A total 24,530 trade buyers attended GLEE and GLEE Petindex. The overall visitor count was down 2 percent from 25,157 buyers at last year’s show.

More than 22,100 of those visitors came from the United Kingdom, comparable to last year’s levels, according to Trade Promotion Services Ltd. (Croydon, England). A total of 2,421 overseas buyers attended, down 18 percent from 2,970 international visitors last year.

The multifaceted show featured 1,500 exhibitors in 10 halls.

“As the leading annual exhibition, GLEE really reflects what’s going on in the marketplace,” said Alison Jackson, managing director of the event. “It’s a true litmus test of changing trends, as well as a preview of what will be appearing on shelves next season.”

She added, “It has been a difficult season for some companies, yet the sheer enthusiasm, innovation and quality we have seen at this year’s GLEE, plus the high visitor numbers, sends out an incredibly positive message about confidence in the year ahead.”

A judging panel comprised of industry experts and magazine editors selected 14 products to receive GLEE New Product Awards. Among them:

• Collarways Wacky Walk’r, an ergonomically correct dog walking device by Collarways (Semley, Dorset, England).
• Red Sea Max, a 34-gallon plug-and-play reef aquarium by Red Sea Europe (Verneuil sur Avre, France).
• Blagdon Powersafe Armoured Garden Power Supply by Interpet (Dorking, Surrey, United Kingdom).

The next edition of GLEE will be held Sept. 16-18, 2007, at the same site.

However, the show will is to be redesigned to make it even more attractive to buyers and exhibitors, Jackson said. “The sectors covered by GLEE are changing and we have got to change, too. We think there is an even better way to lay out this show that will refresh the event and create some additional excitement along the way,” she added

For more information, contact Adam Ash, North American agent for GLEE Petindex, at (609) 921-0222 or reg@whitehoundadv.com, or visit www.gleebirmingham.com. [December 2006 PET AGE]