By Dianne M. Pogoda
NKBA CEO Bill Darcy appeared on “After The Bell” on the Fox Business channel on Wednesday afternoon, where host Melissa Francis asked him about tariffs, trade, the economy in general, and skilled labor.
Darcy said the NKBA is “feeling good’ about the Trump Administration’s new trade agreement among the U.S., Canada and Mexico, which replaces NAFTA.
“It doesn’t affect our industry directly, but it’s positive for the overall economy — and that’s positive for our members,” said Darcy. “And the big hope is that it gets China to the table.”
Francis asked about the overall state of the $150 billion kitchen and bath industry, and Darcy responded, “The tax cuts have been helpful. Our members are seeing positive growth. When you’re going to spend money on your home, where are you going to spend the most? In the rooms where you spend the most time — the kitchen and the bathroom.”
Francis asked about the crisis in skilled labor, calling it “the biggest issue” in the construction business.
“It’s definitely the biggest issue our industry is facing,” Darcy said. “That’s why we’re working with other organizations, and we’re bringing students to our big Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas in February to try to introduce young people to our dynamic field. There are lots of highly skilled and professional jobs in this business.
“We need these workers — it’s the way to prevent jobs from taking longer and costing more.”
Francis will moderate the State of the Industry discussion panel at KBIS 2019 on Feb. 20.
You can watch the full interview by clicking here.
