A record number of exhibitors are all set to make this year's SOLEX an unmissable show for visitors to the NEC showpiece. The finishing touches are being made to the increasingly successful summer outdoor living exhibition, which opens its doors at 9am tomorrow (Monday)...

Show organiser Phil Gibbs said: "Hall 5 of the NEC is looking fantastic. It promises to be a fantastic show with so many new products for visitors to see."

The all-important New Product Gallery has been tweaked again this year. Exhibitors have been advised that only genuinely all-new products should be on display. As in 2013, the gallery will be at the entrance to hall 5, so visitors can make it their first port of call.

Awards for the Best New Product and Best Stands will be judged by two independent judges, Jonathan Hindle and Diarmuid Gavin, with support from Howard Barnett of P.J.Bridgman.

Both Jonathan, Master of the Furniture Makers Company, and distinguished garden designer Diarmuid, are supremely qualified for the job of identifying the products and companies who will be setting next season’s trends.

The pair have recently helped to judge the Student Design Competition organised by LOFA members Alexander Rose and sponsored by LOFA, which will be the focus of a new feature at SOLEX. Short-listed students have been invited to showcase their designs and portfolios in a special display at the rear of the hall - a reminder of the importance of attracting new blood into the furniture design industry.


To register for your place at SOLEX click here

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

The exhibition is open for three days – Monday and Tuesday, July 7-8, 9am to 5.30pm; and Wednesday, 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 infomration about SOLEX visit the exhibition website at www.lofa.co.uk/SOLEX

The new Chim-Room from Gardeco is a temporary structure which creates a chimenea friendly garden room. It comes with an extension pipe which fits into the funnel of your chimenea allowing smoke and fumes to escape.

The chimenea pipe can be positioned in two places according to requirements in either the upper or lower roof panel of the Chim-Room. Simply position your chimenea and install the Gardeco extension pipe on the chimenea, plus the second extension pipe and light your fire.

This 'Chimenea friendly gazebo' provides is a totally new innovative product for the garden retail and leisure industries. The outdoor room can retain its attraction on chilly or damp evenings by having a Chim-Room in-situ. This prolongs the use of any garden, and means you can still have a real fire, outdoor cooking and relax with friends well into Autumn. SSP £999 inc. vat.

This is a continuation of a series of innovative concepts by Gardeco for the garden retail sector. The Chim-Room is being  officially launched to the trade in the new product section at Solex 2014 today.

See Gardeco  on stand 100.

Tel: 0870 234 0003.  www.gardeco.co.uk

BeefEater Barbecues, the leading Australian barbecue manufacturer, will be launching its new Artisan Outdoor Kitchen at this year’s SOLEX, as demand from the UK increases for outdoor living and entertaining space.

The Artisan Outdoor Kitchen is the latest addition to Beefeater’s range of barbecues and bespoke outdoor kitchens offering the latest in alfresco dining design solutions. The new kitchen houses 3, 4 and 5 burners and comes complete with an outdoor sink, double fridge, side burners, drawers,handy storage cabinets and enough space for the installation of a wine-chiller.

The new compact kitchen is fully integrated, solid and functional, providing an efficient and attractive workspace. The Artisan Kitchen is also quick and easy to install, making it an ideal product for the outdoor entertaining market.

“We are delighted to launch the Artisan at this year’s SOLEX which we think will be a hit next year with our trade partners and the consumer alike,” said Matthew Richards, BeefEater European Sales Manager.

“The new kitchen embraces the BeefEater quality and technology and goes a step further in providing in making this an accessible product for many in terms of price,” he added.

The new Artisan Outdoor Kitchen will be on display on the BeefEater stand 140 at this year’s SOLEX.

Exclusive indoor cane and rattan furniture from Daro are ideally suited for the lounge or the conservatory. The outdoor collection employs the latest developments in polyethylene UV and water resistant materials.

First established as a brand in the 1970s, Daro has adapted to the ever-changing needs of the market place and continues to  flourishes as a market leader through a commitment to quality. Only top grade rattan and cane is used to  ensure durability.

The UK-based Daro Soft Furnishings Division ensures that the cushions are made to the highest standard with consistency and exclusive designs utilising the latest manufacturing technology.

Daro are on stand 615.

Building on the success of its newly-launched 2014 barbecue range, Campingaz will showcase an updated collection at SOLEX this July. With a model to suit all types of consumer, the barbecues are a result of a multi-million dollar investment by the company and combine advanced technology and features with eye-catching, contemporary designs.

For 2015, Campingaz has added to the range with an ultra-portable new 1 Series barbecue that is ideal for use on small balconies or while out and about.

The collection is headlined by the premium RBS models which combine Campingaz’ advanced RBS technology housed within a eye-catching design for unparalleled style and performance. Alternatively, consumers can harness the power of cast iron with the 3 and 4 Series Cast Iron, while the 3 and 4 Series Classic and Woody barbecues boast an efficient stainless steel tube burner system paired with a stylish, wooden design.

Budget-conscious consumers are catered for with the compact yet powerful 2 Series Classic range and for when space is at a premium, the 2 Series Compact features a flexible and portable, space-saving design complete with a practical folding trolley.

All of the Campingaz barbecue models incorporate several innovative design features, each developed to enhance the user’s barbecuing experience. For increased cooking versatility, several models boast the flexible Culinary Modular Accessory System which allows users to remove the inner ring of the cast iron grid and replace it with a convenient modular insert.

Making it easy to enjoy flavours from all around the world, the Culinary Modular Accessory System includes an optional wok, pizza stone or a paella pan. 

Campingaz are on stand 730.

SOLEX visitors will be the first to experience a new urban collection of contemporary garden furniture from Kettler, featuring innovative materials, intelligent design and vibrant colours, all created to appeal to a younger audience.

It will include, they tell us, a bright, cheerful chair with a new solution to staying refreshed. The range also features a new furniture set that with a stylish and fresh feel.

There is a colour extension to the popular Bretagne range and, in the Weave collection, a new spin on dining, promising ultimate flexibility and comfort.

Kettler’s hugely successful Casual Dining collection, which has enjoyed record-breaking sales in 2014, will benefit from new weave products designed to bring the concept to a wider audience. 

Kettler are on stand 505. 

The Greatest summer awards and evening garden party will take place in association with SOLEX at the National Motorcycle Museum on 7th July at 7.15pm.

Reward your team after a busy day at SOLEX and rub shoulders with The Greatest Garden Centre teams in the business.

Included in the ticket price is a pre-dinner drinks reception, a three course meal with wine, coffee and mints and the prestigious awards ceremony, followed by dancing to our live band.

Back by popular demand after their success at the Greatest Christmas Awards, The Rockits are the resident band from the Cavern Club in Liverpool.

Dress code is smart casual

Book NOW to avoid disappointment, there are only a few tickets remaining.  call 07973 504214 or book on line using the Buy Now link below:

Tickets

1 Ticket £102.00 GBP2 Tickets £204.00 GBP3 Tickets £288.00 GBP4 Tickets £384.00 GBP5 Tickets £450.00 GBP6 Tickets £540.00 GBP7 Tickets £630.00 GBP8 Tickets £720.00 GBP9 Tickets £810.00 GBPTable of 10 £840.00 GBP

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

The exhibition is open for three days – Monday and Tuesday, July 7-8, 9am to 5.30pm; and Wednesday, 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 infomration about SOLEX visit the exhibition website at www.lofa.co.uk/SOLEX

Visitors to the Norfolk Leisure stand (220), will see new lines and colours within the popular LIFE, Idle Rose, Florenity and Garden Must Haves brand families and a new brand developed in conjunction with global giant La-Z- Boy.

Known in the UK for its celebrated collections of indoor furniture, the American company’s design team has been working closely with Norfolk Leisure to develop a completely new outdoor range specifically for the UK market.

Norfolk Leisure MD Nick Anderson describes the new range as inspirational. “We are extremely proud of the results, which we will showcase for the first time at SOLEX” he told SOLEX Sun reporters..

Director Debbie Waudby is also excited by the high level of expectation customers bring to SOLEX. “Our customers depend on us to present new, unique and innovative collections to enhance the specialist, quality products they stock,” she said.

Information click here

The Chili is the latest colour to join the Major range of charcoal barbecues from Barbecook, adding a vibrant red to the existing line-up of stainless steel, black, blue and lime finishes.

The range features Barbecook’s QuickStart® system, whose adjustable air supply creates enough controllable power to enable barbecuing withouta lid in practically any location.Grilling without lid also means that no harmful substances can enter the food, and the easily adjustable grid prevents any contact with harmful flare-ups.

See the Major alongside Barbecook’s gas and other charcoal ranges on the stand of their UK distributors, Premier Decorations (420), where you can learn how to make the mast of the company’s intensive summer PR campaign.

Bosmere (stand 600), who celebrate their 35th anniversary this year, will be showcasing a new range of covers alongside their established collections of protection products for garden furniture, barbecues and garden accessories. The new lines promise exceptional value and quality and have features found in more expensive ranges.

Asado Grill (stand E1), making their SOLEX debut, launch a range of stylish designs that aim to realise the full potential of the ‘instant barbecue’ concept. For example, the Asado BOX is a lava stone heat source that last for 2-3 hours, with no cleaning up required.

Portofino  from Alexander Rose (225) is a versatile and practical collection of benches, chairs, sunbeds and tables takes garden furniture to a new level of cutting-edge contemporary style.

Equally at home in a town or country setting, the Portofino provides comfort, low maintenance and unrivalled product performance in all weather conditions.

Precision and durability are the hallmarks, as demonstrated in the intricate way the fine powder coated mild steel and wire mesh together, fusing lines, shapes and patterns in  designs of timeless minimalism.

Devon-based BigFire (stand E4), founded in 2011 by father and son Ian and John MacQueen, specialises in wood fired products and imports and distributes exclusively for aspirational brands such as Weltevree and Clementi.

Supplying high quality wood fired hot tubs (see left), pizza ovens and much more, the range offers the market distinctive alternatives.

The products are designed and engineered by leading international designers and all are tested to ensure they offer a genuinely good innovation.

The company is currently seeking high quality retail partners

Information 01395 275300 or click here

Bellagio will use its biggest ever presence at Solex to launch a new brand identity designed specifically for the UK. Buyers will see the ‘Supremo’ brand for the first time, following a significant investment in development of the brand story, marketing material and online advertising campaigns. New software and systems will improve speed of response and customer service.

MD Julian Windsor said: “We’ve been talking to the market for 18 months about the future and recognised the need to move away from the old name and create a new brand that combines style with substance, providing attractive, high quality outdoor furniture.”

Supremo will be the umbrella brand, paving the way for a number of consumer facing ranges under the strapline ‘The essence of style’. The first of these will be ‘Leisure’, the company’s core business, covering outdoor furniture. More lines will be added over the next year.

John Cooper (previously Weber’s VP for North West Europe) has taken over the reigns as MD for Swiss Grills (stand 350) and has beefed up the sales team. He has chosen SOLEX to showcase a brand new grill for 2015, one he believes will attract a lot of attention and help to drive retail sales.

SOLEX are to provide free buses from local hotels for visitors to GTN’s Greatest Awards, to be held on the evening of Monday 7th July at the National Motorcycle Museum (near the NEC) during SOLEX.

Details of routes have now been confirmed. Pick-ups will be available from the following hotels:

• Crowne Plaza
• Metropole
• Premier Inn
• Holiday Inn Express
• Manor Park
• Arden
• IBIS
• Novotel