National Hardware Show rated highly by British garden and leisure product exhibitors

British suppliers of garden and leisure products returning from the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas described it as the most productive US show for them for some years with firm orders being taken and numerous business leads generated that could lead to significant new business in the future.? Twelve firms exhibited in a group organised by the Gardenex export federation, whose British garden information stand attracted buyers from the US, Canada, Australasia, the Far East and parts of Europe.

One of the many accolades came from first time exhibitor Grillstream.? The company displayed its new grill systems at the show and is determined to exhibit again next year, having attracted enquiries from leading retailers from Canada, North American and New Zealand on-line companies plus an Israeli distributor.

Another in the British group, Hug Rug received over fifty excellent leads for its environmentally friendly barrier mats, and attributed much of the business interest to the Gardenex database that attracted several key contacts to the firm?s stand on the first day of the show.? Potential business is? now being followed up with retailers, distributors, wholesalers, mail order and internet companies from the US, Canada, Japan and Australia.

Garden tool manufacturer, Spear & Jackson (UK) had a meeting with a prospective west coast distributor as well as discussions with leading retailers, wholesalers and mail order companies.? The company described the National Hardware Show as ?a cracking show?, and among the many potential customers were some from Colombia and Bermuda.

VegTrug received orders for its raised bed system from both existing and new contacts in North America and as far away as Australia, as well as sixty quality enquiries.? The Gardenex federation continues to be central to the VegTrug?s efforts overseas and much of the company?s 250 per cent increase in sales in the first quarter of the year have been export orientated.

Other British exhibitors such as Rowlinson Garden Products, La Hacienda and Wood Fired Ovens by Jamie Oliver rated highly the importance of the enquiries received from various parts of the world, with Jamie Oliver receiving an order for its ovens from a US housing development company.? Another Gardenex company, Porous Pipe, exhibited on the stand of its US distributor, Bosmere Inc, and attracted quality interest for its soaker hose from companies in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.? The distributorship agreement came as a direct result of a Gardenex-organised ?meet the buyer? event last year.

Companies wishing to learn more about the range of services offered by Gardenex to British exporters of garden and leisure goods should contact Gardenex (The Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers Ltd), the trade association that works on behalf of British companies to help its members increase sales worldwide

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