ORLANDO – The International Builders’ Show, hosted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), owned by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), recently held their first in-person shows in two years.
The NKBA and NAHB joined forces for the annual Design and Build Week (DCW), which attracted more than 70,000 attendees.
Together, the connected shows brought together 1,200 exhibitors occupying 750,000 net square feet of exhibit space at the Orlando County Convention Center (OCCC).
“There’s no doubt that our industry is in great shape,” said Suzie Williford, EVP of Industry Relations and Chief Strategy Officer at NKBA. “The numbers speak for themselves. We were thrilled to welcome 70,000 attendees, including guests from Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy and beyond. After two long years, it was a pure joy to meet people in person and get to work with a little fun thrown in. Design & Construction Week is a leading indicator of the industry’s strength and clearly confirms the value of in-person events.”
KBIS, owned by NKBA and produced by Emerald Expositions, is the largest North American trade show for the kitchen and bath industry. KBIS 2022 welcomed 375 exhibitors, including 85 newcomers. The attendee-to-exhibitor ratio increased 9% from 2020, the last and one of the largest in-person KBIS events before the pandemic. Of KBIS attendees, 48% were new to the show.
The NAHB International Builders’ Show is the largest annual lightweight construction trade show in the world. More than 45,000 residential construction professionals visited IBS in 2022. IBS exhibit space totaled 425,000 net square feet, where more than 800 exhibitors showcased the latest in building products and technologies.
“DCW exceeded all of our expectations,” said Jason McGraw, Group Vice President and Show Director, KBIS. “We knew we had everything in place to create a safe event. We knew the exhibitors committed to the show would do their best. We expected a strong turnout, but when we exceeded our attendance goal, we knew we had a winner. The business from this show will drive the industry for the rest of 2022 and beyond. And we’re poised for a great event in 2023 with 83% of exhibit space already sold.”
Undeniable excitement
“The excitement at the show was absolutely undeniable. Attendees were able to meet to network with industry peers, learn about numerous educational offerings, and see an incredible show filled with the best products and innovations,” said Jerry Konter, NAHB 2022 chair and past chair of the NAHB Conventions and Meetings Committee. “With over 70,000 attendees, Design & Construction Week was a huge success and even better than expected. We look forward to an even stronger show next year in Las Vegas.”
Geoff Cassidy, NAHB senior vice president of exhibits and meetings, agreed. “The turnout at this year’s show exceeded our expectations and reflects the homebuilding industry’s enthusiasm to collaborate and learn about the latest products and technology solutions for their customers,” Cassidy said.
Carrie Freeman Parsons, president of Freeman, was at Design & Construction Week in Orlando and was inspired by what she saw.
“This is a show that I’ve had a special connection to for most of my career, so it’s an understatement to say I was thrilled to see it again. As with other shows I’ve attended when in-person events returned, I expected to see familiar faces and just enjoy being together. Things have felt a little lackluster so far, so what I didn’t expect was the level of energy I found in the OCC – the aisles were packed and the atmosphere upbeat. We’re back!” she said.
Construction and renovation have thrived during the pandemic, but not without challenges related to labor shortages, supply chain issues and COVID-related restrictions.
“What reminded me of the unique power of events is that they not only bring people together, but they also address the real challenges of an industry: meeting face-to-face with suppliers, learning about the work of the association, trying new products, networking with experts in many fields, learning about trends and new technologies. Events move business forward,” said Freeman Parsons. “I am very happy for all of our clients and our industry, and very encouraged by what I have experienced about how we are doing as an industry. In all that we have experienced, Design & Construction Week was a great reminder to never underestimate the power of events and the impact of the events industry. Wow! Look what we are doing!”
Contact Jason McGraw at (770) 291-5435 or [email protected]; Geoff Cassidy at [email protected]; Jerry Konter at [email protected]; Carrie Freeman Parsons at (214) 445-1150 or [email protected]