Despite rumors to the contrary, tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors are expected to attend the 2009 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS), to be held April 30 to May 3 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Hosted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and Nielsen Business Media, the trade show is widely considered a premier event for the kitchen and bath industry.
The NKBA recently issued a statement refuting rumors of a mass exodus of exhibitors from this year’s event. Just as other design and home building industry trade shows have experienced reductions in exhibitor numbers, so, too has K/BIS. However, the number of exhibitors pulling out of the show has been small, according to the association. “Contrary to recent misconceptions, the vast majority of the large exhibitors will be exhibiting at K/BIS again this year,” NKBA’s CEO Don Sciolaro said in the press statement.
The 2009 event will showcase the products of 700 exhibitors. (A complete list of exhibitors can be found at www.kbis.com/show/exhibitor-list.) “K/BIS 2009 is very much alive and well,” said NKBA president Suzie Williford. “Between the show floor and the conference’s wide range of business and celebrity speakers, K/BIS 2009 is going to be one of the most valuable and exciting shows ever.”
The 2009 K/BIS will also host a record number of celebrity speakers, according to the NKBA, including Extreme Makeover: Home Edition carpenter Paul DiMeo, This Old House‘s plumbing expert Richard Trethewey and designer Carol Freehauf, the Food Network’s Aida Mollenkamp, The Young and the Restless’ Steve Ford, and even former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
For more information or a guide to the show, please visit www.kbis.com.
