With 69 top suppliers signed-up, the countdown continues to this year’s premier outdoor trade show. SOLEX will take place at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (NEC) from Tuesday 7 July to Thursday 9 July 2015.

"SOLEX 2015 will be bigger and better than ever, with more exhibitors, larger stands, and some exciting new features that will guarantee visitors maximum value,” says Paul Facey, Director of SOLEX.

Now in its eighth year, SOLEX is an annual 3-day trade event attracting national and international retail/contract purchasing directors and managers.  It brings together all the leading manufacturers of garden products – furniture, barbecues, gazebos, parasols, outdoor lighting– and provides a showcase for new developments in design and manufacturing.

The Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association (LOFA) was formed in 1967. The association is engaged in a variety of activities in support of its members who currently represent more than half of the garden furniture and barbecues sold in the UK.

Enquiries about SOLEX 2015 should be directed to the show organiser, Phil Gibbs, at the LOFA Offices, on 01243839593 or solex@lofa.com.

To register for your place at SOLEX click here

Reflecting a bright future for the exhibition and the industry, SOLEX has a super new logo and new dates for this year's show as it takes place from Tuesday to Thursday (July 7-9).

Research by the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association, (LOFA) revealed a preference among visitors for a genuine mid-week show.

LOFA responded immediately and set a new trend that provides buyers and business managers with more convenient times to attend.

“We realise that for many businesses Monday is an important post-weekend day and so, with the help of the NEC, we have responded to the needs of visitors by moving the show one day to accommodate their wishes,” said LOFA Chairman Paul Bevington.

The new logo reflects a bright future for the exhibition and the industry, bringing a modern new look to the show and the brand. 

SOLEX takes place in Hall 5 of the NEC in Birmingham.

The exhibition is open for three days – Tuesday and Wednesday, July 7-8, 9am to 5.30pm; and Thursday, July 9, 9am to 5pm.

There are large car parks at the NEC, and parking will be free 

To register your place for SOLEX click here

For more information about SOLEX visit the exhibition website at http://www.lofa.co.uk/solex/home.html

Andrew MacMillan, an expert in differentiating business through customer experience, will be the guest speaker at SOLEX...

Andrew McMillan started his career as a management trainee with the John Lewis Partnership at Brent Cross. He quickly moved up through the management ranks and progressed to the head office to take charge of the department stores’ customer centric Intelligence Team. They acted as an internal business consultancy reporting on competitive strategy, product differentiation and value, catchment area and demographics for new branches and customer service.

In 2000 Andrew was asked to lead on customer service for the department store division. The role saw him develop JLP’s market-leading culture and attitude towards customer service and sales with the 20,000 customer-facing Partners in 26 John Lewis shops across the UK. That customer-driven culture is something that has now become synonymous with the John Lewis brand.

Andrew joined a City based consultancy as a Principal Consultant before setting up his own consultancy in 2012 specialising in employee engagement, customer experience and customer centric business change. Consulting clients have included: Argos, Asda, Ecclesiastical Insurance, Kwik Fit, Jardine Motors Group, Lookers Motor Group, Greene King, Vauxhall Motors, Peugeot Citroen and Virgin Atlantic.

Andrew's sessions at SOLEX will take place:

• Tuesday - 14.30pm
• Wednesday - 10.30am & 14.30pm
• Thursday - 10.30am

Andrew says: "What did your business set out to do for its customers at its inception? In a fledgling business high quality personal customer service is a given or the business will fail. However, as a business develops it can lose touch with its roots as growth and financial control start to dominate the agenda.

"So, when was the last time you really thought about your customers experience when they interact with front-line staff and how those customers subsequently feel about your business? 

"Many businesses find themselves focussing on developing their products, services or processes when they think about customer experience and the interaction with staff is left to chance. 

"The reputation John Lewis enjoy is equally based on the quality of the experience delivered through their staff, as that is the value and quality of their products and services. It's a potential major point of differentiation in a crowded marketplace and one that many businesses fail to capitalise upon."

Kettler is preparing to unveil a totally new collection at SOLEX, including additions to its hugely successful casual dining range.

The new products, which are being kept under wraps until the show, “demonstrate garden furniture innovation and design at its best,” says the company.

Kettler will be extending its popular casual dining collection, strengthening its position as a leading supplier of casual outdoor (or indoor) furniture – combining dining and relaxing.

Visitors to the Kettler stand (510) will also be able to see some new additions to the Urbano range. Urbano, a contemporary collection that features bright colours, innovative materials and intelligent design was launched at SOLEX last year, and has proved to be popular with a style-conscious younger audience.

Kettler will also be showcasing a range of uniquely different products which they hope will capture the interest of visitors and customers.

Paul Bevington, managing director, said: “We’re looking forward to SOLEX as it’s a great opportunity to display our latest range of products. We continue to lead the way in innovation, quality and design and hope that the new ranges will excite the industry once again.“

Pictured above: Kettler’s Madrid suite in whitewash.



Above: The Palma lounge suite. Below: Corner suite from the Palma collection. 

Using the strap line, Welcome to my Balcony, garden gift and furniture company Fallen Fruits is launching a contemporary designer collection of furniture, pots, planters and giftware all aimed at balcony gardening. 

Called MyBalconia, the range is a clever blend of foldaway space saving, modern colours, stylish design and quirky fun and is a significant development for the Fallen Fruits brand, which is known for its combination of nature-led inspiration and the impetus to recycle and make anew.

 The MyBalconia collection includes tables and chairs in grey, leaf green, white, red, blue, black and natural colourways, many of which fold away when not in use, but which extend to provide generous space for alfresco dining. 

Using the same colour themes the range also includes half pots, planters and watering cans for positioning against a wall and other versions which hook onto or clip over a balcony rail. 

There are also balcony friendly parasols, mats, lights, drinks holders and a barbecue option.  Last but not least, MyBalconia boasts a range of balcony-loving gnomes which climb over or swing from the balcony edge to add an amusing and delightful finishing touch.

RRPs start from £2.99 for a small pot to £699 for a set of furniture. 

Fallen Fruits managing director Michael Hall explained: “This is a really important collection which opens up the potential for balcony living to combine ‘statement’ style with charm, fun and complete practicality. It’s a real opportunity for garden centres expand their appeal to a new set of consumers.”

As with all Fallen Fruits garden and giftware ranges, MyBalconia is well supported at point of sale.

Shropshire-based Fallen Fruits combines excellence in global purchasing with product design and service dedicated to developing aesthetically pleasing, handy, helpful, quirky, original and fun items to make gardening easier and gardens more enjoyable. 

Garden retailers can contact Fallen Fruits for more information about this and other collections by contacting the company on 01584 873377 or by emailing sales@fallenfruits.co.uk.

As Weber celebrate 30 years of cooking with gas and over 60 years as the world’s premier barbecue manufacturer, their product innovation and supporting marketing campaigns for 2016 will continue to promote and enhance the lifestyle benefits of grilling.

The spirit of invention is at the heart of Weber and new for 2016 will be the addition of colour to the Q1200 range and a top of the range Spirit model to complement the gas barbecue selection.

Make a statement on the go with the new Q1200, now available in a range of five bright new colours – blue, green, orange, purple and fuchsia. This great portable grill has all the features you need for cooking great food whilst out and about; it’s easy to carry, quick to light and cool down, without compromising on performance.  Now you can add a touch of style and individuality with these fabulous funky additions to the range.

For larger gas barbecue lovers, Weber introduce a new Spirit grill.  At the top end of this entry level family, the Spirit Premium 330 multi-functional model comes with a spacious cooking area, a quality stainless steel or porcelain enamel finish, and the three gas burners are complemented with the addition of the sear station: an extra burner tube to give increased heat and ensure you achieve those sought after char marks.

Promoting the social aspect of barbecuing and its relevance at the heart of home entertaining will continue to be an important theme for Weber going forward into 2016. With unrivalled after sales support that encourages customers to build their confidence at the grill, extend their cooking repertoire, and share their experiences with like-minded barbecuers, Whether it’s in-store, online or on social media you’ll find a wealth of information, inspirational recipes and innovative accessories that take barbecue cooking to a new level.

The latest collaboration with Tom and Henry Herbert who are the faces of the brand’s 2015 UK summer campaign, Come On Over, forms part of Weber’s wider marketing programme to promote the fundamental social aspect of barbecuing.  The six- figure campaign centres on a call to action to get together around the grill, whether for a special occasion, or just ‘because’. It includes a tailor-made TV advert; a dedicated interactive microsite; placements in national press; tailored support in retail outlets across the country and the Grill Academy on Tour live events, being held at garden centres around the country.

And for those who are looking for a little help to brush up their barbecue skills, for the first time, the Weber Grill Academy experience can be found at venues across the UK and Ireland.  Customers can attend courses at one of fourteen venues at a variety of cookery schools which are geared up to offer expert hands-on tuition. 2016 will see the further development of courses the cookery school partners are able to offer as well as the opening of a dedicated barbecue cookery school, the Weber Grill Academy, in the London area.

Added to the customer campaigns, professional service, engaging in-store experiential events and quality after-sales support provide peace of mind for both the Weberowner and the retail outlet.  Consumers can be reassured that barbecues from Weber are built to last.  Being made from the highest quality components using premium grade materials, a Weber purchase offers consistently good results over a long period of time.

Weber would like to thank all the retail outlets for their continued support and invite everyone to visit them at Solex (stand 435) to share plans for 2016 and meet the Weber team. 

For more information on Weber products visit www.weberbbq.co.uk

LeisureGrow is set to launch its new LG Outdoor LIVING brand at this year’s show. It will feature occasional furniture and accessories with an emphasis on great design and quality.  

Products in the new range will be available in a choice of contemporary colourways, and have been developed so that they match effortlessly with consumers’ existing garden furniture, allowing people to build on or update the look of their garden with ease.  

The range includes parasols, gazebos, scatter cushions, tea-for-twos, swing seats, dining sets, loungers, heaters and much more.

Jody Grimmer, managing director for LeisureGrow Group, said: “Whether it’s entertaining or simply enjoying being outdoors, people want to spend more and more time in their garden, and the trend is moving very much towards a less formal type of dining and entertaining.

“That’s why our new LG Outdoor LIVING range is designed so customers can buy into either a group of products or individual accessories and items – making it easy for people to mix and match to achieve the look they want, and to suit the way they use their outdoor space.”

There will also be a host of innovative new outdoor furniture collections on show from LG Outdoor, including a range that features an all-new marine grade rope weave developed exclusively for LG Outdoor, plus a selection of gas firepit lounge sets that reflect consumers’ desire to extend the time they spend in the garden. Ranges will excite the industry once again.   

Norfolk Leisure’s managing director Nick Anderson says SOLEX is the highlight of the company’s year.

“SOLEX 2015 is looking to be an exceptional show,” he told us.

“The organisers have worked extremely hard once again to promote the show to those who count, with new dates and a new look.”

After winning the SOLEX best stand award 2014, Norfolk are aiming high again. They will use the show to launch two new brand collections, ‘SENSA’ by LIFE and ECO BOX, plus a number of fresh developments in existing brand families.

“The new stand design at SOLEX will reflect the excitement in our business,” Nick added.

Norfolk Leisure has seen significant growth, particularly in the 2015 season, and will be moving into new and much larger premises this autumn.

“The timing is right for Norfolk Leisure to expand and we have been fortunate enough to be able to purchase a new warehouse and offices on a seven-acre site that will allow the business to develop even further in the coming years,” Nick explained. 

  

SOLEX exhibitor Napoleon Grills is running a promotion with Bart Ingredients this summer.

Qualifying purchasers of gas and charcoal barbecues will receive a free gift from the Bart Smokehouse Barbecue range of rubs, grinders and sauces.

Martin Sobey, Napoleon’s sales manager, said: “The Bart Smokehouse Barbecue range is a natural fit with our brand and means we can offer consumers a ‘thank you’ for their custom.”

The promotion will be available in retail stores only and will run until 30th September 2015.

Napoleon can provide in-store display material and registration leaflets to enable consumers to redeem their free gift.

Bart products will also be used and promoted throughout Napoleon’s Grill Skills garden centre demonstration tour.

Lara Light-McKelvaney, brand manager at Bart Ingredients, said: “Teaming up with Napoleon will provide greater visibility for our Smokehouse range among garden centre customers and barbecue buyers. This cross promotion is an excellent opportunity for both companies to promote great barbecue food.” 

Celebrating over 20 years' experience in the garden furniture market, Trans-Continental has a deserved reputation for the highest standards of design, quality and service. Drop by stand 520 to see the innovative 2016 Collection, including the launch of a premium new brand unveiled at the show.

Trans-Continental say their outdoor living specialists look forward to meeting you.

La Hacienda (stand 120) will be offering a first look at its 2016 ranges of chimeneas and firepits, designed to offer retailers stylish additions to existing outdoor leisure ranges and light up profits.

Designed inhouse to tie in with future outdoor living trends, the new chimeneas bring a fresh modern spin to La Hacienda’s offering.

Made from durable steel and featuring clean geometric lines, with some models also coming complete with chrome-plated cooking grills, this collection sits well within La Hacienda’s already established contemporary steel chimenea range.

The new firepits include some inspired by traditional Indian design. Based on the classic Indian style, which features a deep bowl, they are hand-made from reclaimed steel and feature chrome-plated cooking grills.

Designed to allow consumers to enjoy both the heat produced from a real wood fire and the option to cook BBQ style food, the versatile nature of these products should make them a popular option.

La Hacienda’s MD, Simon Goodwin, said: “Following a very successful 2014 and an incredible start to 2015 season, we will be using SOLEX to demonstrate our everexpanding portfolio and breadth of product. We are delighted to offer improved POS and marketing support, which we will also be displaying at SOLEX.”

The SOLEX stand will also feature examples of its 2015 bestsellers and further additions across established product ranges. 

Since Munro Importers purchased the Pagoda garden furniture in 2013, the range has been increased, colours of certain fabrics changed and prices reduced, without sacrificing quality.

Munro, whose experienced buying office in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, has been open for nearly 20 years, cite a number of reasons for their strong market position:

• Highly competitive prices. 
• Shipments are checked by their own team of experienced inspectors to recognised AQL standards.
• Up to five rattan products can be mixed in a 40ft high cube container making it easy for multi-branch retailers to order if they haven’t got a central warehouse.
• Virtually any garden furniture product a customer may require can be sourced.
• New fabric colours more suited to modern living styles, based on feedback from customers.
• No on-line sales.

“We prefer to work with our customers not compete with them,” the company says.

Stax Trade Centres are exclusive UK distributors for those who cannot order in container lots.

McLoughlins are exclusive distributors in Eire. Munro will introduce a range of Pagoda gas and charcoal barbecues at SOLEX. 

Hartman will be launching a whole new collection in a variety of colours and finishes ready for the 2016 season.

The company will show a mix of best selling lines from 2015 alongside the new products.

Things to look out for include brand new gas fire pit tables popping up throughout the collection, providing instant clean heat and a focal point for outdoor gatherings.

New brushed wood cast aluminium that offers the aesthetic appeal of wood with the durability and low maintenance of cast aluminium is also worth checking out.

In the still-growing weave collection, Hartman is moving towards softer shapes and designs in warm and natural hues. An addition to the Essential weave selection is the Madison, offering comfort and style at a great price.

Also look out for Louis and Denver in the Fibre Line collection, which has a relaxed sophisticated look pairing colourfast weave in a variety of natural hues with luxurious cushions.

Aluminium returns to the range in tables with clean lines accompanied by new recliners and chairs in contemporary colours and designs. 

Bosmere will reveal new covers, colours and packaging as well upgraded, technically advanced fabric at Solex 2015.

There will be an exciting addition to the highly successful ‘Storm Black by Bosmere’ range of urban chic covers, details of which are being kept under wraps until the Show. 

Bosmere supply covers to meet all market expectations from the SimplyCover range in 3 attractive colours through to the luxury Modular Covers specially shaped for contemporary modular garden furniture.

New full colour descriptive packaging is being introduced for the 2015/16 season to make it even easier for consumers to select the model which meets their particular needs. 

Modular covers are new to the market and include the first and only L-shaped covers which reflect the change in garden furniture styles. The Modular, Storm Black and Cover Up ranges are made from a tough, UV stabilised woven polyester material and are 100% waterproof. They are treated with a unique PVC free coating on the underside which is more environmentally friendly. 

Bosmere are specialists in both industrial and consumer protective materials. The covers are designed in the UK and manufactured to a very high specification in their own factory. Quality control is managed in-house to ensure that high standards are maintained at all times.

Outback’s two new charcoal barbecues for 2016 – the Drum and the Ovengrill – will be launched at SOLEX.

The Drum, which has a roasting hood, grill and the potential to double its cooking area, is aimed at garden centre customers who enjoy the traditional appeal of charcoal outdoor cooking.

The Ovengrill offers the choice of cooking on one or two stainless steel grills with the option of roasting dishes inside an ample oven, either separately or at the same time, with easy access through a front oven door.

Heat is supplied to grill and oven from the same charcoal tray.

The Ovengrill comes complete with temperature gauge, a side table with handle, four supporting legs and two rubber front wheels.

Outback say this year’s sales look set to mirror 2014’s success, when a 12% increase saw the stainless steel four- and six-burner Meteor gas barbecues (pictured) become their garden centre best-sellers, while the Hunter three-burner and the Excel 300 two-burner were second and third. 

Furniture and barbecue sales soared by more than 26% in April, according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade.

GCA chief executive Iain Wylie put it down to the timing of the Easter holidays and good weather on Easter Monday

“The Easter holidays at the beginning of the month had the potential to boost sales as families had the time and opportunity to spend their time browsing at garden centres,” he said.

“The weather was not as kind as we would have wished on the first two days of the Easter weekend and of course centres were closed on Easter Sunday but the fantastic weather on the Monday seemed to make up for any shortfall in earlier footfall and spending.”

Outdoor leisure sales outstripped all other departments at GCA centres, where plants were up 12%, pet and aquatics departments up 7% and catering sales up 10%.

Mark Winchester, managing director of Blackbrooks Garden Centre in East Sussex, said: “April sales were positive and our footfall was up 5%. Most categories reported positive sales growth.“

The biggest category increase by far was garden furniture which was up by 56%. Landscaping, garden sundries and giftware all reported more than 20% increases.

The GCA’s Barometer of Trade reports use actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement.   

Campingaz has topped the tables for gas barbecue sales in countries across Europe this year thanks to its new range of state of the art barbecues which launched in 2013.

A name synonymous with reliability and innovation, Campingaz has paved the way for outdoor cooking since 1949 and within two years of launching the range has established itself as the number one gas barbecue brand by volume in France, and number two in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxemburg and Switzerland.

It’s a trend which the outdoor cooking expert aims to replicate in the UK and already, in the first 12 months of sales, the new gas barbecues figures have surpassed expectations by over 50%. Since the UK range launch in 2014, Campingaz has solidified its UK barbecue market position with listings in the largest garden centre chains as well as high quality independents nationwide, continuing to go from strength to strength.   

A testament to its ability to assess and nimbly react to today’s consumer needs, skilled engineers and product development specialists at Campingaz have successfully developed an innovative range of American styled barbecues that combine advanced features with generations of technical knowhow. This experience and dedication ensures that the new collection seamlessly fits the lives of the modern European market.

Andrew Noble, Commercial Director UK and Ireland, commented: “Campingaz is undoubtedly the fastest growing barbecue brand across Europe and the UK right now. The latest sales figures indicate that consumers have been inspired by the new range. This trend is a positive affirmation that the multi-million pound investment into developing this collection has offered both a good ROI, alongside strong sales and margin opportunities for our retail partners.”  

To see the Campingaz range of barbecues and accessories visit stand 445 at SOLEX, visit www.campingaz.com or email Ian Taylor itaylor@colemanuk.co.uk to make an appointment.

SolarCentre are rebranding, reinventing and launching new products at SOLEX this year...

With a product range suitable for selling 12 months of the year they realise just how important point of sale is. Improvements have been made to their point of sale which has already proved incredibly successful quadrupling sales this season.

With the phenomenal growth in retail sales experienced, the SolarCentre has decided to solidify the presence of its product range by redesigning the packaging. The aim is to give familiarity to its products and to make them even more eye catching on the shelf.

The main focus of the show will be their new solar fairy light string called “Lumify” part of their guaranteed winter working range, they promise to yet again impress any solar critics by pushing the boundaries of what can be expected from solar in winter.  With working performance on a winter’s night purely from solar allowing the lights to run at full brightness for 6hrs a night, they also have a power saving mode which will enable the user to get up to 80 hrs run time from the included batteries and to top all this off a USB charge function too.

Also being launched at SOLEX by the SolarCentre are two new post lights, four new wall Lights, two new spot lights and one new security Light.  Plus the powersaving functionality is being added to the best two garden centre sellers at no additional cost, further improving customer satisfaction.

David Eaton, Director at the SolarCentre, said:  “Our goal at the SolarCentre is to keep pushing the boundaries of what is achievable from solar, for exterior home and garden lighting.  It is not just about brightness and performance but also about build quality to deliver great value for money.  We want customers to be proud to own a SolarCentre light and to share their satisfaction with all their friends.”

For more information visit www.solarcentre.co.uk

SOLEX takes place in Hall 5 of the NEC in Birmingham.

The exhibition is open for three days – Tuesday and Wednesday, July 7-8, 9am to 5.30pm; and Thursday, July 9, 9am to 5pm.

There are large car parks at the NEC, and parking will be free 

To register your place for SOLEX click here

For more information about SOLEX visit the exhibition website at http://www.lofa.co.uk/solex/home.html