GratViews

Gratnells trays storm Audi showrooms in Holland.

gratnells-admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:50:44 +0000

Cars and trays (and furniture!)

Gratnells trays have been selected as the tray of choice for the children’s play areas in a number of VW/Audi showrooms in Holland. With furniture designed by the respected educational furniture manufacturer Klassehout, two pieces were created to keep children happy while Mum and Dad bought the latest car. Klassehout design creative and flexible furniture for primary schools. All their furniture is manufactured according to current standards and safety with necessary certification.

Prof Sykes agrees to present STOY awards.

gratnells-admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:30:46 +0000

Your chance to meet Kathy in person

Once again Professor Kathy Sykes has agreed to hand over the Gratnells Science Technician of the Year Awards again this year in person. Kathy will be joining the winners at the Science Learning Centre HQ at York University on the 5th on July 2012. The winners will be announced shortly.

Tailor made inserts

gratnells-admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:12:30 +0000

We are very pleased with our latest foam insert – a fully customisable insert. The foam is partially-cut in a grid of small squares – so by pulling out the right combination of squares you can make any insert shape that you need. These inserts are ideal for low volume specialist scientific or medical equipment – or indeed any low volume products that need storing securely.

If you would like a sample of this new insert just drop me an email

Everything there is to know

gratnells-admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:39:46 +0000

After much blood, sweat and tears we have completed our Gratnells International Brochure. It was primarily designed for our overseas customers, but it’s just as relevant for our UK partners too. It clearly demonstrates our complete product range and potential applications for third parties, and has a full colour chart and lots of technical information too. There’s even a glossy pull-out poster for that space above your desk that needs brightening up!

If you’re interested in having a look at what we do you can download a pdf, or see a flicky version online. I’ll even post you a copy if you email me your details.

Toyfair 2012

gratnells-admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:30:25 +0000

The Nurnberg Toyfair is always one of the highlights of the ‘selling-season’ and this year it started a day earlier than normal. Instead of kicking-off on the first Thursday in February the organizers moved the fair to the last Wednesday in January. If they hoped to get more people through the door on that first day they would have been sorely disappointed. Most of the halls were significantly less busy than normal but it gave myself and Spencer Randon, our Director of International Sales a good opportunity to see as many people as possible.

Smiles all round

The news across the market was decidedly mixed. Andreas and Yvonne from Henbea, Spain recounted woes of all the Spanish Education Government contracts being cancelled in 2011 making trading difficult. However, there was more positive news from Germany and Poland where a big merger of two of the biggest players is sure to affect the market . It may be strange to travel to Germany to pick up UK news but Nurnberg is always a good mixing pot for of the latest comings and goings of the UK market. Probably the biggest news was Craig Carter formerly of Agenta, Findel and TTS had set up his own business to source products. It’s called Craig Carter Concepts and a website would be appearing shortly. Thanks as ever to companies showing our trays on their stands and this year the box of chocolates goes to Dusyma and Neinhuis for supporting us among others. A positive year all round.

Dusyma

Neinhuis

Train spotting

gratnells-admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:26:53 +0000

Model Train collectors need to store their precious models – ergo they could put them in a Gratnells tray. That was the rationale behind our thinking when we set off for the Model Train hall at the Nurnberg Toyfair 2012. Armed with a special leaflet extolling the virtue of our new customizable foam insert surely the millions will come rolling in. Our concept was greeted with ‘cautious enthusiasm’. I will let you know how we get on! Why not have a quick look at the Rail packaging 1 A3.

Playing with toys in Germany

gratnells-admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:19:22 +0000

This week I am visiting the annual Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair 2012 in Nürnberg. It’s the largest international trade fair for toys and games and has been held annually since 1949. The Fair takes place for six days every year and sees about 2,700 exhibitors from over 60 countries showcasing their new products and attracts around 80,000 trade visitors, over half from overseas.

You can find more information about the Toy Fair here. If you are at the fair and would like to arrange a meeting please drop me an email

Prince Andrew at BETT

gratnells-admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:58:17 +0000

Just spotted HRH Prince Andrew at BETT 2012, next to a very tall man and some short children. He was there to launch InfoMentor, a collaborative learning and assessment tool for Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Further Education coming to the UK in 2012.

Former education secretary promoting British educational products.

gratnells-admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:38:20 +0000

Former Education Secretary Charles Clarke doing his bit for the UK ( next to a Gratnells tray ) at the LJ Create stand at BETT 2012! LJ Create Ltd is a UK based company that produces interactive educational technology for the global market.

Laptop trolleys

gratnells-admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:27:38 +0000

LapSafe showcase their new laptop trolley on another BETT stand featuring Gratnells trays!

LapSafe is a British company that specialises in the design, manufacture and distribution of various laptop security products that support the management and implementation of any type of mobile computer solution. Click on their logo below for more information.