Following their success at this year’s event, several UK brands in the KBB sector will again take part in KBIS 2025 through the NKBA’s Global Connect programme.
According to the US-based National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), more than 75 international companies will be displaying their products and presence at the 2025 show, which last year drew more than 55,000 attendees.
At this year’s KBIS show, cabinetry fittings manufacturer Crofts & Assinder, bathroom fittings manufacturer Fitzroy of London, shower tray specialists SENSTEC, and heritage bathroom brand Thomas Crapper all had a stand within the event’s UK Pavilion, which was overseen by the UK’s Bathroom Manufacturer’s Association (BMA).
According to show guides, next year’s UK exhibitors include Grant Westfield, Hidealoo, Thomas Crapper, Ellsi and Whitebirk Sink Company.
Following last year’s show, both the BMA and NKBA Global Connect team told kbbreview that they considered the 2024 event to be an immense success, and were interested in more UK companies joining the International Pavilion for 2025.
In addition to the pavilions, the event also features a Global Connect lounge, which serves as a hub for the international brands, and hosts international brand spotlight presentations, international cocktail and breakfast events, and roundtable lunches.
Given the size and scale of the American KBB design market, the Global Connect programme is designed to help international brands reduce their risk when expanding into the region for the first time.
“The Global Connect program is making its mark,” said Heather Shannon, senior vice president of strategic growth for NKBA & KBIS. “This business development program is bringing our industry closer together, providing richer opportunities for the entire value chain — from manufacturers to designers.
“Showrooms and dealers are exposed to a broader selection of product lines and solutions, design and construction professionals are learning about new approaches to design challenges and manufacturers are collaborating on technology. This is how the industry is growing and KBIS is the platform where it all comes together.”
Kbbreview attended the 2024 KBIS show, which took place this February, and caught up with the British brands who were exhibiting. Across the board, the UK business leaders on the show floor told kbbreview that they had seen an overwhelmingly positive response from attendees, with American consumers showing a particular enthusiasm for British design heritage.
This year’s KBIS show will take place in Las Vegas, between February 25 and 27.
In other recent news, the NKBA’s global president and CEO, Bill Darcy, came to the UK in November to sign the landmark Windsor Declaration spearheaded by the BMA, which aims to tackle global issues of water waste and infection.
