VTB more varied than ever before

At Utrecht the focus is on trends, developments and new products in the area of garden equipment and care, tools, garden planning, decoration and live plants. Although the fair has over recent years developed more and more into an event for the decorative sector, it is perhaps the influence of a new generation that can bring about change. It will be the last VTB for fair boss Jan van der Molen, but his successor Melcher de Wit is already working with him behind the scenes.
The number of group stands has grown over the last few years: the Stichting Tuinplezier (a group of manufacturers of brand names for the garden sector) is being presented as a unit, as are various professional organisations from the green area in the Tuin & Groen pavilion. The English Gardenex group is present again and Nimpatum, an organisation for garden tool manufacturers, is probably appearing as a group too. That would at least give the fair the breadth that the organisers are striving for. Many exhibitors, especially from the tool category, were no longer represented at the VTB, because the most important buying period is at the end of the year, not in January. There are hopes of positive stimulus for the VTB in this respect, and for growth in the Netherlands garden market.
This year again all the new products are being displayed on a special stand. A jury will be selecting the so-called Tuinpluimen from this range. At the moment registration has been received from more than 300 exhibitors, who will be occupying four halls. Opening hours are as follows: Monday to Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday to 5 p.m..