InstallerSHOW returns to the NEC, Birmingham from 25th to 27th June with 50% more space and over 600 exhibitors – the event's content consultant Andy Bishop reveals the Kitchen & Bathroom highlights not to miss.
With its origins in plumbing and heating, historically InstallerSHOW may not have been on the radar of the KBB community. However, the addition of Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms to the event has changed this significantly. The bathrooms element of the show has already seen huge success, and further growth in this space is a natural evolution. With the support of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA), which is also curating an industry-specific live content programme, this area of the event offers InstallerSHOW’s 20,000 visitors a chance to see many new and returning exhibitors of premium bathroom products and fittings.
InstallerSHOW is once again delighted to be working with the BMA, which is hosting a packed three-day timetable of sessions in its own theatre. Subjects up for discussion include banishing rogue traders, boosting business with social media, apprenticeships, bathroom trends and new product pitches. The BMA’s Tom Reynolds will also conduct Q&A sessions with Scottish property developer Kerr Drummond and interior designer Linda Barker in what promises to be a highly informative programme.
New for 2024 is InstallerSHOW’s Kitchen of the Future – a dedicated, custom built space where visitors will see new products and services alongside a speaker programme featuring some of the biggest names and thought leaders in the kitchens space. Visitor research conducted in 2023 highlighted the desire for a kitchens event at the show and, with installers exerting more and more influence in the sector, the goal is to provide a unique route to market for kitchen exhibitors.
At the heart of the Kitchen of the Future will be award-winning designer and author Johnny Grey’s 4Gen kitchen, described as the world’s most intelligent kitchen by Newcastle Helix, and originally installed at the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing to demonstrate a future of multigenerational households using the kitchen for a multitude of reasons, not just for cooking food.
Adjacent to this will be a full programme of live content to represent varied aspects of kitchen design and installation. Highlights include detailed consumer research by Unhooked Communications as to ‘What consumers really want in 2024’, Magnet Kitchens head of design Jen Nash presenting her vision of the future of kitchen design, Samsung exploring the impact of AI in the kitchen, and category expert Adam Thomas discussing 'Universal Access – Designing Kitchens for All’. Hayley Simmons of KBB Marketing will be joined by Nicky Holmes of Zebra Square to consider ‘How Installers and Retailers can work together to drive sales’ and Howdens head of design Ady Heaton will talk about ‘The Evolution of Kitchen Design’. Richard Hibbert of KSL Sudbury (and the KBSA) will look at all aspects of building outdoor kitchens, including planning, equipment and recent projects, and renowned design journalist Elspeth Pridham will focus on sustainability with suppliers, manufacturers and designers.
The programme will also feature a splash of celebrity with Channel 5 favourite Mark Millar presenting some of his recent building projects. Not to be missed will be the BiKBBI CEO Breakfast Session where Damian Walters will provide an insight into how manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and retailers can collaborate on the challenges and maximise opportunities within the KBB installation sector.
There is, of course, a rationale behind this move into the KBB sector. The delivery of kitchens and bathrooms to end users has evolved over recent years with more places to buy products than ever before, giving consumers and installers more choice of where to source. Also, homeowners are becoming savvier and more price conscious – working harder to seek out the best possible value for their home improvements. Because of this, installers now play a more an important role in the creation of kitchens and bathrooms than ever before and have increasingly become part of the decision-making process (research by the BMA highlights that installers supply two thirds of their customers with products as well as fitting them, and have a significant influence over product choice). Retailers and manufacturers can no longer rely on selling directly to consumers 100% of the time and It therefore makes good commercial sense for retailers and manufacturers to explore direct engagement with installers.
Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms at InstallerSHOW offers a unique opportunity for suppliers to reach the installer audience, creating market awareness and building new contacts. Key exhibitors in the KBB space include Samsung, Häfele, Waterline, Aquabella, VitrA, Qettle, Wickes/Symphony, Hansgrohe and Neolith.
See the KBBFocus special edition magazine on Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms HERE.
See the full InstallerSHOW event timetable HERE.
Register for your free ticket HERE.
