johannesburg EMS and Lodge Safety sign-off.
7 days before open
Owner: Logistics lead
Space-only build; all ceiling suspension carried out by Gallagher staff only.
Build-up
Owner: Stand manager
Package exhibitor build-out and dressing; pre-clean before the show and implement a staffing plan.
Breakdown
Owner: Logistics lead
Hand-carry permitted after close; full venue clear by organiser-stated deadline.
Stand checklist
- Hall allocation confirmed and floor-load verified against build specification.
- Stand height within published limit for allocated hall.
- Floor covering specified (space-only: drop sheet, PVC, or chipboard).
- Stand drawings submitted by event deadline.
- Structural engineering calculations included where required.
- Rigging plan approved by venue in writing before any suspended elements are briefed to contractor.
- EMS fire safety plan submitted for any temporary structure.
- Contractor safety file submitted at least 7 days before access.
- Power and extra electrics ordered via event service-order form.
- Dedicated connectivity ordered if stand requires reliable uptime.
- Furniture and additional equipment ordered.
- Cleaning confirmed or booked separately if not included in stand package.
- Additional stand security booked through official security provider.
- Public liability insurance confirmed at R3 million or above.
- Back-of-stand walling above 2.5 m finished and presentable before stated deadline.
- Badges ordered by deadline.
- Loading route confirmed (Gallagher Avenue or Richards Drive) and freight logistics planned.
- Forklift/lifting fee budgeted if required.
Risk assessment template
Stand height exceeds hall limit
Initial risk: High
Control measures: Confirm the max height for allocated hall before the brief is issued.
Evidence: Written confirmation from organiser; hall technical spec document.
Floor load exceeded
Initial risk: High
Control measures: Obtain written floor-load confirmation; adjust build weight if required.
Evidence: Event technical manual; venue sign-off in writing.
Suspended elements without venue approval
Initial risk: High
Control measures: All ceiling suspension by Gallagher staff; submit a rigging plan before briefing your contractor.
Evidence: Approved rigging plan from venue/organiser.
EMS approval not obtained before build
Initial risk: High
Control measures: Submit EMS fire safety plan early; obtain approved stamp before erecting any temporary structure.
Evidence: EMS-approved documentation on site during build.
Contractor safety file missing
Initial risk: High
Control measures: Submit at least 7 days before access; include all required certifications.
Evidence: Organiser/venue receipt confirmation.
Late build or unfinished back-of-stand
Initial risk: Medium
Control measures: Map build schedule against organiser deadlines with buffer days; inspect back-of-stand walling before deadline.
Evidence: Photographic record pre-deadline.
Theft during breakdown or build-up
Initial risk: Medium
Control measures: Continuous staffing during high-risk windows; valuables removed or secured daily.
Evidence: Stand staff security roster.
Connectivity failure during event
Initial risk: Medium
Control measures: Dedicated connectivity contracted and tested before the show opens.
Evidence: Dedicated internet line order confirmation.
Unexpected cost items
Initial risk: Low
Control measures: All service lines ordered via event service-order forms; VAT-inclusive budget used from the outset.
Evidence: Completed service-order forms.
Quick Reference
All key venue specs in one place for fast lookup.
Total halls
5 Exhibition halls plus one ballroom.
Hall sizes
Hall 1: 4,050 m² | Hall 2: 6,636 m² | Hall 3: 5,594 m² | Hall 4: 2,520 m² | Hall 5: 7,392
Ceiling heights
Hall 1: 4.9 m–5.63 m | Hall 2: 7.46 m–9.83 m | Hall 3: 7.35 m–9.34 m | Hall 4: 6.13 m–10.77 m | Hall 5: 6.94 m–9.05 m (beam points).
Max stand height
Not publicly published. Approval-based per event; rigging certificates required for suspended elements.
Loading access
Halls 1 and 4: Gallagher Avenue | Halls 2 and 3: Richards Drive | Max truck length: 12 m | Doors approx. 5 m x 5 m / 5 m x 4 m.
Immediate vehicle clearance from loading bay is required.
Insurance
~R3 million public liability recommended.
Airport
OR Tambo International Airport: approx. 45 minutes by road. Gautrain: OR Tambo → Marlboro → Midrand station, then taxi or ride-hail last mile.
Wi-Fi / IT
Free shared Wi-Fi in designated areas. Dedicated connectivity available is by order and is required for any business-critical stand operation.
Air-conditioning
Halls 2-5 have air-conditioning available.
Public transport
Car-led; pre-booked transfers and rideshare are typical. No major rapid-transit links to the venue.
Parking
~5,000 bays, most of which are uncovered.
Rigging
By Gallagher staff only. Halls 2 and 3: limited rigging areas; plan approval required before briefing your stand contractor. Halls 4 and 5: confirm with the venue before proceeding.
Catering
Catering centrally managed by Gallagher; in-house catering by GC³H is fully halaal-certified and offers various meal deals.
Fines
Expect non-compliance fines in the region of R5,000.
Compliance steps
Stand drawings submitted by organiser deadline → EMS fire safety plan for temporary structures → Contractor safety file 7 days before access → City of Johannesburg EMS/Lodge Safety sign-off → EMS inspection on final build day.
Address
19 Richards Drive, Midrand, Gauteng.