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Exhibition Stand Provider

A short history of Nimlok Leading exhibition stand and event solutions provider

Neil, a RAF bomber pilot in World War II, was shot down in France and hidden by the French Resistance until liberated by advancing American armies. He was a resourceful man. After the war he went on to become a very successful commercial photographer with a number of major multi-national corporations for clients. Finding that he needed a portable backdrop, which he could take around the world when working for companies like Ford Motor Company and General Foods, Neil set out to invent one.

While it quickly became apparent the market demand for a portable backdrop system for photography was limited, there was a brand new emerging market for modular and portable displays for exhibitions and point of purchase for which the product was ideal.

Neil had little previous commercial experience and turned to two good friends for help, Gerald Perutz, Senior Executive at Bell & Howell, a large multi-national corporation, and Gordon Wixley Senior Partner in an accounting firm, for help in developing his new business. Both Gerald and Gordon became founding shareholders and non executive directors of Nimlok Limited in London in 1970.

Gerald Perutz

One of the distinctive features of the amazing clip that Neil invented and patented, was that it locked onto a tube with remarkable firmness. This, combined with Neil Nimmo’s name is how the name “Nimlok” came into existence.

The first year started slowly with sales in 1970 of £40,000. However, over the next few years Nimlok began to grow and prosper. The business plan called for the company to grow to the then exciting figure of £1,000,000 in annual turnover. By the late 1970’s Nimlok had achieved this goal.

In 1977 Gerald Perutz moved with his family to the United States with the prospect of becoming Chairman of the Bell & Howell parent company in Chicago. As the Perutz family prepared to leave London, Gerald promised to try and expand the Nimlok operation into the huge US market.

Gerald’s son Simon, spent the summer of 1980 in London and at the Nimlok plant in Kettering, Northamptonshire. He returned to the US full of confidence, conviction and ideas of how he would launch the product in America. With resolve and serious intent, Simon completed his classes at Northwestern and one week later, launched Nimlok Company on April 2, 1981 – carefully avoiding April Fool’s day!

In its first year, Nimlok Company was essentially Simon plus one employee. The product was imported from Nimlok’s manufacturing facility in Europe, and Simon rolled up his sleeves and personally completed assembly in a 3000 square foot plant in Morton Grove, IL. “I spent half the day assembling product in the plant, and the other half selling, literally out of the back of my truck,” Simon explained.

Unfortunately, Neil Nimmo’s health deteriorated seriously during the 1980’s and following his death the Perutz family bought 100% of the shares in both Nimlok Limited and Nimlok Company. Gerald Perutz became full time chairman of Nimlok and the Perutz family acquired the majority interest in Nimlok’s world-wide activities.

By the mid 1980’s, Nimlok had experienced commendable growth, built a strong distributor network, and established an unswerving reputation for product quality and integrity. “The product line was developed and refined through Simons’ intuitive and intellectual feel for the market place,” said Gerald. Always staying ahead of the curve, Simon polished and perfected Nimlok’s popular Nimlink and “Easy” range of products. For example, his invention of a 360 hinge for the “Easy” products was the key to that line’s success.

In 1984, Nimlok expanded into Canada where the organization quickly grew, and has since maintained an industry leadership position - delivering creative, effective exhibit system solutions built to achieve clients’ individual needs. By 1990, Nimlok Company was a successful market leader in North America, with a strong and leading product range, and export activities in Latin American, Japan and Korea.

In August 1992, Gerald continued the family affair by introducing his youngest son, Tim, to be Managing Director of Nimlok Ltd. in the UK. Tim left his successful career in the restaurant business with a mission to accelerate the growth and strength of Nimlok’s activities across the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia. In 1998 Nimlok Limited moved into a new purpose built facility in Wellingborough and continues to rapidly expand as Europe’s most innovative, successful and dynamic manufacturer of portable display equipment.

As Nimlok has grown, so have its stands. From that simple but effective pole and panel unit a whole modular system has evolved. A Nimlok solution can now be anything from a £100 banner to a £100,000 main exhibition stand. Its not all just about the product however, Nimlok now provides installation and dismantle services, training for exhibiting staff, bespoke fabric structures, a full and innovative graphics service... if it has “exhibition” in the title, Nimlok does it!

Nimlok today has main manufacturing facilities in the UK, USA, and Canada and licensed manufacturing in Australia. It gains much strength from its multi-national nature. The global network includes over 1000 people in more than 52 countries and a milestone was recently passed when it made a sale that took its output since inception to $1 Billion (US).