British suppliers of garden, leisure and pet products and services exhibiting at Glee 2013 will have access to a wide range of export services provided by the Gardenex federation and the PetQuip association. The two organisations will be sponsoring and manning the International Buyers’ Centre at the show again this year, providing a valuable business link between visiting overseas buyers and British exhibitors.
During the show the Federation will be providing a wide range of business services, international market information and export advice to British suppliers of garden, leisure and pet products. In addition, international buyers attending the show will receive free-of-charge product sourcing advice as part of the Federation’s aim to increase international sales between British manufacturers and international buyers.
Business services on offer to the international visitors include the use of multi-lingual interpreters,
e-mail/internet access, meeting rooms and refreshments, all free of charge. International buyers at the show will also receive copies of the Gardenex Directory of British Garden & Leisure Products and the PetQuip Buyers’ Guide. The two multi-lingual publications are definitive directories of major UK suppliers of garden, leisure and pet products which are used extensively by buyers in markets across the world to identify British suppliers who are ready and prepared to export. In addition to distributing them at various international garden and pet trade shows, the Federation mails copies of the directory to its extensive database of overseas buyers and to commercial staff at British Embassies and Consulates throughout the world.
Some of the international buyers to visit the Glee show include leading mail order companies from the US and Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and other leading European markets, leading distributors from across Europe including Scandinavia, Benelux, Spain, Germany and Switzerland but also from markets further afield such as New Zealand, Australia and Dubai. As ever there will be a strong representation from the Irish market and there will also be a good contingent of Japanese buyers at the show this year.
Members of the Gardenex team will also be out in force throughout the show engaging with members, learning of their new sales strategies, viewing new product lines and passing on news of the 2014 export initiatives programme, additional export funding secured from government and information on new areas of export development. A number of the Gardenex member companies exhibiting at Glee have cause to celebrate in 2013. Smart Solar is exhibiting at the show for the tenth time this year, and this year both Bosmere Products and Haddonstone are celebrating 25 years as members of the Gardenex federation.
The Federation’s team will continue to support its member companies after the show has closed by providing them with more detailed information about the buyers who attended the exhibition, companies from whom sales leads have been received and the markets in which they operate.
Its comprehensive range of export and business support services — which is expanded and updated regularly in line with exporters’ needs — is also available to member companies throughout the year. These include individual export advice, practical help with all aspects of exporting and access to the Federation’s exclusive database of distributors, mail order buyers, chains and individual retailers of gardening and leisure products in markets round the world.
The Gardenex and PetQuip teams will be present at the International Buyers’ Centre throughout the show and they look forward to meeting member and non-member companies. Available will be the latest information on forthcoming initiatives and plans for 2014, including the popular Meet the Buyers events (next one planned for Sutton Coldfield on November 14th), its A-Z guide to exporting written specifically for the garden and pet sectors, the opportunity to have a funded exhibitor presence at the key international garden and trade shows in 2014 and much more.
Companies wishing to apply for membership and access to export sales leads, market information and practical export advice the association offers, should contact the Federation; appointments can be made during Glee or after the show ends.
The Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers can be contacted on:
telephone: +44 (0) 44 1959 565995 or fax: +44 (0) 1959 565885
e-mail: info@gardenex.com or visit the Gardenex website on www.gardenex.com
