Balloons for Office Parties and Corporate Events

Part of office life is the frequent celebrations for staff member retirements, leaving do's and taking time off to have a baby. Balloons are a popular accessory for an office party.

Companies staging corporate events also like to decorate their trade stands with balloons. Here's some information about the types of balloons available for corporate events and parties.

How to Inflate Party Balloons

There are basically two choices when it comes to inflating balloons in the office. The first choice is simply to fill them with air. As most offices have several employees you can usually employ manpower to inflate the balloons by hand. Latex balloons are generally easier to inflate by hand than foil balloons. If you have lots of balloons to inflate then a simple mechanical or foot pump can make the task a bit easier.

If you want your balloons to float then you'll need to inflate them with helium gas. Floating balloons are often desirable for an office party as they can be tied onto the back of chairs and used to decorate a member of staff's workstation or cubicle.

You can either hire or buy helium canisters to allow you to inflate balloons. Helium canisters can be bought online and delivered to your workplace. Helium canisters for sale generally come in a range of sizes and usually blow up 10-30 balloons. If you have a corporate event where you'll be inflating balloons on demand then it's usually easier to rent a helium gas tank. Again these come in a different range of sizes. They can be rented through compressed air suppliers or specialist party planning companies. If you rent a helium gas tank then make sure the supplier gives you the proper gas tank regulator that allows you to inflate balloons.

When hiring a helium tank for your business, be aware that there are a number health and safety regulations associated with the use of compressed gas. These regulations will depend on where your business is based. For example, some countries have laws that specify that gas canisters must always be chained up to prevent them falling over. There are a range of gas canister dollies, stands and wall attachments that can be used to secure the gas bottle. Finally remember that there are a number of regulations regarding the transportation of compressed gas by vehicles - it's often safer to get a specialist company to deliver and collect your gas storage tanks.

Types of Balloon Available

Balloons are usually made of either latex or foil. Latex balloons don't generally last as long as foil ones.

Both latex and foil balloons come in a wide range of sizes. If you're intending to inflate them with helium then remember that a large balloon will take significantly more helium to inflate!

If you want to make your helium inflated balloons to float for a lot longer than usual you should buy a balloon treatment solution called Hi-Float. Simply spray this inside your balloons before you inflate them and allow to dry. Once you inflate them they will then stay inflated for much longer. This is great if you want your helium filled balloons to stay inflated for several days after your event. Using Hi-Float will also allow you to inflate your balloons well in advance of when you actually need them, which can be a great way to avoid last minute balloon inflation panics!

If you don't use helium then your balloons don't float. If you're giving them out as promotional items then you should consider attaching balloon sticks to your balloons. If small children will receive the balloons it's best to order the one piece balloon sticks that have no small parts.

If your company has a specific color scheme then it's easy to find balloons that will match. For a special corporate event like a christmas party or awards ceremony it's possible to buy a complete DIY party box that contains all the balloons you will need to jazz up your venue. Number balloons are a good choice if you're planning a retirement party and the member of staff has been there a long time, or they've reached a significant birthday milestone.

For balloons to be used at corporate events or given away as advertising it's possible to get balloons custom printed with a corporate logo. Balloons can normally be printed on one or two sides. If your corporate identity is important then make sure you match the balloon color as closely to your company's color as you can find. Many balloon suppliers supply balloons in specific Pantone colors, and your corporate identity and branding manager will probably know the Pantone color that will be the closest match to your company's visual identity.