RETAILOBSERVER.COM APRIL 2016
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"The NKBA is proud to support Design and Construction
Week as the kitchen and bath industry's vibrant business forum,"
says Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO. "The outstanding programming, top-
notch learning opportunities, and the enthusiastic support of all
our exhibitors at KBIS contribute to the event's success and help
us to fulfill our association mission to educate, inform, collaborate
and inspire."
As a founding member of Design & Construction Week
®
, and in
collaboration with the National Association of Home Builders
(NAHB), KBIS co-located with the International Builders' Show
(IBS) for the third annual mega event. The International Window
Coverings Expo (IWCE), The International Surface Event –
SURFACES and The Tile Expo again took part in this year's event.
Early, unverified estimates show the 2016 Design & Construction
Week
®
event drew more than 110,000 attendees and more than 500
members of the media.
"We are proud that this year's KBIS was one of the largest in the
50 year history of the show, featuring 128 new and additional
exhibitors and an additional 30,000 net sq. ft. of exhibit and
programming space," said Brian Pagel, VP, Kitchen & Bath, Emerald
Expositions. "The overwhelming crowds provided insight into the
renewed confidence in the construction and design industry."
Scott McGillivray, HGTV personality and host of Income
Property, led the first-ever DesignBites on the KBISNeXT Stage.
The program allowed 14 chosen brands to showcase their
newest innovations within three minutes, followed by a brief
Q&A with the audience. The program was among several that
took place on the show floor as part of KBISNeXT
TM
, a branded
area was a destination for discovering the next ideas, trends
and innovations in the kitchen and bath industry. In addition to
programming on the KBISNeXT Stage, the area also featured
the FutureHAUS Bathroom presented by Virginia Tech, and the
KBISNeXT Bar, where roundtable discussions, portfolio review
sessions and the annual Champagne & Cupcakes kick-off event
took place.
Several key kitchen and bath brands also made their return to
KBIS after being absent for several years including: American
Standard Brands, Fontana Forni USA, AGA Marvel, GROHE and
LG Electronics. They joined more than 300 returning exhibitors and
loyalty leaders—brands who have supported KBIS by exhibiting
continuously over the past eight years—like Cosentino NA, Wellborn
Cabinet Inc., ROHL LLC., Blum Inc., and Rev-A-Shelf.
SETS PACE FOR 2016