The new three-day format of PATS 2024 – the Pet & Aquatics Trade Show – is attracting an increasing number of new companies eager to showcase their product ranges to a bigger and wider audience of UK and international buyers.
PATS 2024 takes place at the Telford International Centre in Shropshire from Sunday, 29th September to Tuesday, October 1st 2024, and already more than 240 exhibitors have confirmed stand space in four packed halls.
With six months still to go before the exhibition, an impressive list of leading companies has committed to the show, along with businesses exhibiting at a PATS event for the first time.
Companies like Smart Garden Products, which supplies a range of pet products under its Zoon brand, seePATS as an opportunity to extend their business. Peter Johnson, Smart Garden’s Pet Commercial Director, said: “We are looking forward to exhibiting at the PATS show for the first time. We launched our Zoon range just four years ago, primarily aimed at our garden centre customers, and have been delighted by the positive reaction we received and the remarkable growth that followed. We now feel this is the time to showcase our range to a wider retail audience and PATS provides us with the perfect platform from which to do so.”
Shaun Richards, director of Drool Pet Products, said: “Our brand is just over a year old and very much still in its infancy stage, but we have gained some great momentum as a start-up business. We now feel it’s time to invest in a stand at PATS and get the chance to meet some of our current customers and show our products to future customers.”
The New Starter Zone, supported by trade association PetQuip and Pet Product Marketing,
is again proving to be a popular feature as it provides a dedicated area for new businesses and start-ups.
Almost three quarters of the stand space in the New Starter Zone has already been booked by over 22 exhibitors showcasing exciting new start-ups, including Hackney Dog House, Pip’s Bootique, Storeys and Tails, and Tug-E-Nuff.
Hackney Dog House’s Nisha Kanapathy commented: “We’ve heard numerous positive reviews about the event from our wholesale partners and believe it will be a fantastic opportunity to participate as exhibitors and showcase our growing range of products. It will be great to meet all our existing partners and foster new partnerships. We work with a variety of pet retailers and can’t wait to meet more over the three days at PATS.”
Natasha Taylor, of Storeys and Tails, said: “We decided to take a stand at this year’s show as we are finding that more and more retailers are looking for British made, highly quality dog accessories and we can provide these products. The dog collar market is saturated with lots of options but consumers are getting more sustainably minded, they appreciate quality craftmanship and knowing that they are investing in a product that is made to last. We are hoping to connect with potential retailers and will have all our collections available at the show.”
Pip's Bootique supplies a snood for dogs with special material that helps with anxiety. Della Ballard said: “We have booked a stand to take our product to the next level by finding resellers and making business connections. We want to sell more and innovate more. I now have three product lines so the snood is just the start.”
Danny Nelis-Rouse, director of Tug-E-Nuff said: “PATS is a fantastic opportunity for us to build relationships with industry peers and introduce them to our unique range of exciting dog toys. Our business is built on collaboration and we’re looking forward to meeting face to face with our existing and potential future partners to share the power of play. We offer various routes to market for businesses big and small – and we can’t wait to explore new possibilities at PATS.”
One of the biggest attractions for visitors to PATS is the wide range of products being showcased and this year’s event promises to unveil an even broader selection of items from new exhibitors.
Cardology is bringing its range of premium licensed and own brand cards, bags, wrap and stationery to PATS 2024 for the first time ever. Co-founder David Falkner said: “When we commit to something, we’re ‘all in’. We’re looking forward to expanding our existing presence within the industry and making new contacts at the show.”
Alex Sharp Designs produces a range of pet-themed greeting cards and owner Alex Sharp agreed it made sense to exhibit at PATS.
If retailers and buyers need more encouragement to register now for free entry to the three-day exhibition, here’s just a quick summary of popular visitor attractions:
- The biggest ever showcase of new pet, aquatic and watergardening products
- Unrivalled show offers and competitions
- Top groomers giving insightful demonstrations, workshops and talks
- Fantastic networking opportunities
- Free entry, free show catalogue, free parking for up to 1,300 cars and a complimentary tea/coffee voucher
You can register online at www.patshow.co.uk where you’ll also find a full list of exhibitors and information on how to reach the venue.
