If last month’s attendance during the IBS/KBIS Show in Vegas is any sort of indicator for anything, in-person trade shows are still thriving. We’re hearing that this was the most attended show of the past 15 years. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), more than 76,000 builders, remodelers, developers and other home Read more
NAHB
Running into friends while enjoying the Vegas nightlife.
If last month’s attendance during the IBS/KBIS Show in Vegas is any sort of indicator for anything, in-person trade shows are still thriving. We’re hearing that this was the most attended show of the past 15 years. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), more than 76,000 builders, remodelers, developers and other home building professionals filled the halls, “the highest level since 2009, which reflects the bullish outlook of the residential construction industry.”
This year also marked the 11th anniversary of Design & Construction Week® (DCW), the co-location of IBS and the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s (NKBA’s) Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). DCW drew over 117,000 attendees, and more than 2,400 exhibitors occupied over one million net square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibits.
Pfister Faucet’s Spencer Brown, the Hub’s John Mesenbrink, Tim Goff, Pfister Faucets, and Dominic Sims, ICC, talk about the importance, and popularity, of the American Plumber Stories series.
Anyone who has visited the Las Vegas convention center knows that there are basically four separate halls—North, Central, South and West. I am of the opinion that the Central Hall usually gets the influx of traffic initially—over the course of the three-day event—with crossover to the North Hall fairly fluid. The North Hall is generally reserved for big bathroom players, and Central and South are filled with construction/builder booths. The West Hall, honestly, is almost at a different location where, in order to get there most of the time, you are sent underground, blindfolded and whisked through a tunnel via a manned Tesla. Pretty cool experience, actually, but not necessarily ideal if you are exhibiting in West because that’s where the trickle or “if I have enough time” traffic goes. My opinion, of course.
Oh, I almost forgot. There are a number of exhibitors set up outside—our friends from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), for example—right in front of Central Hall. The blue sky, 70° temps didn’t hurt those outdoor experiences either.
Dominic Sims CEO, International Code Council (ICC), talks about the partnership with American Plumber Stories for upcoming season 5 of the wildly popular docuseries.
Just a note of interest here, getting the show is getting easier with access to the monorail, which makes stops to a number of hotel locations—if it looks full, just keep nudging, you’ll find space—and hotel bus routes, which can be found in front of the Central Hall and to the side of the South Hall. Depending on when you are entering or leaving the show, Uber and taxi at your own risk.
Now, if you’ve been to the IBS/KBIS trades shows in recent past, you’ll know that the setup is pretty formulaic, but it was brought to my attention that this year they pretty much simplified the approach with similar products located near each other so you don’t have to break your Fitbit traversing the LVCC universe trying to find something.
Everything from low-flow toilets, ADA & Living in Place to the latest in bidets, KBIS had it all. From the Bemis booth.
Invariably during every trade show I attend I get asked, “what was the most interesting thing you saw on the show floor?” Well, I gotta say it was the Genesis Systems WaterCube 100, which basically creates water out of the air. I was fairly shocked when I saw the size of this unit—large—to be installed on the exterior of the home. The company contends that the product sustainably generates more than 100 gallons of fresh water daily from the air around it—enough for a household of four, and it operates in humidity ranges of >40-100% and ideal climate temperatures of >59 degrees F.
Genesis Systems WaterCube 100
In the North Hall, we saw everything from the latest in bidets, low-flow toilets, high-end kitchen and bathroom fixtures to fancy multi-colored bathtubs—a kitchen and bath designer’s fantasy space, if you will.
Moen’s 3-in-1 Water Filtration Pulldown faucets dispense filtered cold water and hot and cold tap water, including a three-function pultdown wand. 3-in-1 Water Filtration Kitchen Pulldowns pair with any Moen filtration system and are available in many styles and finish options.
“2024 marks the 60-year anniversary of KBIS—a tremendous accomplishment and an opportunity to not only celebrate our growth but to set goals for how we want to continue to elevate the show and help drive the industry forward,” said Bill Darcy, Global President & CEO of NKBA|KBIS. “We’ve had great success collaborating with NAHB and IBS and are proud to announce our continued partnership as part of this milestone year. As the kitchen, bath, and wider residential building, architect, design, and remodeling sectors continue to grow it’s more important than ever to provide a central source for inspiration and innovation.”
NAHB and NKBA announced an agreement to extend the co-location of IBS and KBIS for four years through 2030.
Next year, DCW will return to Las Vegas, Feb. 25-27.
See you next year in Vegas!
Three of the leading trade shows will take place at the same time in 2023, furthering the offering of what attendees can see next year. The National Hardware Show® (NHS), NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) and NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS) will take place during Design & Construction Week®, which will be held Read more
Three of the leading trade shows will take place at the same time in 2023, furthering the offering of what attendees can see next year. The National Hardware Show® (NHS), NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) and NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS) will take place during Design & Construction Week®, which will be held in Las Vegas, Jan. 31-Feb. 2.
“We are absolutely thrilled that the National Hardware Show (NHS) will be in Las Vegas during the same time that Design & Construction Week takes place,” said NAHB CEO Jerry Howard. “NHS creates synergy with the International Builders’ Show and NKBA’s Kitchen and Bath Show. Co-locating NHS with IBS and KBIS will allow attendees to explore additional products and opportunities to grow their businesses and maintain a competitive edge in the market.”
“We think having the National Hardware Show co-locate with us in Las Vegas next year is a great opportunity to expand Design & Construction Week,” said Bill Darcy, CEO for the National Kitchen & Bath Association. “It gives Design & Construction Week attendees more products and services to experience during their three days at the show. It’s also a great way for all three associations to better serve their respective members as we look to the future.”
“Our customers benefit from more value and opportunity during their time in Las Vegas by aligning with two other industry leading events. NHS, IBS and KBIS events have complementary product offerings that will broaden buying and selling opportunities,” said Beth Casson, National Hardware Show® Event Vice President. “NHS is the destination for uncovering trends, and sourcing new products and suppliers. By hosting the show earlier in the year, this gives buyers an opportunity to kick off the year with discovery and connection, while allowing more time for critical decisions before big buying events.”
Learn more about each of shows:
Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC), a market leader and manufacturer of water control systems and plumbing solutions for residential and commercial applications, was named NAHB’s 2021 Leading Suppliers Council Spark Award Runner-up. As homeowners lean into smart-home technology, RWC’s StreamLabs Control is delivering on a crucial need: water and leak management. Thanks to its innovative technology, the leak detection device was honored Read more
Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC), a market leader and manufacturer of water control systems and plumbing solutions for residential and commercial applications, was named NAHB’s 2021 Leading Suppliers Council Spark Award Runner-up.
As homeowners lean into smart-home technology, RWC’s StreamLabs Control is delivering on a crucial need: water and leak management. Thanks to its innovative technology, the leak detection device was honored as runner–up for the 2021 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Leading Suppliers Council (LSC) Spark Award.
As reported in Chubb’s 2017 Water Risk Survey, “[45%] of homeowners have or know someone who has experienced a water leak.” As an innovation-driven company, RWC saw an opportunity to help limit detrimental water damage with just a tap. Designed to track water usage, alert users of leaks and provide an automatic remote shut-off option, the StreamLabs Control, which installs directly into the main water line, connects to the complementary StreamLabs app to monitor the home’s water system 24/7.
It is the second product in RWC’s portfolio to be recognized by the LSC. The SharkBite EvoPEX push-to-connect system won the Spark Award in 2018.
According to the NAHB LSC Spark Award criteria, “winners are to demonstrate superior knowledge in developing cutting edge products and services, embrace a progressive outlook and exhibit a willingness to push the envelope when it comes to taking the home building industry to the next level.”
“We always seek new ways to innovate and create cutting edge products for customers,” said Jeff Long, RWC’s Product Manager Cash Acme & StreamLabs. “We’re extremely proud the StreamLabs Control has been recognized in such prestigious company. It is a great product, providing homeowners comfort and peace of mind that their homes are looked after.”
To learn more about the StreamLabs Control, visit streamlabswater.com.
If the Design & Construction Week at KBIS/IBS Show in Orlando is any indication of the health of the kitchen & bath and construction industries, then 2017 will be a prosperous year. In fact, solid employment gains and rising household formations, single-family production will continue on a gradual, upward trajectory in 2017, according to economists Read more
If the Design & Construction Week at KBIS/IBS Show in Orlando is any indication of the health of the kitchen & bath and construction industries, then 2017 will be a prosperous year. In fact, solid employment gains and rising household formations, single-family production will continue on a gradual, upward trajectory in 2017, according to economists speaking at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show.
Show traffic was great, booths were large and vibrant, and the buzz was invaluable. Some trade show fun facts included: nearly 80,000 homebuilders, remodelers, developers, designers and their trade partners talked to suppliers and saw demonstrations during a show; the number of exhibitors grew from 1,400 to more than 1,500; and exhibit space grew from about 500,000 square feet in 2016 to 569,000 square feet this year.
The Show kicked with an “Omaha!” a presentation by former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, and that energy continued to be reflected for the next three days. Exhibitors representing home technology, cloud-based construction management software and other innovative products and practices reported strong crowds.
Former NFL QB keynotes the NAHB event.
Held in Las Vegas the past four years, Orlando was suffice in its ability to accommodate a show of this magnitude but honestly, despite conflicting reports, according to the dozens of participants that I spoke with, Las Vegas seemed to be the better choice based on booth hall proximity (halls are a bit closer). Case in point: this year’s show featured the KBIS portion of the show predominantly in one hall and the Builder’s portion in another hall. God forbid you had to cross the “bridge of death” to go to and from one hall to another. I say that jokingly in that you needed a good amount of time to get to point A to point B (15 minutes, I timed it). As an editor who makes booth appointments every half hour, it became increasingly difficult to honor those commitments based on the sheer size of the show. Again, not necessarily a bad thing at all, yet selfishly, it seemed that the show, at times, felt too big, if that makes any sense at all.
Nonetheless, how can one complain when the temps reached the mid to upper 70s during the week with very little to no rain in the forecast? This made the outdoor exhibits very accessible. The show will return to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando again next year—January 9-11—and if I learned anything, bring a comfortable pair of shoes next time!
This week we will be featuring products that we saw up close at the show, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, NAHB named the winning products in its fifth annual Best of IBS Awards. This year’s Best of IBS Awards received over 400 entries. Decided by a panel of independent judges made up of attending reporters and building professionals, the awards were given in nine categories, plus an overall Best in Show award.
The winners were:
Best in Show Winner: AquaBoy® Pro II by Aquarius Brands
Best Kitchen Product: AquaBoy® Pro II by Aquarius Brands
Best Bath Product: Marble Attache by Daltile
Best Energy Efficient Product: Intelli-Balance 100 by Panasonic Eco Solutions North America
Best Green Building Product: The Greyter HOME by Greyter Water Systems
Best Home Technology Product: Biorev 360 by Biorev LLC
Best Indoor Living Product: Brinks Home Security Array Deadbolt by Hampton Products International
Best Outdoor Living Product: OUTDECO Decorative Panels by Outdeco USA LLC
Best Window and Door Product: MultiGlide Door by Andersen Windows Inc.
Most Innovative Building Product: Regal Aluminum Railing w/LED by Regal Ideas Inc.