PATS trade show has once again had a successful exhibition this year.
Visitors and exhibitors alike were greeted by the busy and friendly atmosphere, the wide variety of products and innovations on offer, and the smooth running of the exhibition space.
With more than 200 companies showing their vast ranges and 66 new exhibitors, there was something for everyone, whatever their area of interest.
John James of James and Steel summed up the mood of the show when he said: “I have been coming to PATS for more years than I care to remember and I honestly think that this is the best one yet.
“It’s been a really, really good show; a great atmosphere, the opportunity to speak to existing and new customers, and everybody was here to do business. Plus, we won two awards - what more could you ask for?”
Martyn Barklett-Judge of Pet Remedy said: “This has been a great show for us. We’ve been able to meet up with lots of our regular customers and we’ve also made quite a number of new connections, too.
“What we had on the Sunday were more and more pet professionals – such as dog groomers and doggy day care centres – which is good for our market and another new area for us to expand into.”
This year’s PATS Telford had a particular emphasis on sustainability, including the launch of a Green New Product Award category in the New Product Showcase. This award was judged by Dobbies’ head of pet Sean Kelly and went to Project Blu, which makes pet beds from ocean-bound plastics.
Project Blu founder and CEO Geryn Evans said: “It was great to win the Green New Product Award. Anyone can have a good idea, but when others recognise it, you think maybe you have got it right. So, for someone like Sean Kelly, who is so well respected in the industry, to back us by supporting us for this award means a great deal.
“And the Telford Show itself is great. There’s good footfall, but what’s nice, for me in particular, is the number of people who are concerned about sustainability and the provenance of the product. When people come to talk to us it is sustainability that’s the key to our conversations.”