Gardenex is to organise British pavilions at the National Hardware Show (NHS) in Las Vegas in May 2015 and at Spoga+gafa in Cologne at the end of August 2015.
The Federation will be applying for government grants for exhibitors via the UK Trade & Investment’s Tradeshow Access Programme in order to enable eligible firms to exhibit at these two international trade fairs at a reduced cost. More details of these arrangements can be requested from the secretariat.
The Gardenex director general, Amanda Sizer Barrett said: “The decision to include these two shows on the Federation’s list of initiatives again in 2015 was based on the high level of export orders secured by UK companies in the Federation’s exhibitor groups at both of these shows over many years. Both the NHS and Spoga+gafa have proved time and time again that they attract key buyers from around the world who are keen to source British products. We expect that our plans for these important trade fairs in 2015 will deliver further significant opportunities for UK suppliers.”
The National Hardware Show in Las Vegas is North America’s leading national show for all hardware related goods. The lawn and garden section is the largest product segment, and the British firms exhibiting in 2014 in the Gardenex-organised group met with buyers from many leading retailers. These included major names such as The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Ace Hardware, Crate & Barrel, Canadian Tire and Lee Valley Tools. The show attracts a wide range of North American buyers from leading mail order and e-tail companies, landscapers, garden centre chains, high-end retailers, distributors and wholesalers, as well as major players from other important overseas markets.
Spoga+gafa in Cologne is one of the most important trade shows on the Gardenex export programme and has been an annual highlight in the federation’s overseas initiatives for over 40 years. In 2015, the exhibition zones will comprise garden living, garden care, garden creation, as well as halls for premium and basic garden products. Suppliers that have exhibited in the Gardenex-organised groups over the years have discovered that new business as well as considerable repeat sales are secured as a result of contacts made at the show and several firms have been exhibiting at the event for over 30 years. The 2014 edition attracted 36,800 visitors from 110 countries.
British firms find that exhibiting in the Gardenex group at important overseas exhibitions simplifies the whole process of organising their participation with the benefit of the association’s comprehensive exhibitor support package. This includes help with logistics and exhibition technicalities, advance marketing and PR promotion, advice about travel and accommodation, stand planning, how to transport exhibits to the show, market information and guidance on how to maximise their presence at the show.
Gardenex personnel have extensive experience of overseas markets and their key buyers, and will be manning a British garden industry information stand at both of these exhibitions from where they will be providing on-site support and assistance to UK exhibitors as well as taking new sales leads and making business contacts and signposting overseas buyers to the stands of the British exhibitors.
Companies wishing to learn more about exhibiting at these shows should contact either Emma Lewis or Theresa Swann at: e-mail: emma@gardenex.com; theresa@gardenex.com or visit the Gardenex website on www.gardenex.com, telephone: +44 (0) 44 1959 565995 or fax: +44 (0) 1959 565885
