As the exhibitors make the finishing touches to their stands in Halls 17, 18 & 19 at the NEC for SOLEX 2022, the SOLEX SUN brings you a photographic sneak preview of the show that opens at 9:00am tomorrow (Tuesday 12th July) and runs through to Thursday 14th July.

Register here to attend.

See our gallery of pictures from build up below and see you here in the morning!

Over three days this week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, June 12, 13, 14) the Summer Outdoor Living Exhibition (SOLEX) staged at the NEC, Birmingham will have everything you need to help your customers get summer ready next year.

From luxury dining sets to subtle lighting, exhibitors at SOLEX will be displaying the newest and most stylish lines in the hottest on-trend colours. Live demonstrations in the Loving Outdoor Living Zone is the place for ideas and inspiration to boost barbecue and outdoor cooking sales.

For the latest in all things to make precious time spent outside comfortable, fun and relaxing, you need to be at SOLEX.

As with all trade events, everyone is looking forward to returning to a physical show where you can meet and talk to the teams face-to-face and see, touch and appreciate all the products for real. But it’s not all about what’s new and exciting. 

The sustainability message is being broadcast loud and clear with companies working hard throughout the whole supply chain, from sourcing through to manufacturing and packaging. 

They are keen to tell you how they are progressing on their journeys to meet targets and gain certification…and these stories can be great sales pitches to pass onto your customers as they make their buying decisions.

Register to attend SOLEX here

Mike Tomkins, runner up in last year’s MasterChef, has joined BBQ magazine’s Partnerships team and will be attending SOLEX on Tuesday (July 12). 

Since his great run to the MasterChef final, Mike has followed his passion for live-fire cooking and has hosted a number of supper clubs and pop-up events focusing on barbecue food.

BBQ magazine Partnerships director David Taylor said: “Our Consultant Editor Marcus Bawdon will also be at SOLEX judging and cooking, as well as Editor Rupert Bates and we are all looking forward to talking to exhibitors and visitors about their future plans.”

Mike and BBQ magazine can be found in the Loving Outdoor Living Zone at SOLEX.

Outdoor living expert, Zest, is launching a new on-trend bar, dining set and garden pizza oven table at Solex.

Its new space-saving Garden Bar is a perfect, innovatively versatile party piece. Storage doors open to make a base for a fold down counter, while the hinged doors on the side panel contain fully fitted drinks cabinet shelving. The main storage space contains two stools for guests.

The contemporary-style Freya seating and dining range incorporates alternate width wooden slats spaced to make a comfortable ergonomic seating shape with generous arm rests and room for a glass.  The high back improves support and gives real presence. Part of Zest’s Easy Build range, the Freya dining set is designed with fewer components for simple assembly and comes with a choice of furniture combinations to suit any size space. 

The new Garden Pizza Oven Table has been designed with 365-degree access for fuelling the oven, cooking and serving. The central tabletop holds the pizza oven with fold up sides for preparation and serving and two shelves hold drinks and refreshments. All products are made from FSC®- C114990, sustainable slow grown softwood from responsibly managed forests and are pressure treated with a 10-year guarantee against rot.

Norfolk Leisure are one of the leading garden furniture suppliers in the UK. 2022 marks their 25th year of business in which Norfolk Leisure have continued to source and supply quality, innovative and inspirational garden furniture to garden centres and online retailers across the UK and Ireland.

They’re not holding back this year for SOLEX, bringing along a FULL collection of brands including luxury LIFE Outdoor Living furniture, their stunning and newly designed Royce Parasol World, alongside a whole host of NEW and best-selling Handpicked products, selected and sourced by Norfolk Leisure themselves.

Step outside for the Loving Outdoor Living area where Norfolk Leisure will be turning up the heat with their Norfolk Grills BBQ’s PLUS the incredible Ooni Pizza Ovens. That’s not all! Their Michelin Star brand ambassador Chef Galton Blackiston will be hosting 2 demonstrations on the Wednesday and Thursday, talking through just how to cook delicious dishes on your Norfolk Grills BBQ.

Norfolk Leisure Lifestyle

Garage Lane, Setchey, Kings Lynn, PE33 0AX

Stand 555

www.norfolkleisurelifestyle.com

01553 811717

sales@norfolkleisure.co.uk

For more information on Norfolk Grills visit www.norfolkgrills.com. For more details on Norfolk Leisure visit https://www.norfolkleisurelifestyle.com

Traeger, the innovator and category leader in wood-pellet grills, has perfected the outdoor cooking experience with the introduction of the all-new Timberline grill and the Timberline XL. Both will be exclusively previewed at SOLEX.  

The ultimate combination of consistency, convenience and versatility, Traeger’s new Timberline redefines what a grill can do, pushing the limits of cooking outdoors, while bringing people together to create memorable meals. 

Originally launched in 2017, the Timberline revolutionised the grilling industry by pioneering a digitally connected cooking platform with the introduction of WiFIRE® and an industry-first Direct Drive motor for variable fan and auger control.  Traeger’s new Timberline represents the future of outdoor cooking with more state-of-the-art features that will be integrated into forthcoming grill models.  

Also bringing a touch of Traeger magic from the US to Solex this year, is the phenomenal Diva Q - Traeger chef and world champion pit-master, who is running a series of Masterclasses each day, showcasing the versatility and simplicity of cooking with a Traeger.  Visitors are welcome to get involved with a masterclass, or simply watch.

Storming into the market and immensely popular with customers who visited the Hartman showroom in June is the Riviera range. It’s a beautiful example of bringing the indoors out, and creating the fifth room look that is currently dominating social media platforms and trend inspiration.

Riviera is Hartman’s new solution-dyed acrylic fabric offering and is impressive for more than one reason. This adaptable, high design range can be used indoors and thanks to the clever all-weather fabrication it can also be used outdoors where it can be left outside all year round. The new range also comes with an impressive five-year manufacturer’s warranty, signifying the comfort, design and quality of the product.

The Riviera is also astonishingly competitive, challenging the weave and aluminium markets with attractive and affordable price points which are too good to ignore.

Hartman will be showcasing the Riviera range along with its 2023 collection where you can expect to see the addition of colour, revitalising the shop floor with on-trend interior shades giving interest and a sense of variety to continue to drive consumer demand into the coming season.

Katie Blake now offers 10 new product lines as part of the Chatsworth Collection including the exclusive Platinum additions designed for all season dining and outdoor gatherings.

Lounge, dinging, fire pits, fire pit tables and corner sets, share elegant, light-weight frames, durable 7mm stone flat rattan weave, sculptural curved sofa backs and a new Platinum chair design. The dark aluminium frames and cushions paired with sophisticated, yet subtle weave colour combinations are beautifully versatile and create a very relaxed feel.

As part of these latest introductions Glencrest is also introducing a new woven-glass surface, enhancing the Chatsworth Collection and giving customers a greater depth of choice. 

Fixed or extending, standard and complimented with a fire pit Glencrest’s table styles combine durable aluminium frames with tempered or woven glass tops in clean-cut, delicate lines. Chatsworth fire pit tables continue to prove a popular and essential option for an inspirational outdoor atmosphere.

RotoSpa has been building high quality hot tubs in Birmingham for 20 years. Increased awareness coupled with understanding the health benefits of hot tubs, has quickly made them one of the “must have” garden products of the 21st century.

Why not have a staycation and holiday at home every day of the year?

Aware of rising energy costs, RotoSpa has design its hot tubs and insulated them to the highest standards, creating what has become the benchmark for energy efficient hot tubs in the UK. RotoSpa takes the stress out of hot tub retailing with a full delivery package and incentives for both the retailer and customer.

It also provides full training, display hot tubs and point-of-sale material to make the display look inviting and informative.

Mercer Leisure will be showcasing its new 2023 garden furniture and Wonderwal Ranges offering customers luxury products at affordable prices, and its team will be on hand to provide product information and discuss future requirements.

Based in Moira, Northern Ireland, Mercer Leisure has been supplying the garden trade for more than 25 years and has everything for the home and garden. Its extensive range of rattan garden furniture and rattan firepit sets is bolstered with outdoor heaters, metal furniture, gazebos, parasols, and WonderWal, a versatile trellis and hedging garden solution to brighten up any outdoor space.

Due to its success Mercer Leisure has been expanding across the UK and now has a dedicated sales team looking after customer’s requirements and a new showroom in Coventry which adds to its existing showrooms within a 30-minute drive of both Northern Ireland's main airports.

Becoming the one-stop-shop for all your customers’ garden needs takes some preparation. BBQ Gourmet helps you get there with its wide collection of barbeque and grilling accessories, including fuels, that make any outdoor cooking experience better. 

It has all the ingredients needed to create the perfect garden cooking session for your customers—including rubs, sauces, injections, and brines to whip up delicious meals. 

To nail the best flavours, and impress their guests, your customers need the right combination of products, from the marinades that add taste and the sauces to make meat tender, to the grilling hardware that lets everyone practice this magic. With BBQ Gourmet’s product range on your shelves, your customers don’t have to look far when putting together the perfect outdoor feast. 

Since bursting onto the outdoor storage and furniture scene in February 2022, the HEX Living family has designed and produced an innovative range of contemporary metal sheds, garden storage solutions and outdoor furniturethat put the needs of the user first.

HEX Living products are designed and manufactured with the end user in mind and, as a British manufacturer, is uniquely placed in the market to offer retail partners complete flexibility when it comes to stock supply. 

HEX Living manufactures and holds large volumes of stock at its factory in Staffordshire, so can immediately supply the exact quantity of product you need, when you need it. Its service eliminates the need for forecasting and the requirement of purchasing minimum quantities to fill a shipping container and immediate order and delivery mean there is no need for you to hold large volumes of stock, releasing valuable cash flow and space.

As part of The HEX Group, HEX Living is committed to being carbon neutral by 2037. By choosing HEX Living you are choosing a responsible, ethical partner.

Whether entertaining or breakfasting al fresco style, Glendale’s exclusive Venetian Gazebo, with louvered open and shut roof, will help create a cosy atmosphere even when the sun goes down.

With a contemporary design, this permanent gazebo with extruded aluminium frame, blades and gutters, will work at home or in a commercial setting.

Available freestanding or fixed to a wall, the Venetian Gazebo has downpipes incorporated into the down posts, built in LED lighting, and can be created from a choice of  five stylish powder coat colours.

The adjustable blades can be operated by remote control and adjusted to any position within the 135 degree range to allow full or partial sunlight, the release heat, capture cool breezes, or close for full protection.

Just in time for SOLEX, Premier Decorations Limited is releasing The Catalogue 2023 – bringing the best products for spring and summer together in one publication.

With new packaging concepts for solar, battery operated and low voltage lighting, the Outdoor Living Company is fast becoming the destination brand for smart, alternative lighting in store and online.  

As shelf space is precious in store, Premier Decorations has introduced a new range of off-shelf display solutions. 

Promotional Mini FSDU’s are ideal for enhancing availability on the shop floor and secure add on sales that are so often missed by consumers when associated products are not adjacent to the main displays.

LANDMANN will be showcasing the first barbeque to feature an airfryer. The Fryton is an innovation that combines a barbeque with an airfryer that enables more flexibility with cooking more than ever before.

The airfryer is the perfect addition to the barbeque, it allows you to grill, fry and cook outside - perfect for creating tasty barbeque sides such as garlic bread, jacket potatoes, cauliflower wings, chicken nuggets, and fries.

It comes comes with all the features you’d expect from LANDMANN, such as the 65 x 40cm Modulus Cooking System cast-iron grill, which helps food stick less, cook faster and distributes heat more evenly. Perfect for groups of six or more people, it also features four 3kW burners with piezo ignition and a 3.0kW stainless-steel adjustable side burner ideal for making smaller side dishes or sauces so you can cook different foods at different temperatures without affecting the main grill.

LANDMANN is also celebrating its partnership with Chef of Foodies, so look out for top chefs at the LANDMANN outdoor area offering using barbequing tips and delicious barbeque tasters to all who come by. This follows on from the launch of the LANDMANN and Chefs for Foodies BBQ Food Boxes and the LANDMANN Grill Academy that allows barbeque lovers to get involved in interactive cooking classes to improve their skills.

The new Fiji collection combines cool contemporary styling with sumptuous seating and relaxed casual dining.

From integral ice buckets to roaring firepits, the Fiji collection offers an all-year-round haven of tranquillity for your garden. 

Designed to maximise loadability, the range offers the all-important KD function throughout allowing both style and profitability to harmonise.

Supremo UK is pleased to return to Solex, boasting a new outdoor living collection and a selection of best-selling items. 

Its stand will be packed with awe-inspiring designs with an emphasis on new items created with comfort and quality in mind featuring the distinctive styling and attention to detail that Supremo is renowned for.

A collection highlight is the Risha wood and rope range in responsibly sourced eucalyptus. With its versatile textiles, the Risha range has the exceptional ability to handle all-weather conditions as well as look the part inside, creating a style that can flow from interior to exterior. Constructed with UV stabilised yarn, woven with more than 10,000 strands with a reinforced core, the rope is extremely durable and comes with a marine grade certification. The double braided cover makes the rope extremely strong but soft to the touch - a perfect match for the solid, natural frames. 

Supremo will also have more exciting additions to its aluminium ranges, and will be introducing a full fabric collection and innovative weave sets, which now boast over 200 different designs.

Katherine Wheel is new to the barbeque collection from FirepitsUK, offering flexible barbecuing and excellent control when cooking outside. 

Inspired by traditional Spanish outdoor cooking and grilling, it has a unique wheel mechanism to raise and lower the grill plate.

Designed to sit on a table or heat resistant work top, this is the vanguard for a new outdoor cooking tradition.

FirepitsUK designs and manufacturers more than 40 different designs of fire pits, chimineas, outdoor kitchens and pizza ovens. 

All made from British steel and made to order in its UK workshop, FirepitsUK produces high quality, robust designs with many unique features for both warmth and cooking outdoors.

The Pit Boss® and Louisiana Grills® are two of the hottest barbecue brands setting new standards in quality, innovation and value, and bringing Dansons Europe’s Bigger. Hotter. Heavier™ brand mentality to SOLEX.   

Check out the Bigger. Hotter. Heavier™ Pit Boss® Pro Series Wood Fired Pellet Grills, sporting massive builds, bluetooth and WI-FI control and Danson Europe’s unique direct flame seraing technology that instantly transforms your Pit Boss® from a world class barbecue smoker into a high temperature wood fired grill, to char-grill or sear your food at temperatures over 530°c. Can your pellet grill do that?

LeisureGrow is launching 2023 collections at Solex with new ranges and innovative products from across its subsidiary categories: LG Outdoor, Grillstream, Casa Mia and NOMA.

Casa Mia is a pizza oven and outdoor heating range, recognised as a “highly commended” garden leisure product of the year. Casa Mia introduces the first multi-use gas-powered chimineas and bespoke u-shaped gas burner pizza ovens.

For those that love to cook outdoors, the Grillstream range has patented Grillstream grills, the gas/charcoal hybrid cooking system and the Gastro system that continues to revolutionise the barbeque world. 

The NOMA garden lighting range brings Illumination to outdoor space with elegant and magical lighting concepts while LG Outdoor offers a choice of dining and lounging sets, modular sets with clever adjustable tables, sunloungers, and a variety of accessories.

The Glowbus® Dewdrop is a statement piece offering pure outdoor luxury in any garden thanks to its timeless design and blend of simplicity. 

The Dewdrop is made from sustainable Corten steel and comes in three sizes. The medium and large is now available with a new EcoSmart Fire bioethanol burner which produces a beautiful big flame that is CO2 Neutral, sustainable and completely odourless and smokeless.

This carbon neutral fuel source is ideal for the environment combined making the Corten steel fire sculpture a showstopper during the day and a source of warmth and cosiness in the evening.

The Dewdrop will be lit and displayed in the Solex Loving Outdoor Living Zone alongside SPIN, Ginique’s bioethanol outdoor table lamp.

The Outdoor Living collection from Tower has been expanded for 2023, with plans to show off the new products for the first time at SOLEX.

Visitors will be able to catch the latest outdoor entertaining innovations and trends from Tower at Stand 570 during show opening hours. Its stand hosts a diverse selection of BBQs, Grills, Outdoor Heaters and Tools & Accessories, in addition to special early bird offers that save stockists up to 50%!

For a taste of the fresh new products that customers can expect to see at the show, Tower has compiled a show preview for each Outdoor Living category:

Gas BBQs.

Tower’s top-of-the-range Gas BBQs feature a powder coated steel body that delivers unrivalled user-friendly cooking experiences, providing excellent heat retention to ensure the BBQ remains hot for hours. Highly durable, Tower BBQs are designed to withstand all weathers and warping under high temperatures.

Tower has developed the Tourer Two Burner Gas BBQ, a state of the art portable BBQ for grilling delicious foods in the garden or on the go. Due to its collapsible design and folding side shelf, it’s easily storable while fitting seamlessly in any sized car boot. For added convenience when transporting the BBQ, it comes complete with integrated wheels and a pulling handle.

Offering a sublime BBQ experience for hosts and guests alike, the Goucho Six Burner BBQ with Plancha allows any avid griller to cook a variety of BBQ favourites simultaneously. Its capacity spans a large grilling surface with a plancha griddle for additional cooking space, catering for up to 10 people at once.

Charcoal BBQs and Pizza Ovens

Tower’s Charcoal BBQs consist of the Kamado XL and Kamado Maxi, creating delicious foods with an authentic charcoal taste for family and guests to enjoy. Designed in a contemporary egg shape with an embossed finish, the BBQ looks as stylish as it is functional for grilling, smoking, baking and searing an array of ingredients. The ceramic body with a powder coated steel frame delivers fantastic heat retention, keeping the body warm for longer for easy and even heat distribution.

As consumers continue to seek more products with multi-purpose value, Tower has also designed the Pizzazz Grill Top Pizza Oven for added versatile BBQ grilling. Simply placing the pizza oven on top of any gas or charcoal BBQ grill will cook deliciously-crispy homemade pizzas that can be easily served with the included foldable paddle.

Outdoor Heating

For consumers starting to spend more time in the garden this summer, Tower has created a scope of stylish Chimineas and Fire Pits to keep users comfortable and cosy as the temperatures drop throughout the evenings. The Magna Gas Fire Pits are designed in three different sizes – large, medium and small – with two different shapes of round and rectangle, made from natural stone that adds style to any garden.

The elegant Comet Chiminea creates a soothing ambience with its flickering flame, made from high grade powder coated steel that is resistant to high temperatures and warping. Its tall and sleek design with integrated chimney ensures to direct the smoke upwards, allowing it to dissipate into the air.

Saving space in the garden, Tower has ingeniously created the Astro Hanging Patio Heater, using powerful 1500W halogen technology that generates 360° warmth, with a choice of three power levels to create the optimum comfortable setting. Complete with a remote control, this patio heater is the perfect companion for hosting garden parties all year round.

The Vesta Wall Mounted Heater, SOL Freestanding Heater and Astrid Freestanding Heater offer alternative space-saving and traditional heating solutions for the outdoors. The range encompasses style, functionality and fantastic value options for a wide variety of consumers.

Expanding further into the outdoor living market, RKW has also recently joined the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association (LOFA). The international trade association represents the interests of leading manufacturers and distributors of the very best brands within the outdoor living industry – now including RKW’s flagship own-brand, Tower.

For more information, please get in touch with your account manager or browse the Tower Outdoor Living range.

The Innovators International height adjustable extending table combines innovation with a practical twist. This ceramic tile top table is height adjustable allowing it to be raised or lowered to suit the occasion.

By simply pressing the easy-to-use lever, the table can be adjusted from a dining table for al fresco dining to a coffee table perfect for relaxing with a drink with friends. Additionally, the centre of the table pulls apart with an easy open mechanism allowing for an extra section to be released creating extra space to accommodate more guests.

This innovative height adjusting extending table is a must have for any outdoor setting for entertaining guests.

Waspinator is an easy impulse purchase decision for customers looking at garden leisure equipment. It’s not pest control, it’s an outdoor living enhancement that stops wasps spoiling enjoyment of the garden. 

On sale in the UK, Europe and US for more than 14 years Waspinator repellent effortlessly gets rid of wasps without chemicals or harming them.

You just hang it up and they fly away. It’s a tried and tested method with ancient origins.

Waspinator is supplied in a small footprint, big impact free standing display unit with a low cost cassette replenishment system.

2023 is going to be hot as Char-Broil takes electric barbequing to a whole new level. Its E-Novation offers the grilling power of charcoal and gas grills without the stress.

Temperatures up to 370°C can be infinitely and precisely regulated made possible by the innovative, digital control panel which, combined with Char-broil’s patented TRU-Infrared™ cooking technology, ensures even heat and keeps meat juicy.

In addition, the electric grill of tomorrow will impress with faster heating, environmentally friendly, energy-saving grilling and easy cleaning. The advantages? No gas bottle, no ash, quick and easy to use.

The Pagoda team from Munro Importers is highly experienced in sourcing garden furniture in China and Vietnam. Having its own offices in Hangzhou for more than 25 years has meant the team knows all the best factories and has good working relationships with them.

Pagoda’s eye-catching ranges offer an inspired combination of materials such as aluminium and steel frames to provide modern outdoor designs with uncompromising quality, durability, comfort and easy-care. If quantities are sufficient, it can own-brand products in mixed containers with a maximum four products.

All shipments are thoroughly checked to international AQL standards by our own inspectors, and all inspections are written up into a detailed report. Containers are shipped directly from factories to your warehouse and Pagoda can offer a door to door or FOB China port service.

GLATZ is a Swiss family company with more than 125 year’s experience. As its exclusive UK partner, AEL is chosen and trusted by discerning customers as it offers the most comprehensive and innovative choice of parasols on the market.

We currently work with 42 independent and group garden centres, showrooms displaying a range of Glatz parasols. 

If you are interested in becoming an approved Glatz retailer in the UK, then please contact us. The products shine with long-lasting performance and a host of benefits that can be explained and demonstrated to consumers.

The benefits of becoming a Glatz retailer with AEL include full sales training, POS displays and materials, demonstration models, technical support, and after-sales from staff with high levels of technical knowledge and experience in the home and garden retail industry with Glatz. 

A game-changer for the world of outdoor cooking, the ProQ Flatdog is a high-spec portable charcoal grill which folds down as thin as a laptop.

Transforming from flat to functional with an instant opening mechanism, the Flatdog’s pioneering space-saving design has been created to make carrying a barbecue effortless. 

With a grill surface spacious enough to feed a family, the Flatdog boasts the largest cooking surface of any fold flat portable barbecue, with the efficient airflow design allowing for a premium cooking experience.

Embracing the joys of outdoor living and the full flavour of al fresco cooking, the Flatdog works with all kinds of charcoal and briquettes, for a true barbeque taste. Easy to carry, the Flatdog has been made to flatpack for the back of a car, caravan or campervan. Simply flip the ProQ Flatdog into shape and the barbeque is ready to light.

Once the coals have gone out, the design means the barbecue cools rapidly, ready to be folded flat again in around 10 minutes. Made from high-grade stainless steel for durability and rust resistance, the Flatdog is easy-to-clean and maintain. 

An environmentally conscious and safe alternative to single-use barbeques, the ProQ Flatdog has been created as a positive move against the issue of destructive ‘disposable’ barbecues.

From Broil King, the ‘built-in’ barbecue range offers superior quality, design and versatility with a contemporary look.

Exceptional grilling performance that you’ll only find on a Broil King, with dual flame burners, heavy-duty cast iron cooking grids and a cast- aluminium cook box. It’s your grilling space, so go ahead and use it to the fullest.

Transform your barbecue into the ultimate entertaining appliance.

The revolutionary El Fuego from The Crop Candle Company is a green alternative to conventional fire pits which, around the world, release thousands of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

It burns 100% eco-friendly vegetable wax which along with heat, produces a large, hypnotic and therapeutic flame.

The smokeless El Fuego emits only 1.4kg CO2 p/hr, unlike most conventional wood and gas fire pits that produce up to 15kg CO2 p/hr. This also makes the El Fuego a popular choice in small gardens, lodges and parks where smoke pollution can be a nuisance to close neighbours.

El Fuego allows you to enjoy being in the garden well into the evening. Its large flame requires no maintenance and doesn’t make clothes smell like a bonfire. It’s easy to light in minutes and put out in seconds.

Eight-hour refills are simple to store and can burn for the equivalent time of around 100 wooden logs.

El Fuego is sold with eight hours of fuel included.

The patent protected El Fuego is a great asset to any garden and those who enjoy outdoor living wanting to do their part for the environment. 

Bramblecrest will be introducing its new ranges and extensions for 2023 and hosting a cooking demonstration. Visitors are invited to come and watch a chef prepare a wide variety of recipes that can be cooked on a griddle plate and to taste them too!

From chimichurri steaks to fired strawberries, griddle cooking is a very versatile and popular trend, so find Bramblecrest in the outdoor cooking area and tempt your tastebuds.

“Solex is always as an exciting show for us where we look forward to meeting our existing and potential stockists and showing our new products. After missing Solex for two years due to the pandemic, our team is ready and waiting to present our 2023 ranges in person.” said Tim Pennell, Head of Sales.

Looking ahead to 2023, Bramblecrest will be adding to its contemporary synthetic rope and aluminium collections, as well as the traditional rattan ranges – focusing on new lines and concepts.

Due to market demands, Bramblecrest’s popular aluminium offering continues to grow; the successfully established La Rochelle range will expand from Bar Table Sets, Sun Loungers and Reclining Sofa Sets to also offer dining options. Likewise, after a successful introduction, the Mauritius range – a synthetic rope collection new for 2022 – will extend into offering dining table sets too.

Other introductions to the aluminium collection are Vienna with its ‘wood effect’ coffee table, Amsterdam and Zurich.

Alongside its new steel Sirius and Stella fire pits is a new range of chineneas. As the only long-term supplier of Mexican chimeneas, the best-performing patio fire during the pandemic, Gardeco is presenting its range of UK-stocked chimeneas, featuring new designs for 2022.

Also comes a new range of 100% natural-material woven furniture featuring seating and table sets as well as individual pieces, all with a highly decorative finish and style.

Post-pandemic, Gardeco is committed to lower prices wherever possible for the benefit of our customers. Half of the Gardeco range is under B-TOPPP promotions - Back To Pre-Pandemic Prices and those products not included there is the B-TAPPP promotion - Back To Almost Pre-Pandemic Prices promotion. 

Gardeco is also pleased to announce it has found suitable solutions to the problems caused by the pandemic to sourcing and transport.

Norfolk-based Michelin Star chef joins Norfolk Grills to inspire folks around the nation to cook something delicious on their Norfolk Grill barbeque!

From rib eye steak to an all-in-one fish stew, Galton Blackiston cooks a variety of dishes and sides all using the Norfolk Grills barbeque range.

Set in the beautiful north Norfolk countryside a full series of You Tube recipe videos is being released weekly.

Head to norfolkgrills.com to watch the series so far, as well as see the full recipes plus Galton’s best tips and tricks.

Ascalon Design is looking forward to displaying a significant proportion of its garden furniture and structures, including larger pieces such as its best-selling gazebos and tunnels.

This includes a number of new furniture ranges, new colourways on popular lines such as the Avalon, a selection of new seat pad designs, and much more. The show will also mark the launch of our preseason offers for 2023. 

Ascalon Design is also looking forward to talking to customers about its work to improve supply chains and distribution for the upcoming season, including the completion of its new warehousing facilities so it can hold higher stock levels than ever before to keep up with the increasing demand.

Extreme Lounging bring style and comfort to the outdoor lifestyle with products that are British through and through.

Recent additions include the B-Hammock, B-Bed, made with double stitching, carefully considered comfort fillings, and proper weatherproofing as well as the B-Bulb, an elegant, iconic and efficient light for use indoors or outside.

UV resistant and weatherproof it can be charged with a USB making it highly portable and is now joined by B-Bulb Connect Festoon. As its product range continues to grow, Extreme Lounging is creating an iconic choice for those who love life outdoors.

The organisers have announced that SOLEX is expanding and in 2023 will take place on 16-18 May. These new dates sit comfortably within the new buying calendar set by manufacturers in the Far East and will allow SOLEX exhibitors and visitors to place their orders in plenty of time for the 2024 spring/summer season.

The last two years have seen a seismic shift within our industry, and the way we do business has been totally changed.

Far East manufacturers have put increased pressure on the outdoor leisure industry to move the ordering process to mid spring, a full two months earlier than in previous years, so to accommodate this we have moved the dateline for SOLEX forward. 

We have worked closely with the NEC, Birmingham over the past year to fit this new timeline into what we know is a busy exhibition period.

New look and expansion for SOLEX 2023

SOLEX was set up for LOFAmembers to showcase their best-selling ranges and newest collections to industry buyers, it is the perfect place to enable them to meet the quality buyers that SOLEX attracts. 

We feel it is now the right time to open our exhibition up to a wider outdoor leisure audience, and that is why from 2023 onwards SOLEX will be split into three specific areas.

LOFA members zone

Filled with an inspirational group of companies all focused on the outdoor living industry, our LOFA members offer the most unique outdoor entertaining idea from BBQs, furniture, fire pits, spas, shading, lighting, chimeneas and a wide range of accessories. All adhering to the LOFA Code of Practice, this group of companies are the best brands within the outdoor living sector.

New enterprise zone

Open to new start-ups and businesses enabling them to get onto the industry ladder and help them on their way to becoming LOFA Members.

Summer garden zone

This section is for those companies that do not meet the LOFA criteria but want to be part of the Summer Outdoor Living Exhibition. However, the standards LOFA upholds will still need to be met by these companies in this zone. All their products will have to meet current UK regulations so we can be sure they are supplying good quality and safe products to the industry. 

This is a very exciting time for SOLEX. The new format means we can grow and develop the show and encourage more innovation, new companies and fresh ideas and we are looking forward to forging new relationships with a wider section of the industry over the coming years.

If you are interested in exhibiting at SOLEX 2023, the only exhibition organised by the industry for the industry, contact gina@lofa.com

GTN July 2022 SOLEX SHOW PREVIEW ISSUE

Inside this issue:

• Welcome to SOLEX 2022
• New date and new look for SOLEX 2023
• It’s all about the plants at National Plant Show
• Boosting sales at Gardeners World Live
• Alfresco dining with Glencrest
• SOLEX 2022 Exhibitor News
• Innovations from Sipcam
• Trends from spoga+gafa
• LOFA Column –     An exhibition organisers diary
• HTA Column – Words fail Boyd!