10 percent increase in show attendance is good news for industry outlook
The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS®), owned by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA®), drew designers, builders, dealers and suppliers from across the country and around the world to the 2016 show, held Jan. 19-21, 2016 in Las Vegas. Along with 531 exhibitors, early estimates put attendance for KBIS 2016 at more than 10 percent ahead of last year, indicating continued positive growth for the kitchen and bath industry.
“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 & Cosntruction 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 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 KBISNeXTTM, 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.
Already more than 580 exhibitors are confirmed to exhibit within 332,000 net sq. footage at KBIS 2017, which debuts at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Jan. 10-12, 2017.
To learn about the latest KBIS news and announcements, visit www.kbis.com or www.kbispressroom.com. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KitchenBathIndustryShow and on Twitter at @KBIS2016.
About KBIS
The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) owned by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and produced by Emerald Expositions, is an inspiring, interactive platform that showcases the latest products, trends and technologies for the kitchen and bath industry. KBIS has been the premier event of the industry for over 50 years.
In 2013, the NKBA and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) announced an agreement to co-locate the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) with the International Builders’ Show (IBS) under the banner of Design and Construction Week® (DCW). In 2015, KBIS and IBS announced their co-location agreement was extended through 2020. The mega-event heads to Orlando, Jan. 10-12, 2017, where both shows will operate each in the various halls at the Orange County Convention Center. The NKBA and The NAHB continue to produce separate educational programming and special events, with one pass providing access to both shows.
About the National Kitchen & Bath Association
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is the not-for-profit trade association that owns the KBIS®. With nearly 14,000 member companies representing tens of thousands of members in segments of the kitchen and bath industry, the NKBA has educated and led the kitchen and bath industry since the association’s founding in 1963. The mission of the NKBA is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices, and provide leadership and direction for the kitchen and bath industry worldwide. For more information, visit NKBA.org or call 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).
About Emerald Expositions
Emerald is a leading operator of large business-to-business tradeshows in the United States, producing more than 85 tradeshows and conference events per year connecting over 525,000 buyers and sellers across ten diversified end-markets, including general merchandise; sports; hospitality and retail design; jewelry, luxury, and antiques; e-commerce; photography; decorated apparel; building; healthcare; and military. Emerald is headquartered in San Juan Capistrano, Cal. The company’s shows are typically the most prominent and important for exhibitors and attendees within their various industries. For more information on Emerald, please visit www.emeraldexpositions.com.
Media Contact:
Kristen Jenkins, White Good
kjenkins@whitegood.com
717.693.3442