“Looking West: Understanding the North American Market” will take place Oct. 7 in Cheshire (Manchester), U.K.  

 

The National Kitchen & Bath Association will hold its inaugural NKBA Global Connect Business Summit in England on Oct. 7, full of presentations and discussions designed to explore the North American market.

Taking place in conjunction with the British Bathroom Manufacturers Association’s (BMA) annual Conference, at the Carden Park Resort, Cheshire, England, the summit will address macro-economic, social and political trends that could impact doing business in North America.

Continuing the NKBA mission to connect kitchen and bath industry professionals around the world, the Association has built a program focused on relevant business topics. These include a current look at key economic indicators; demographic and geographic influences; shifting lifestyle and design trends and panel discussions covering “go-to-market strategies,” and government trade, code, financial and tax implications.

“The NKBA is the Global Connector for the kitchen and bath industry — forging relationships and sharing insights and innovative ideas to inform, inspire and empower the kitchen and bath community around the world,” said Bill Darcy, NKBA’s CEO. “We are operating in a global marketplace. Our all-industry Association is uniquely positioned to facilitate important connections internationally.

 

NKBA Global Business Summit – Program

The day-long business summit is designed for C-Suite executives interested in (or in the early stages of embarking on) a North American distribution strategy. Topics include:

  • “Dawn of a Decade – New Business in a New World.” Veronika Miller, CEO, M2 Consulting will take an honest stab at current events and issues that are impacting our abilities to drive our businesses. This talk will set the tone for the day, addressing the elephant(s) in the room and reinforcing the mutual benefit of cross-collaboration.
  • “NKBA Market Outlook.” Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO, takes a deep dive into the U.S. residential construction market, breaking down new construction and remodeling segments — with a focus on the kitchen and bath. Data will show the strength of the residential remodeling market vis a vis new construction. A look at the latest Kitchen Bath Market Index (KBMI) and how the NKBA is using it to track (quarterly) shifts.
  • “North American Demographic & Geographic Realities.” Steve Basten, senior manager, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, will expand on the intricacies of the American market, its various regions and demographic data, and its value compared to a homogenous look at the entire country. This presentation demonstrates the differences among various geographies, their demographic make-ups and what that can mean to product design, distribution strategies and pricing programs.
  • “North American Lifestyle, Life Stage and Design Trends.” Kerrie Kelly, principal of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab and an NKBA Design Professional examines the shifting American population and its impact on macro trends like Living in Place, livability, wellness and smart home/whole home technology integration, She’ll talk about the importance of understanding these trends, as well as micro-trends like “Farmhouse” and “Industrial” — as well as design terms like “Traditional,” “Transitional” and “Contemporary,” and how they’re essential to designing and developing relevant products for various consumer-market segments.
  • “Tackling the North American Market.” Miller returns to the stage to moderate this panel discussion, which will include government trade, logistics, customs/export, financial and tax professionals from the UK, U.S. and Europe. Together, they’ll address how to navigate the various agencies and services necessary to deliver the American market.
  • “North American ‘Go-To’ Market — Understanding the Options.” Suzie Williford, Executive Vice President of Industry Relations and Chief Strategy Officer for NKBA will moderate this panel, which aims to dispel the notion that there’s only one way to sell direct to the consumer in North America. This panel will introduce and share a number of options to leverage the vast realities of the distribution and service needs of the marketplace. Participants will discuss the pros and cons of utilizing a master distributor, independent sales representatives, multi-location showrooms, direct-to- consumer showrooms and more.

The day will conclude with a cocktail reception and dinner hosted by the NKBA for all attendees. Individual brands are invited to request (on-site) follow-up meetings with presenters and panel participants.

The NKBA has strategically co-located its summit just prior to BMA’s annual Conference — “B&K Business Conference — Brave New World.” The combination of NKBA’s and BMA’s robust programming is sure to be beneficial to any brands serving the kitchen and bath market, from the U.K., Europe and beyond.

NKBA welcomes all interested brands, associations, organizations and media to email Silvia Lattoz, Senior Manager, Governance and Global Relations, at globalconnect@nkba.org, for a link to RSVP or to receive more information.