Industry News
KBB 2020 GOES AHEAD AND PROVES A GREAT SUCCESS So KBB 2020 has been and gone, many predicted that it would be gone before it began (if that makes sense) due to the dreaded coronavirus outbreak.
New Wall Panelling Storage Solution by Rotpunkt
Many other major trade and consumer exhibitions in the UK and globally had cancelled in the days leading up to the Birmingham event but it went ahead anyway. If I’m honest, I nearly didn’t attend as I was flying in from abroad and was very concerned about the dangers to my health both whilst travelling and at the show itself. So it was with some trepidation that I entered the show. I’m not sure what I was expecting to be honest, maybe some visitors wearing masks, hand sanitisers everywhere, but there was little or none of that to be seen. So then came the awkward moment where I meet industry friends or introduced to their colleagues or even the team from the BiKBBI, what would I do, shake hands? Kiss if it were female? But apart from an initial reluctance on the first morning and a bit of banter it became business as usual with hand-shakes and kisses all around as per normal.
New Core Carbon Brushed Metal by Rotpunkt
This set the stall-out for the rest of the show as it really was business as normal as kitchen, bedroom and bathroom manufacturers and came out to support the industry and were rewarded with much better than expected visitor numbers in my opinion. The BiKBBI had driven its much publicised big red London bus and ensured that it was positioned prominently and the team were rewarded with a constant stream of visitors from members, industry partners and curious tradespeople interested to find out more about the organisation. Any visitor would have been impressed with not just the size of the show but the creativity and quality of the stands and displays. There were many genuine new products showcased and my feeling is that anyone who took the time out to attend, would have been rewarded with genuine full day rather than depart feeling it had been wasted. We all know what has happened since! However, by visiting the KBB 2020 exhibition I am heartened by the fact that the industry is in good shape and strong enough to see this pandemic off without too much damage. Yes it will change businesses, and even ourselves, but I am confident that this period of ‘adjustment’ will have genuine long term benefits. A lot will happen between now and the next KBB in two years’ time, that’s for sure!
Nuance by Bushboard
Sirius Buying Group
24
