28th - 30th September 2025  |  NEC, Birmingham
11 Jan 2024

PATS adds new Aquatics Zone to the 2024 TRADE show

PATS adds new Aquatics Zone to the 2024 TRADE show
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PATS 2024, reverting to its original title of the Pet & Aquatics Trade Show, will introduce a focussed Aquatics Zone to its three-day exhibition, which takes place at Telford International Centre from Sunday, 29th September to Tuesday, 1st October 2024.

The Aquatics Zone will be a dedicated area for aquatics and watergardening exhibitors and will showcase all of the latest launches from the leading manufacturers and suppliers.

“The launch of the Aquatics Zone at PATS is really exciting and has been welcomed by the aquatics and watergardening sector,” said organiser Gordon Thomas.

“We know from our previous attendance figures that 615 retailers who visited PATS Telford in 2023 had an interest in aquatic products, and that was without any of the major content we have now planned for 2024. We will be working hard in the coming months to ensure the leading suppliers and the right buyers make the Aquatics Zone a great success at PATS 2024.”

“To emphasise the importance of the Aquatics Zone we have revived the original name for PATS – the Pet & Aquatics Trade Show.”

The Pet & Aquatics Trade Show will be the biggest ever in the exhibition’s 15-year history and will take over the whole of the Telford International Centre.  It will be exclusively a TRADE ONLY event.

The Zone will be located in Hall 1A of Telford International Centre as shown on the plan below, located next to the show entrance, and can accommodate up to 40 exhibitors. It will also feature its own dedicated New Product Showcase and refreshment area.

Pet product suppliers will again be exhibiting in Halls 1, 2 and 3.  With the new three show days, retailers will also have more opportunity to spend longer at the show and ensure they visit all product sectors.

Aquadip, which has been supplying UK retailers for over 25 years, was one of the first companies to book stand space in the Aquatics Zone and commercial director Joey Abrahams expressed excitement at the prospect of attending.

“As a Dutch-based supplier of live, frozen and dried fish food, aquarium plants and water treatments to UK retail outlets, public aquaria and zoos, I am thrilled to hear that PATS is introducing a dedicated aquatics section into its trade show,” said Joey.

“The fusion of pets and aquatics under one roof promises a great three-day event. It is ideal for us to connect with our existing customers but also to meet potential new ones.

We can showcase our whole range of products and explain that customers do not have to worry about customs or other paperwork since Brexit. This is all covered by our UK entity allowing customers to order without any worries.”

Other leading companies who have already reserved stand space in the Aquatics Zone include ALF, Aqua One, Cloverleaf, Fluval and Exo Terra, OASE, Pettex and Zoomed.

Retailers and buyers can register their interest in visiting PATS 2024 by visiting www.patshow.co.uk, which has all the up-to-date information about the show.

Photographs of PATS Telford 2023 are available to download at

https://stewartwrittle.dphoto.com/album/dollqv

For further media information please contact Neil Pope by email press@impact-exhibitions.com

 

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We are thrilled with the incredible response from our very first exhibition at PATS! The three days were absolutely brilliant, giving us the opportunity to connect with many new and existing customers. PATS proved to be the perfect platform for launching our new catalogue and introducing over 350 brand-new SKUs. We can't wait to be a part of next year's event at the NEC!

Tom Gwilliam
Sales & Marketing Director |  HugglePets

I think it’s a great idea to add a third day to PATS. We’re here for all three days, giving us enough time to meet everyone and make informed decisions about stocking new products. We also like PATS because of all the networking opportunities.

Tina Quest
Redpaw Pet Supplies, Devon

At PATS 2024 it was lovely to reconnect with our existing customers while also having the opportunity to meet potential new ones. We were thrilled to launch three new ranges during the show, Canagan Petite, Canagan Raw (Freeze Dried Treats and Toppers) and Symply Little, all of which have sold amazingly well, further highlighting the value of this event for showcasing our innovations. Looking ahead, we believe that the Birmingham NEC could offer significant advantages, including improved transport links and a larger venue to accommodate a growing number of exhibitors and visitors, both will enhance the overall experience.

Charlie Williams
Joint Managing Director |  Canagan Group

We’ve been rushed off our feet on all three days. It has been an excellent show and I love the fact you can spend more time with visitors. I will definitely need a larger stand in 2025

Cyril Geoffray
UK & Ireland national Sales Manager |  Zoo Med
We’ve missed going to Aqua so we’re really happy to be visiting the Aquatics Zone at PATS. We’ve come to see the new products, find out about deals on offer and meet people face to face. It’s also a great opportunity for networking with other shops and companies and building new relationships – something we have missed out on during the Covid years
Mark Warren
Partner |  West Dorset Aquatics
We’ve come to PATS for the whole three days because you just can’t do it justice in only two. For us, as we deal with the whole spectrum of the pet industry, we spend day one wandering through the halls to see what catches our eye and day two doing our buying – but we’ve found that by the end of the second day we haven’t always got round to everyone. So the third day is a real bonus. There is less of a rush to get it all done and we can spend more time building relationships and ensuring we’ve caught all the deals and found all the new products we might want to stock. PATS is an important highlight of the year and we wouldn’t want to miss any of it!
Toni Thornton
Managing Director |  Four Oaks Pet Supplies, Scarborough

It was great to see the Aquatics Zone sold out and full of exhibitors. For us at J&K it was a pleasure, as always, to catch up with a good number of our longstanding customers as well as meet with and introduce our brands and product ranges to potential new ones. Hopefully the new format for 2025, moving into a larger venue, capable of accommodating even more exhibitors, and with better air, road and rail access, will encourage even more visitors, allowing the show to grow in the years to come.

Ben Windeatt
Sales & Marketing |  J&K Aquatics
I’m a big advocate of having three show days because it gives you more time to spend with clients. PATS keeps growing in a good way because it gives more companies – big and small, old and new – the platform to make their mark. I had a look at the New Starter Zone and loved the buzz that these new companies were creating. PATS is great for the UK pet industry
Greg Van Praagh
Head of UK |  RPFC Group

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