The association shared exclusive research while meeting with international executives in Germany.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
NKBA executives, including Global President and CEO Bill Darcy and Noëlle C. Lavery, Director of Global Connect, met with top German kitchen and bath industry executives during the annual Küchenmeile tour, organized by the A30 Küchenmeile association of 24 leading kitchen furniture companies.
The tour spread through the North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony regions, the heart of kitchen manufacturing in the country, and the event drew about 25,000 trade visitors, including about 40 percent from abroad.
As part of the continuing mission of NKBA Global Connect, the association’s international membership program that fosters communication throughout the kitchen and bath industry around the world, the team conducted a series of productive meetings with German executives, many of whom will join NKBA at KBIS 2026 in February, in the growing German Pavilion.
NKBA also toured operations of Lehrfabrik Möbelindustrie, a state-of-the-art skilled labor training facility strengthening the workforce of the German furniture industry; took a 22-mile bike tour of the German countryside with BORA Academy’s Ben Hofbeck; toured Miele’s facility and Museum with Dr. Markus Miele, and met with other executives leading the transformation of the European kitchen industry including Jan Finkemeier and Jochen Finkemeier, Andreas Hettich, Marion Stickling, Jan Kurth, Willi Bruckbauer, Eike Scholl, and Markus Schüller.
“From new technology to skilled labor solutions, there’s so much knowledge to be shared to benefit our membership and secure the future of our industry,” said Darcy. “Our conversations with these impressive German manufacturers and our NKBA Global Connect Strategic Alliance Partners reaffirmed our spirit of collaboration built on continued optimism for the long-term health of the market.”
Darcy also presented the latest data about the current state of the $228 billion North American market, drawn from several of NKBA’s exclusive studies, including the 2025 Kitchen & Bath Market Outlook’s mid-year update, the 2025 Kitchen Trends Report, and the 2nd Quarter NKBA/John Burns Kitchen & Bath Market Index. The research reveals that the K&B market remains fundamentally strong despite a slight downturn in recent months and is well-positioned to rebound once consumer demand for remodeling regains momentum.
In late 2024, consumer sentiment toward remodeling showed signs of recovery but softened earlier this year owing to slowing job growth, a tempered employment outlook, uncertainty over economic policies, evolving trade and tariff issues, and weakening confidence. But on the positive side, 73 percent of homeowners hold mortgages with interest rates below 5 percent, so many are choosing to remodel rather than relocate. In fact, the mobility rate among U.S. homeowners has fallen to 7.8 percent from 10 percent just five years ago. Additionally, the U.S. is facing a housing shortage of 3.4 million homes, and the number of aging homes in their prime remodeling years is expected to grow to 24 million by 2027.
NKBA research also reports that North American consumers highly value the sleek, modern design, advanced technologies, and smart features of German kitchen brands.
“The fact that we’re only seeing modest declines in the full-year 2025 outlook — despite ongoing economic and consumer uncertainty — underscores the resilience of the kitchen and bath market,” said Darcy. “Homeowners’ passion for investing in their homes remains strong. Demand is expected to rebound, particularly among middle-market consumers, as tariff uncertainty eases and mortgage rates begin to moderate.”
Based on vigorous early registration and a nearly sold-out exhibit floor, NKBA expects a booming show at KBIS 2026, Feb. 17 to 19 in Orlando. NKBA Global Connect will again host its Delegation Program, a specially curated itinerary including access to exclusive events for international brands that want to explore the show with an eye toward starting or increasing business in North America. Global Connect Brand Spotlight presentations and custom events are slated for the NKBA Booth (#S25058), and the program is hosting its largest international media tour to date, to help spread the word about the North American industry around the world.
