kbb 2018 Review

SHOW ORGANISERS AND EXHIBITORS BEAT WEATHER TO PRODUCE ONE OF THE FINEST kbb SHOWS IN YEARS!

Those who attended the recent kbb exhibition at the NEC were rewarded with one of the finest shows in recent years.

The week before the show, anyone connected to it, whether organisers or exhibitors, would have been looking forward to the event with a great deal of trepidation as the ‘Beast from the East’ with its snow showers and biting winds (have you ever been that cold before?) did its worse. The worry of course was how exhibitors were going to logistically deliver their stands and displays, let alone erect them! Then there was the concern that even if they achieved this, would anyone visit the show?

Thankfully, the weather relented a couple of days before the show and apart from one or two exhibitors whose vehicles were marooned in far-flung parts of the UK, the build-up eventually came together on time. The fact that it did was remarkable and I for one applaud the resilience and fortitude of all connected with the build up. By the time Sunday morning arrived, the first day of the show, the roads were pretty much clear of snow and most of the trains were running to schedule. Birmingham airport, with its heated runway, were getting flights in and out on time too, so the stage was set for a cracking exhibition and that’s exactly what we got. 

Jon Johnston Sales Director, kbb 2018

"Market-leading product ranges, bespoke solutions and future-facing technology for kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms were showcased at kbb Birmingham 2018. The event saw more than 15,000 visitors descend on the NEC from 4-7 March, and increased in size this year to reflect the industry’s growth and evolution.

Across the four days, visitors made the most of a huge range of installations, exhibitions, thought leadership, networking opportunities and chances to try out the newest products. A record number of international visitors and 76% of exhibitors rebooking for kbb 2020 reaffirmed that economic and trading conditions are ever-improving."

More importantly, it seems the organisers, with help from exhibitors, attracted the right calibre of visitor.

"We are all aware of the doom and gloom in the news about the economy and the effects of Brexit in particular, but the exhibitors, with their huge investment in quality stands, told a different story and anyone visiting would feel that this is far from a struggling industry."

We are all aware of the doom and gloom in the news about the economy and the effects of Brexit in particular, but the exhibitors, with their huge investment in quality stands, told a different story and anyone visiting would feel that this is far from a struggling industry.

Respect to those exhibitors who really pushed the boat out with their stands. A few of the more prominent ones include: Hafele, Crosswater, Franke, Showerwall, Bushboard, Rotpunkt, Blum, Caple, Duval, Liebherr, Perrin & Rowe, Sensio to name but a few.

Of course, our very own BiKBBI had its largest stand ever and attracted many visitors from all areas of the market, not just installers. They were enticed in part by the industry personalities who were conducting seminars on the stand during the show but mostly because of the incredible growth in industry awareness and acceptance of the BiKBBI brand and its ideals. This is a real testament to the hard work of the BiKBBI team and its supporters and members.

A big ‘up’ to all those delivery drivers and stand builders who braved the elements to ensure that the ‘show went on’ and all the sales and reception staff that operated every stand so professionally.

Finally, well done to all those who visited the exhibition despite extremely pressing work schedules; a show is only as good as its visitors!

The next few pages will give those of you who couldn’t attend a feel of what you missed, it would be impossible for us to do anything more comprehensive, so enjoy our little exhibition snapshot. 

HÄFELE With a whopping 150 sqm double-decker stand, this hugely progressive company used kbb 2018 to set down a marker for its future ambitions. The stand was always immensely busy, but everyone was dealt with in a friendly and professional manner by the sizeable Häfele team.

Häfele believes the future of furniture is building furniture with a future, they refer to this ethos as “Thinking Ahead”. A concept that ensures each element of design is built for the way people live now, and in the future. Innovation, functionality, comfort and convenience are all at the forefront of the products displayed on the stand, whether they’re Häfele manufactured or selected through its trusted suppliers. www.hafele.co.uk

WILSONART Zenith, the first compact laminate worktop to market, was the mainstay of Wilsonart UK’s kbb show plans. At 12.5mm thin and 100% waterproof, the double-sided solid laminate worktop is the first of its kind. A striking super-thin material which has a solid true black core, looks and feels just like a luxury composite worktop material but offers the ease, adaptability, and significant cost savings of a laminate.

Gemma Barratt, Business Manager at Wilsonart UK says “We enjoyed massive demand for Zenith last year and subsequently, we are making a significant investment to support its continued growth. We would like to thank our partners for showcasing Zenith at kbb 2018.”

www.wilsonart.co.uk

NEW WAY INTERNATIONAL A new sponsor to the BiKBBI and a new exhibitor at the kbb show, New Way International used the event to demonstrate its amazing CAT mobile phone range for installers and other tradesmen. Built to withstand shock, moisture and pressure, the stand attracted a huge amount of interest, with most visitors ‘knocked-out’ by the fact that the top of the range CAT phone on display even had an infrared function to detect wires and pipework buried in walls.

When they give out gongs for best technical product on display at kbb 2018, my guess is it will go, as it traditionally does, to a domestic cooking or cooling appliance; however, if I were a judge, the CAT phone would be on the short-list as a potential winner.