Is that even a real question? We all know that continuing education is important for most industries. The Kitchen and Bath industry professionals need to be cutting edge on trends, technologies, and design.

While training comes in many forms — classroom style, in-person showrooms, and manufacturer tours — these take a seat to the much more popular industry trade shows. These industry shows are becoming much more common. The most prominent of these is the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), which is considered the largest North American trade expo for kitchen and bath professionals. It is held once a year and marked 60 years in 2024.

In 2013, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) agreed to extend the co-location of the International Builders’ Show (IBS) and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) through 2030. Together the two are hosted under the banner of Design & Construction Week (DCW). DCW is the largest annual gathering of residential construction and design industry professionals.

2024 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas

By the Numbers:

41,500 registered visitors at KBIS

117,000 total registered visitors to Design & Construction Week

Over 670 exhibitors: a 30% increase from 2023

Over 260 new exhibitors: a 40% increase from 2023

Over 200 international exhibitors: a 35% increase from 2023

Who organizes KBIS? The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) owns KBIS. NKBA is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1963.

Those in attendance at trade shows include:

• Designers: Interior designers, kitchen and bath designers
• Architects: Architects who work in the kitchen and bath industry
• Dealers: Dealers who work in the kitchen and bath industry
• Showroom professionals: Professionals who work in kitchen and bath showrooms
• Builders: Custom builders and remodelers who work in the kitchen and bath industry
• Influencers: Influencers who attend events sponsored by KBIS

The 2025 KBIS will be held February 25-27 in Las Vegas. The industry show has plenty to offer outside of its Expo Hall, including the KBIS NEXTStage which is popular for its quaint chats, panel discussions, and industry award ceremonies.

This is your opportunity to dive into over 75 dynamic educational sessions featuring industry professionals. These sessions cover trends; ways to expand your skills; how to network with the best in the industry; ways to get continuing education units; fresh ideas and perspectives; and marketing.

A highlight of KBIS will be the Best of KBIS Awards, hosted by Luxe Interiors + Design. This will be held at 4 p.m. on February 26. During the event, seven innovative products will be given the most prestigious award for excellence.

While researching for this column, I reached out to some industry icons, along with consultants who are newer to the industry, to gather their thoughts on training, trade shows, and the benefits of attending.

My questions were the same for all:

Do you attend KBIS and if so why do you feel it is important?

"It’s extremely important. This is one of the few opportunities we get to venture out and see what's up and coming in the Kitchen and Bath world. Not only to see, in person, what's trending in the market but also what is going to be valuable to our customers," said Lauren Summerville, showroom director, Winsupply of Shelby (North Carolina). "It gives them new ideas or ‘ah-ha’ moments they may not have thought of because they haven't been exposed to it. It also allows me to see what potential gaps I have in my showroom and what types of products I should be offering that I may not be currently."

"My showroom sponsors our best custom and remodel builders to attend KBIS with us," said a showroom manager from Kentucky who wanted to stay anonymous. "They are free to head to the IBS but mostly spend time with us, our vendors and learn more about new items together for our market. This partnership goes way beyond business, and the friendships will last a lifetime."

Do you budget annually for training for your showroom?

"Attendance at KBIS is great for in-person networking with manufacturers, vendors, and exhibitors. Also, meeting with exhibitors and other professional attendees could lead to potential partnerships," said Eunice Evans, showroom manager, Winsupply of Cleveland (Ohio). "We have budgeted $5,000 for tradeshows, but with rising costs that will need to be raised. I may rotate with other employees from our company. This helps with budgeting."

"We have no budget for training, but many manufacturers book lunch-and-learns for us. They are OK, but we have scaled them back," said a showroom manager from Florida who wanted to stay anonymous.

"We have a big show budget and continue to participate at shows that can demonstrate a true ROI versus a meet-and-greet," said a manufacturer who wanted to stay anonymous. "We probably participate in 25-30 shows per year of varying types."

"KBIS gives my team new ideas or ‘ah-ha’ moments they may not have thought of because they haven't been exposed to it. It also allows me to see what potential gaps I have in my showroom and what types of products I should be offering that I may not be currently," - Lauren Summerville, showroom director, Winsupply of Shelby, North Carolina

With an annual increase of 30% in the number of exhibitors, there are a plethora of opportunities to make new connections, gain knowledge of new products, and have hands-on experiences with many of the new technologies in the industry.

Other comments gathered from manufacturers that wished to stay anonymous:

• "Trade shows have immense value when engaging the customer. It allows for a significant amount of customer interaction in one place, at one time. Not having to travel all over the country to meet the same people."
• "Personal interactions are so meaningful, and we only see some of our dealers once a year at these shows."
• "This show is great because it has Kitchen and Bath dealers, builders, architects, and interior designers. Now, my dealers bring their builders and interior designers into my booth to introduce me. That feels good."

The health of these industry shows remains strong, with attendance and exhibitors being at an all-time high. If you are not able to attend you can still follow many social media influencers, manufacturers, and industry partners by tracking #KBIS2025 and following on social media @kbis_official.

While it is hard to attend all industry events most manufacturers will also do in showroom training, CEU-accredited classes for your clients, hosting lunch and learns, engaging with your showroom and your industry partners.

The bottom line here is that training is essential and continuing your education should be a priority for anyone in the Kitchen and Bath Industry. After all, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!