Expectations were exceeded at KBB Birmingham 2018 despite the snow, as more than 15,000 visitors and a 25% increase in exhibitors from 2016 saw the event deemed the biggest and most successful yet.

A record number of international visitors, up 14% from 2016 – alongside 76% of exhibitors rebooking for KBB 2020, reaffirmed that economic and trading conditions are ever-improving.

Big industry names like Roca, Laufen, Smeg, Franke, Samsung and Corian returned to exhibit at KBB 2018, while Kupperbusch, Newform and Caple all launched new and innovative product ranges.

Support was shown at the Retail and Design Conference by experts from brands including Houzz, Fitch, Formica Group and Futurist who shared practical solutions for how to develop the future home, predict future colour trends and create retail theatre in a showroom.

Prominent features on the show floor included award-winning designer Colin Wong’s ‘The Rock’ concept, which reinterprets kitchen architecture in the home of tomorrow and involved leading material suppliers Corian, Neolith, Formica and Cosentino.

Feedback for kbb Birmingham 2018 has been overwhelmingly positive with many citing it as having a ‘vibrant’ and ‘buzzing’ atmosphere. Formica Group Europe described it as an “amazing and busy show”, while Der Kreis’ managing director Bill Miller announced 2018 as the company’s “most successful KBB to date”.

Sales and Marketing Director at Blum, David Saunders said: kbb Birmingham it is the industry show, it is the place to be, and it has got a buzz about it. We have been here since 2012, when the show was half the size of what it is today and it is important for a brand like ours to be at the centre of the industry.

Director at Kitchen Base, Kobad Bankwala said: “Kbb has been an excellent medium at letting visitors know what is going on in the industry, and I suppose without kbb we would be a little bit lost.”

Head of marketing at Smeg, John Davies said: “This is the first time we’ve exhibited since 2008, and we chose to come back after seeing the strength the show had in 2016 when we came as visitors.

“We’re a design brand and coming to a design show is our natural habitat. We’ve shown our 12 new products and we’ve had great responses so far – there’s such a vibrant atmosphere.”

 Sales director at KBB Birmingham, Jon Johnston, said: “We’ve had another outstanding kbb celebrating the incredibly forward-facing and innovative solutions in the industry. We have exciting plans for the next edition of kbb Birmingham, and are already in a strong place reaffirmed by our rebook figures.