Export conference hailed ‘a huge success’
The Future for International Trade Conference, organised jointly by Gardenex, PetQuip and BHETA, has been hailed as a huge success by more than 80 delegates from the gardening, pet and home improvement industries.
A wide range of speakers covered topics such as export law and procedures post-Brexit, a worldwide economic forecast, and global retail trends and international market forecasts.
Delegate praise
The superlatives flowed thick and fast after the event as delegates left with a wealth of information.
The mood was summed up by Graham Robinson, head of operations and procurement at Wildlife World, who said: “I thought the presenters, key speakers and case studies were invigorating, knowledgeable and engaging. We certainly learned some valuable lessons and it was nice to know that the message we’ve been telling our employees, is what the current landscape looks like.”
Nina Best, international sales manager for Burgon & Ball, commented: “I found the conference incredibly helpful and interesting. It was great to hear from all the expert speakers in the various sectors and I found the case studies to be particularly insightful. The event also provided an ideal opportunity to network with delegates from other companies and speak with members of the trade associations.”
And Jonathan Stobart, managing director of Smart Garden Products, added: “I thought the conference was a great platform for people to get an overview of the challenges facing companies and the many opportunities available to them. It was also fascinating to hear the different views of how businesses are approaching international markets.”
Case studies and presentations
The case studies from companies operating in the gardening, pets and home improvement markets – Spear & Jackson, Grow Sow Simple, ChickenGuard, Croydex and Monument Tools – proved to be particularly popular and were described as insightful and entertaining.
Speakers at the conference included government lobbyist John Arnold on the current UK political situation, and Tim Hiscock, from Strong & Herd, who gave a clear and digestible outline of current export procedures and compliances.
Delegates also heard an insightful and comprehensive presentation on global and retail trends in the gardening and home improvement markets from Euromonitor International’s Nick Stene, while government advisor Andrew Hood explained the legalities of international trade for businesses and the implications of current sanctions for business.
Amanda Sizer Barrett, director general of Gardenex and PetQuip, said: “The conference was an overwhelming success, and Gardenex and PetQuip are very pleased to have hosted the event alongside BHETA and sponsor Glee. Delegate feedback on the quality and content from all the speakers and export experts has been overwhelmingly positive and we are pleased to have delivered such a useful and enjoyable event.”