A very important show

At Glee nearly 1,600 companies will be presenting their products and services in an area of 62,000 m², an increase of around 2,500 m² on last year's show. Ten exhibition halls are to be used instead of the nine occupied in 2003. Approximately 250 exhibitors are expected to attend Petindex, which is being held in parallel with Glee and will cover 10,000 m². The Pet Care Trust is organising a major grooming show and also a varied programme of seminars. In addition to leading UK suppliers, international manufacturers like Iams Pet Food, Hill's Pet Food and Ro-yal Canin will also have stands at the fair.Visitor numbers are expected to match those of last year, when 25,866 trade visitors came to the show. Overseas visitors to Birmingham numbered 2,327, 81 per cent of these coming from Europe. Evaluation of the figures for 2003 showed representatives of garden centres to be the largest visitor group at 23 per cent, followed by retail traders from the pet product and aquatics market (12 per cent). Of these, 32 per cent of the foreign visitors to the show were particularly interested in the aquarium and garden pond sectors and 19 per cent in other pet products.Around 1,600 companies will be exhibiting at Glee Petindex.As a result of the expansion of the exhibition area, the hall layout has been reorganised: the extended plant display of the Nursery segment has moved to Hall 9, next to the Landscaping and Garden Care sectors and to Retail Services, which has moved to Hall 5. Avant Gardening, featuring design-oriented, elegant products with high margins, can be found in Hall 3/3A. This hall also houses the Outdoor Living segment, containing furniture, BBQs, Christmas ideas and gifts.The organisers say that the New Products section hasbeen improved this year. The section is located in Hall 9, for the first time with its own logo. Most trade visitors begin their tour of the show here, to get a look at innovations and trends right at the start. On 18 September the best new products will be chosen to receive the Glee New Product Award, which is subdivided into 14 categories. The award-winning new products will be on display as soon as the fair opens its doors.Visitors can pick up new ideas and tips on merchandising in the John Stanley Innovation Centre in Halls 6 to 8.For visitors from abroad, the International Buyers' Centre is located in Hall 5. The service, initiated in conjunction with the Gardenex export association, offers assistance with translation, an e-mail…