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

The exhibition is open for for one more day – Thursday, July 7, 9am to 5pm.

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

Organiser Phil Gibbs (pictured below) said: "It has been great to see so many people returning for a second day at the show."

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

Writer and broadcaster David Domoney, co-presenter of ITV’s Love Your Garden series, made an appearance on the Hartman stand (505) at SOLEX yesterday (Tuesday) to promote the latest addition to his Celtic Collection.

The new 6ft (1830mm) Aria table features a top made from a glass-reinforced concrete onto which Domoney has designed an innovative tiled diamond pattern with a mosaic edging. The cast aluminium table itself has a new bronze finish, also now available on the matching Celtic chairs.

“The new tabletop material we’ve used here means the top can be a single tile on to which we have painted the pattern, eliminating the problem of moisture permeating the gaps between tiles in conventional tiled tops,” Domoney said. “We think we have created something very different that will appeal to a wide market. It’s very hard-wearing and only needs wiping down to keep it looking good.”

Two brand new ranges from Bonnington Plastics developed to meet higher quality market needs than the company’s standard Kingfisher products are on display at SOLEX on stand 535.

Sales director Sergio Tartaglia told SOLEX Sun today that the new Dusk till Dawn solar lighting brand was going down especially well with buyers. The new Four Seasons Vintage collection of garden furniture featuring elegant wrought iron designs with a ‘shabby chic’ finish was also attracting attention.

Bonningtons recently announced a brand development and expansion programme designed to widen its appeal to a more premium target market and increase turnover by at least 10% a year over the next three years.

Bosmere are aiming to re-energise the garden protective covers category with new ranges and clearer segmentation between them.

The company now has four ranges to choose from – entry-level Protector Plus, the new mid-range Master line-up, the best-selling Cover-Up collection (including Storm Black, Thunder Grey and Modular) and finally, the all-new Premier range.

The addition of Master and Premier means Bosmere can now meet all price point and consumer needs across the category. Master lines in durable polyester fabric offer a sharper price point and a five-year guarantee, while the new flagship Premier range promises the ultimate in outdoor covers, made in an amazingly lightweight but durable new breathable fabric with a seven-year guarantee.

You don’t have to look too hard at this year’s SOLEX to discover that more and more suppliers are turning to alternatives to wood for the manufacture of outdoor furniture.

Yesterday in SOLEX Sun we featured a furniture collection by Supremo made from a compound, called Resysta, based on rice husks.

Today, we spotted a new range of furniture on the Daro stand made from another re-cycled waste product called Stonewood. Yes, it’s made of powdered stone – waste material from the quarrying industry – which is moulded at high pressure and laminated on to steel frames to produce a striking range of chunky tables, benches and stools. The moulds used are created from real timber cuts, for truly authentic surface detail and texture that has to be seen to be believed. Half close your eyes and you could pretty much be looking at the real thing!  “We had to put these signs drawing attention to the material on the display, otherwise visitors would probably have assumed it was just wood,” said Daro director James Brown.

Daro have been working on the material’s development for more than a year, after searching for an alternative not just to wood but to glass, a popular but increasingly expensive (not to mention brittle) tabletop material. Stonewood appears to tick all the boxes – strong, sustainable,good looking…and distinctive. 

While their new RHS-endorsed wooden benches and indoor/outdoor synthetic weave ranges have been the stand-out attraction on the Kettler stand (510, see yesterday’s SOLEX Sun), buyers looking for adventurous cutting-edge designs have been finding plenty to whet their appetites.

SOLEX Sun’s style spotters were particularly impressed by the sophisticated new Soho and Manhattan sets from their Elegance collection, targeting consumers looking for chic contemporary styling.

The Soho set (pictured on the cover page) shows the Wrap chair with grey seat pad and tabletop in Slate, while the Manhattan set pictured here features the Twist sling chair in Taupe.

Zest 4 Leisure MD Steve Morgan, pictured on the company's stand at SOLEX, and his colleague John Vaughan will be taking part in the Iron Man Poland challenge to help raise money for our chosen charity of the year, Meningitis Now.

Zest 4 Leisure, along with parent company P&A Group, believe it’s vital to maintain a supportive relationship with those connected to the company and do all they can to support the community. It has been involved in a number of community events, fundraisers and charity work.

"At Zest 4 Leisure we feel it is very important to raise money and raise awareness for a very important charity Meningitis Now," said Steve.

"This follows the success of 2014/2015 when as a group we raised over £15,000.00 for The Alzheimer’s Society."

Char-Broil and Dancook (Stand 335) are showcasing more than 12 new products. Centre stage is the new-to-market Char-Broil T-22G gas barbecue, which has just received a Which? Best Buy.

Char-Broil, a family-based US company, has been making barbecues since 1948 and offers a brand portfolio of gas and charcoal grills plus the Big Easy SRG – an all-in-one smoker, roaster and grill – plus a comprehensive range of matching grill accessories.

The company is also an innovator in infrared cooking technology. Its industry-leading TRU-Infrared™ ensures an even distribution of heat every time, without flare-ups and locks in flavours.

Ian Railton, Char-Broil and Dancook’s European MD believes the Which? Best Buy proves that Char-Broil technology makes a real difference to the cooking and flavour of barbecued food.  “Our Char-Broil and Dancook ranges for 2017 are set to be our strongest yet,” he said.

The Dancook range is founded on the Danish tradition of cooking outdoors.  The simple, unique products are manufactured in solid materials in a stylish design.

For more information visit www.charbroil.co.uk or call 01993 705217.

The luxury outdoor fabric range from Divano Lounge is exclusive to Maze Rattan in the UK and offers a fresh new look for the 2016 season.

The Mood sofa set is a lighter and brighter take on their more classic sofa sets, perfect for sandy environments and light coloured décor.

Divano Lounge products are made exclusively from Sunbrella fabrics, which are well suited to a long outdoor life.



Unlike most cloth, Sunbrella fabric is made from fibres that are dyed before they are woven to give a deeper colour, with every yarn coloured to the core. It can be left outdoors for many years without fading and abrasion.

The wide-cell structure of the cushion foam allows the furniture to dry quickly, without trapping pockets of water. Every piece receives an antimicrobial treatment to prevent the build-up of bacteria.

Quality and value are the hallmarks of the Pagoda ranges of rattan, steel, aluminium and Textilene products that will be on display, along with the company’s new barbecues.

Utilising the buying expertise of its offices in Chinas, the company has been able to reduce its prices on the Toulouse rattan range, making it even more affordable while maintaining quality.

All products are inspected after initial production to ensure that they meet exacting standards, and again when production is completed, using in-house inspectors who check to accepted international AQL standards.

Pagoda @ Munro Importers (stand 445).

Garden Trade News were at the NEC early on Monday to capture all the action from the build-up to the three-day SOLEX, which started today (Tuesday). See the picture gallery below...

To register for your place at SOLEX click here