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

The exhibition is open for for one more day – Thursday, July 12, 9am to 3pm.

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

Organiser Phil Gibbs 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

SOLEX SUN's roving reporters have scoured the show to find 10 things all visitors should see before the show closes tomorrow.

1. Supremo Fire-Pit table

Judged Best Product at the show. "We liked the neat arrangement for disguising the gas bottle, and also the Resysta wood," said the judges.

2. Hartman Heritage adjustable table

Neat idea that takes the table from platform height to dining height with a simple adjustment.

3. Norfolk Leisure contemporary gazebos

A distintnctly different take on this category, the Pandora Leaf model has a louvre blind design - or there's a sliding roof version.

4. Premier Decorations Outdoor Living Company expanded range

They launched this last year - and the newly-doubled assortment includes many intriguing novelties (like the water-fountain candle lights).

5 Ascalon Gothic Tunnel

Number of garden centres have already ordered this striking steel structure as an entrance for their Christmas departments.

6. Barlow Tyrie 'Atom' furniture

The masters of teak furniture design have come up with an appealing variation - and a novel cushion fixing.

7. A. Mir & Co Weather Shield

Tip wine on this fantastic Weather Shield fabric and then simply wipe off. Amazing. Must be seen on the A. Mir & Co stand.

8. Zest 4 Leisure Noah's Arbour

The hero product for 2019, the stunning Noah’s Arbour, so-called because its design is reminiscent of Noah’s Ark, is a completely new concept to the market.

9. Mont Alpi barbecues

The Mont Alpi range of stainless steel and granite deluxe barbecues are packed with fantastic features.

10. New Product Showcase

A great place to see lots of fantastic new products in one place. You can't miss the Showcase...it's right at the entrance.

Greenfingers Charity were presented with a cheque for £10,000 from LOFA on the first day of SOLEX.

Linda Petrons, director of fundraising and communications, received the donation from Mark Osborne, chairman of LOFA.

Linda said: "We're enormously grateful to LOFA for their continued support. We're delighted to receive this donation, which will help to ensure that a new woodland garden in East London will become a reality later in the year."

Award winning, Zest 4 Leisure is showcasing new timber picnic tables, attractive outdoor table sets, and practical benches, all of which are part of the new product range for the 2019 season.

Zest 4 Leisure is particularly keen to display its brand new Christina Set; this beautifully crafted timber set consists of two large benches, two single seats, a large coffee table and a side table, ergonomically designed with rest and relaxation in mind. The Christina set comes with deep green cushions for added comfort, perfect for unwinding in the garden.

Designed with a focus on outdoor living and entertainment, the Christina Set has a simple yet robust construction and is a fantastic addition to any outdoor area.  

The Christina Set is manufactured from high quality, pressure treated timber to withstand the test of time and comes with a 10-year guarantee against rot.

New for the 2019 garden furniture market, the Christina Set has been ergonomically designed with angled backs to both benches and seats, providing optimum comfort. Created in response to customer feedback, the Christina Set is both easy to assemble and low maintenance. All of Zest 4 Leisure’s timber garden furniture is Forest Stewardship Council certified (FSC), so sustainable and responsible products are a guarantee.

Expert in outdoor living furniture, the company is renowned for its high quality, timber garden products, stylish and elegant in design, and providing comfort for the purpose of outdoor living and entertaining.

The Zest team will be revealing new inspirational designs and product ranges that are perfect for both outdoor recreation and relaxation. Outdoor entertainment furniture and bringing the ‘indoors outdoors’ are key focuses for Zest with the company’s wide range of dining sets, swing seats, and arbours, all due to be on show here at SOLEX.

Zest 4 Leisure, once more, looks forward to welcoming visitors at its stand, where new, innovative, outdoor living products will take centre stage.

Visit Zest 4 Leisure at the SOLEX show on stand 345, where you will be sure to be ‘wowed’!

To find out more about Zest 4 Leisure’s timber, garden furniture products visit: www.zest4leisure.co.uk

This year's SOLEX sees Alexander Rose's largest ever product launch as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations. Through the its wood, weave and metal ranges there are dozens of new lines to suit every taste and budget. 

The Sherwood range has been the talking point for many buyers, matching a traditional feel with stylish looks.  Crafted from sturdy Acacia with a clever hand-finished texture, this extensive collection of furniture boasts true Alexander Rose quality at an affordable price. 

Alexander Rose's comfortable Beach Lounge collection now has a range of dining options, with the same blend of comfort and practicality.  Simply titled "Fresco", the powder-coated aluminium frames are matched with a range of tops either in Roble wood, durable HPL or with a slatted aluminium finish. 

The award-winning Cordial collection has also been enhanced with the addition of a range of dining furniture.  Boasting the same marine-grade rope for durability, table options are available in a wide range of sizes and styles. 

Brought back as a one-off to celebrate their 25th birthday, the stunning Chorus bench has also proved a real talking point this year.  The retro lines and intricate detail of the back of the bench demonstrate its quality, while the price has been kept exactly the same as it was when the bench was first launched!!  A limited run of 500 benches has been made, and these are selling very fast!    

With many other brand new designs across every range, the team at Alexander Rose are confident that their extensive collections of furniture at this year's Solex showcase the very best of outdoor living options for sitting, dining and relaxing. 

Alexander Rose are additionally running a competition at Solex this year as part of their anniversary celebrations, which offers the chance to win one of 25 luxury spa weekends for two at the exclusive South Lodge Hotel in leafy Sussex.  With a limited number of golden tickets available, the competition has proved popular with customers both old and new. 

Visit Borge, Georgia and the team at stand 215 for more details on Alexander Rose's product offering for the 2019 season, and for the chance to win that luxury spa weekend for two!

The popular Jupiter 4 and 6-burner barbecues are still proving to be a big hit with visitors to the Outback stand (320) at SOLEX.

Guaranteed to make an impact in any garden or patio setting, the Jupiter 4 burner Stainless Steel was developed for the 2017 market, and proved the value of research that told Outback the sleek, shiny design would appeal to up-market consumers.

Four stainless steel main burners, an infrared side sear burner, two porcelain-coated cast iron grills and an interchangeable multi-choice grill for the optional pizza stone, griddle and wok accessories are included.

The double-skin roasting hood and body come pre-assembled, and a cabinet, side table and metal base add ample storage space.

A warming  rack, thermometer, heat gauge, easy to clean drip tray, flame tamers, tool rack and bottle opener make this a winning combination.

Visitors to the LifestyleGarden stand (605) were wowed by the extensive ranges of outdoor furniture, particularly the Martinique and Ipanema collections.

Perfect for entertaining or everyday relaxation in the outdoors at home, the Martinique is an elegant addition to the range. A perfect blend of delicate rounded edges and deep comfortable cushions, the seating is relaxing and versatile. Rust-resistant frames and fully recyclable Petan.

For those times when you want some genuine relaxation without leaving your outdoor area, try the Ipanema. Teak, Aluminium, Olefin Rope and Duranite are used in combination across the range to stunningly sophisticated effect, resulting in a mixed media range that ticks all the boxes.

The stacking firepits have proved hugely popular on the Woodlodge stand with a great level of interest from groups and independents.

"People love the display, commenting that it’s an easy way to add outdoor heating into garden centres without the need for too much space, big displays and a large amount of packaging," said sales manager Chris Brookman.

The price point of £99.99 for a 75cm cast firepit is also hugely competitive.

A new gothic tunnel from Ascalon has proved a big hit with SOLEX garden centre visitors who want it for their Christmas displays.

Garden centres have been telling Ascalon’s MD Rhodri Stokes-Rhys (above left, with sales agent Mark Purkis) that the 2.4m by 4m gothic tunnel will make a perfect entrance for Christmas departments – and some have requested delivery by October for the start of the festive sales season. “We shall now be working on that challenge with our factory!” Rhodri told SOLEX SUN.

The powder-coated steel tunnel, which will carry a five-year warranty, is designed to sell at around £1,250.

RotoSpa, the UK’s only manufacturers of hot tubs, are proving increasingly popular with consumers in the outdoor living marketing. With online searches for ‘hot tubs’ increasing by almost a third from May 2017 to May 2018, the demand for an affordable luxury lifestyle continues to grow.

Searches for ‘hard-shell hot tubs’ increased by 36% and in particular, searches for ‘RotoSpa’ increased by 10,000 searches from May 2017 to May 2018, suggesting that this is a niche the garden centres should be investigating for their outdoor living departments.

As the ‘staycation’ market also increases, consumers will be looking for products that will ensure they can ‘holiday’ in the comfort of their own home, for the same price.

RotoSpa (stand 650), who are making their first SOLEX appearance, are keen to establish a dialogue with garden centres and explore ways to increase footfall and online searches for their outlets.

Pictured: RotoSpa's sales director Jason Smith at SOLEX today on one of the display stands.

Jacqui and Myles Podmore greeted visitors to the Tripod Home stand (625) where lots of interest was shown in Root Flower Dining set.

Tripod Home are specialists in unusual, rustic furniture and statuary imported from all over Asia. The company has imported a wide variety of items from Asia for more than 20 years, so you can be sure of the best quality products.

The range is eclectic and thought provoking offering something truly different.

Through constantly developing new products, either designing our own or sourcing from our suppliers, the range is constantly changing to keep it fresh and inspiring.

The imposing cart on the Tripod Home also caught visitors' attention.

A garden table that is adjustable for height could be regarded as the last word in flexibility.

While we’re used to tables that fold and extend, tables that go up and down according to need are surely the exception. The new rectangular adjustable table in Hartman’s Heritage casual dining range can be set high for dining (see below) or low for occasional use (see cover page), a quick and easy job for two people.

TV gardening presenter and Hartman brand ambassador David Domoney, who is at the show today, said: “It’s already a beautiful table but this simple innovation makes it a truly multi-purpose one that will appeal to plenty of consumers.”

Does the drift towards city living and the growing number of single-person households mean people have to sacrifice the pleasures of barbecuing? No, say BBQ specialists Cadac.

If you call on the stand at SOLEX today, they’ll be happy to explain how they see it as a major sales opportunity. Compact barbecues like Cadac’s Citi Chef 40 are easily accommodated on the smallest patio or balcony – and don’t even need a large bottle of gas. They can supply a 500g gas canister with regulator valve that will do the job just as well, whether cooking for one or a small family.

Cadac’s Jeff Moore believes there is exciting potential for garden centres to promote the Citi Chef, which sells at retail for £170-£180, to this market sector, many of whom are also already loyal to the Cadac brand through purchases in the camping and caravanning category, where the company is a market leader.

While the UK market’s appetite for cutting-edge contemporary design lags behind the rest of Europe, there are signs that tastes might be changing – and new lines from SOLEX exhibitors 4Seasons Outdoor are ready for the transition…

New dark charcoal Mila dining chairs, a knitted rope design on a metal frame, are accompanied buy a contrasting Global oval ceramic table – together, one of the most distinctive new sets in the show.The rope is colour-fast and easily wiped clean.

Elsewhere on the 4Seasons stand, you’ll find products that combine synthetic rattan weave with metal or wood, bridging the gap between the familiar and the more contemporary - all designed in-house.

Low-level platform lounge sets are already well established in the European market and 4Seasons believe the UK may be about to follow the trend.

Updated barbecues from Napoleon are designed to tap into the sales growth of mid-price units as consumers trade up from entry-level.

The brand’s Rogue models have been beefed up with larger hoods and finessed styling.

Napoleon’s UK sales manager Martin Sobey (pictured) believes the high-specification Rogue SE 425 at around £1,000 SRP is particularly competitive.

Supremo picked up the Best New Product Award for its 'Fire-Pit table...

The judges - Chris McCormack, past chairman of LOFA, and Iain Wylie, chief executive of the GCA - were impressed with the design of the 'Fire-Pit' table.

"We liked the neat arrangement for disguising the gas bottle, and also the Resysta wood" said the judges.

The Best New Product Award was presented by Mark Osborne, chairman of LOFA.

Bramblecrest scooped the Best Stand at SOLEX and received the trophy from Mark Osborne, chairman of LOFA, on the first day of the show.

The judges were particularly impressed with the open, easy to view stand. It was well co-ordinated, and the use of plants gave the stand a natural look.

The Supremo stand was judged the second best, and Beefeater came third.

Hayes Garden World and Silverbirch Garden Centre won Gold Awards in GTN's Greatest Outdoor Leisure Sales Team Awards, presented this evening at SOLEX 2018...

After all of the judges visits to meet nominated Outdoor Leisure Sales Teams here are the winners in each category:

The Greatest Outdoor Furniture Sales Team

• Bronze Award – Poplars Garden Centre
• Silver Award – Hillview Garden Centres
• Gold Award – Silverbirch Garden Centre

The Greatest BBQ & Outdoor Furniture Sales Team

• Bronze Award – Chessington Garden Centre
• Silver Award – Blue Diamond Garden Centres
• Gold Award – Hayes Garden World

Presenting the awards at a drinks reception, kindly provided by sponsors SOLEX, GTN's MD Trevor Pfeiffer said: "the judges have seen excellent examples of high quality retailing this year with plenty of effort going in to add on sales across the outdoor leisure sector that are increasing customer satisfaction and profitability."

"Where great teamwork is added to excellent retail standards that's when success is even greater,"  he added.  "That's why our awards seek to find and celebrate the really great teams who are making a difference and setting new levels of performance that others can strive for."

You'll be able to read more about the winners and see pictures taken by the judges during their visits in future issues of Garden Trade News and the e-mail newsletter GTN Xtra.

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...

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND

The 'LOFAssured' initiative ensures that all cushions sold by members comply with current government fire safety regulations.

LOFA is raising awareness of fire safety standards/regulations for garden furniture cushions in this young campaign and, already, 23 members are certified with 15 in progress and soon to be completed.

A Mir & Co - www.a-mir.co.uk

Bramblecrest - www.bramblecrest.com

Cane Industries - www.caneindustries.co.uk

Culcita - www.culcita.ie 

Daro – www.daro-cane.co.uk

Desser - www.desser.co.uk

Europa Leisure – www.europaleisure.co.uk

Extreme Lounging- www.extremelounging.com

Firmans Direct Ltd - firmansdirect.com 

Glencrest Seatex Ltd – www.glencrestseatex.co.uk

Glendale Garden and Leisure – www.glendale-leisure.com

Hampson Agencies – www.jati-kebon.com

Hartman UK - www.hartmanuk.com 

John Robertson Ltd - www.johnrobertson.ltd.uk

Kettler (GB) Limited – www.kettler.co.uk

Leisure Plan – www.leisureplan.co.uk

Lifestyle Garden - www.lifestylegarden.com

Maze Rattan -www.mazerattan.com

Munro Importers -pagodafurniture.co.uk

Norfolk Leisure Lifestyle Limited – www.norfolkleisure.com

Pacific Lifestyle Ltd - www.pacific-lifestyle.co.uk

Quest Leisure Products Ltd – www.questleisure.com

Supremo UK – www.supremouk.com

One of the conditions of LOFA membership is that members must adhere to a code of conduct, part of which is compliance with all current legislation; it is this culture of propriety that the retailer and customer buy into when they source product from LOFA members.

LOFAssured is a distinguishing factor setting LOFA products apart from other non-compliant suppliers. LOFA appointed FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association) and entered into a Primary Authority Partnership with HertfordshireTrading Standards to aid the members in their quest for full compliance.

For further information on the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association, call 02392 258844 or visit www.lofa.co.uk and www.lofassured.co.uk.

Premier Decorations have more than doubled the size of their Outdoor Living Company range, which has proved a sizeable success with garden centres following its launch at SOLEX last year.

Among additions for the new season are new flicker-flame and trickle-fountain battery-operated candles, many of which can now be operated with a remote control handset.

Among popular POS potions are carousel, pillar and pedestal units and a number of FSDUs.

There are many themes ranges, including a striking new collection in black and white designs (below).

Barlow Tyrie unveiled a small handful of new lines at SOLEX today, whetting the appetite for a full roll-out of launches later in the season. James Tyrie is pictured with the new Atom design.

James told SOLEX SUN that because the company makes most of its own products, it reaps the benefit of shorter manufacturing lead times, so many of 2019’s innovations are still under development, without compromising delivery schedules.

SOLEX visitors get an exclusive preview of the Atom range of table and chairs being introduced for the new season. The chairback not only represents the iconic atomic symbol but also enables an innovative means of attaching the back support cushion (see picture, right).

Also new are a new Titan square pedestal table and bar stool in the Rustic Teak range (see left).

If you’re searching for a trend at SOLEX today, then contemporary styling in aluminium garden furniture could be it.

On the Kettler stand, LOFA past chairman Paul Bevington believes the UK may follow European markets, where the clean lines and low maintenance requirements of the latest aluminium designs have become hugely popular with discriminating consumers. Kettler's Paros models are examples on the stand.

Currently, synthetic rattan weave holds sway as the most popular style with British consumers, and Paul believes this is likely to continue. But he also predicts consumers of the future may aspire to something more in line European tastes. “We’re seeing how it goes,” he told SOLEX SUN. 

Also new from Kettler are barbecue accessories and a stylish food preparation table and store cupboard in the Everdure from Heston Blumenthal range.

Whether it be barbecues, traditional Sunday lunch or any other gathering with family and friends the outstanding collection of steak knives, carving sets, and barbecue utensils from Tramontina will ensure the most memorable of times.

With high quality dishwasher safe polywood (real wood) handles, which uniquely come with a 5-year warranty, the Original Jumbo steak knife and fork epitomises the stylish good looks and high quality of the brand.

For further information:

TRAMONTINA UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED – Tel: +44 (0) 20 3176 4557 / +44 (0) 20 3176 4558

 E: contactl@tramontinauk.com:  www.tramontina.com

Lithe Audio - the innovative UK AV brand - is bringing 'instant' sound for your garden with a simple plug and play all-in-one Bluetooth rock speaker designed to fit discreetly into your surroundings while delivering exceptional sound quality.  

Unlike other garden speakers that require drilling and cabling from inside the house, and a separate amplifier, the Lithe Audio rock speaker has the amplifier built-in and Bluetooth built in, simply plug in to an outdoor socket - and play!

This unique rock speaker is perfect for entertaining outdoors and keen gardeners. And of course, it's fully waterproof - making it ideal for English Summers! Combining high quality, pin-sharp audio, this is the must have outdoor speaker solution for year-round audio. Just power up, connect your phone or tablet, stream off Spotify, You Tube or your personal playlists, and let the good times rock.

"We're excited to bring to the market an all-in-one, plug-and-play speaker that has the amplifier and Bluetooth contained in one weatherproof unit," says Amit Ravat, managing director for Lithe Audio.

"We've had a great response from garden centres at SOLEX - both from groups and independents.

"Our product is the perfect solution for outdoor entertaining - and with the exceptional sound quality, it will really make your summer parties and BBQs rock!"

Launch deals are available with full retail display units. Visit Lithe Audio on Stand 575 at Solex or for more details - www.litheaudio.com

Campingaz builds on its presence in the barbecue and garden market at Solex as it showcases its highly-acclaimed ‘Master Series’ gas barbecue collection.

This impressive range includes the all-black editions and directly targets the more premium end of the market. Designed at the company’s headquarters in France and available in 3 and 4 burner versions, the Master Series range combines clever, user-friendly technologies with a striking and durable construction.

Developed for serious barbecue enthusiasts that demand the same cooking functionality and versatility outdoors as they do inside, the Master Series LXS four and three burner models have been created to offer the ultimate in cooking performance. 

Among many accolades throughout 2018, the Master 4 Series LXS was crowned National BBQ Week’s ‘Best of the Best Barbecue’ due to the great performance and stylish looks.

Cooking for a group is made easy with its ingenious Culinary Modular Accessory system (accessories available separately). Roast with the specially designed poultry roaster, stir-fry on the non- stick steel wok, serve up a pizza from the pizza stone or whip up a paella. All accessories insert into the removable inner cast-iron grid ring for ultimate cooking flexibility to effortlessly create a diverse range of dishes.

For unrivalled cooking performance, the Master Series LXS features a premium, enamelled cast iron cooking surface that offers outstanding heat retention. The barbecue’s powerful stainless tube burners feature an impressive 10 year warranty.

Campingaz has teamed up with leading DIY, gardening and houseware provider DECCO to ensure availability across all channels throughout the UK during 2019.

To find out more about the full range visit Campingaz on stand 330.

W: campingaz.com

Kadai Firebowls by Wilstone (stand 230) will be returning to Solex for the fourth year running to showcase a variety of current best-selling products and a selection of new arrivals for 2019. You will see the existing Kadai firebowls, plus a new improved design featuring a heavy duty bottom, accompanied by a five-year warranty.

The show-stopping metre-wide Wilstone Kadai with Tripod Pulley System (pictured) will be making an appearance, perfect for cooking food that needs to be temperature controlled. The Tripod Pulley System is amongst the latest must have gadgets for live fire cooking, the hottest new trend on the barbecue scene.

New for 2018/19 is the Kadai Woodfired Pizza Oven, a fantastic one-of-a-kind cooking accessory that sits on top of the Kadai bowl to bring that wow factor to social events.

Take a look, too, at their gazebos and rose arches, both of which come with a 10 year warranty as well as the Decorative Diamond Plant Obelisk, which comes with a five-year warranty.

The company will also bring along new shields for the Kadais, garden plant sticks, recycled garden furniture and an extensive firebowl accessory range.