NKBA Global Connect, the association’s international business development program, opened KBIS 2025 with strong presentations in the Global Connect Lounge and hub, with dynamic programming and brands presenting their stories in the kiosks and pavilions.
At the Global Connect Lounge, the day started with six Brand Spotlights, hosted by Global Connect Advisor LuAnn Nigara.
• AVR, the trade association of the Italian valve and tap manufacturing industry, which accounts for about $10 billion in products annually, is focused on innovation, beautiful design, and sustainability in products and materials as well as manufacturing processes. It is involved in a new initiative to ensure safe drinking water through elimination of lead, chemicals and other impurities with advanced testing and certification.
• Thomas Crapper & Co., a British manufacturer of sinks and toilets. There are subtle differences between the North American and British markets, but Thomas Crapper has adapted its fittings to accommodate North Americas technical specs, like pipe threading. The company is trending toward a more elegant design ethos, with Victorian and Edwardian styling.
• Ellsi, a British manufacturer and distributor of plumbing fittings under three main brands: Top-Fix, which simplifies drain installation for sinks, tubs, and showers, Ellsi faucets, and
• Impromta, a faucet that dispenses near-boiling water. Impromta uses biometric technology as a safety measure to prevent burns. If it doesn’t recognize a fingerprint of an authorized user, the faucet won’t dispense the hot water. This can prevent a child from accidentally activating a flow of boiling water. The technology also can set limits on temperature.
• Grant Westfield, a British manufacturer of laminate wall panels for installation in showers and wet rooms. The award-winning panels are easy to install, and go up in about a fifth of the time it takes to install traditional tile. An precision-engineered interlocking tongue-and-groove system makes installation fast, and the material is durable, easy to maintain, and comes in myriad design styles.
• Hidealoo, a British manufacturer of a unique patented steel mechanism that can hide a wall-mounted toilet in a cabinet or closet. The mechanism was developed by Monty Ravenscroft, an architectural engineer, for his father in palliative care. The system allowed a toilet to be installed in a cabinet in his father’s bedroom, allowing for proper plumbing and hygiene in a small space that swung out of sight when not in use. The product can fit in small spaces and can be an addition to laundry rooms or used in small renovations.
• Falmec, a leading Italianproducer of ventilation hoods and extractor systems, discussed some of its most advanced systems that uses fire-retardant and sound-damping technology borrowed from the automotive industry. The vents come in a range of shapes and sizes, from traditional wall-mounted to down-draft styles and thin shelf designs. They also offer speed control, air-flow control, extracting and recirculating filter systems.
Following the spotlights, Heather Shannon, NKBA SVP of Marketing and Communications, hosted “Building Your Brand in the North American Market.” The panel discussion included PR expert Erik Perez, a principal of Hello PR Group, and Sherry Qualls and Veronika Miller, consultants with M2 Consulting Group, which is an architect of the Global Connect program. The discussion focused on strategies for international brands that want to learn more about positioning and marketing themselves in North America. The main message was to conduct copious research about who your customer is in the U.S. and Canada, where your primary target market is located, determine the story you want your brand to tell, and associate with partners who share your values and represent what your brand stands for. The U.S. is like eight individual countries in terms of preferences and economics, and what works in Dallas might not work in Chicago or Seattle. Determining the best market for your product will help avoid costly mistakes and ensure a successful, targeted launch in North America.
At the KBIS Next Stage, #SL7185 in South Hall, NKBA | KBIS Global President & CEO Bill Darcy and Tom Reynolds, CEO of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association of the UK, discussed “The Windsor Declaration,” a bold initiative that is uniting manufacturers, trade associations, and certification bodies in an effort to inspire systemic change and lead the way toward a more sustainable future. They explored the transformative role of water-efficient technologies, improved hygiene solutions, and sustainable practices in addressing these crises.
After that, five subject matter experts took the Next Stage and talked about “European Kitchen Furniture: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products — What It Is, Why It Matters and How It’s Different.” Global Connect Advisors Kenn Busch, Dwayne Lusk, and Jeremy Parcels were joined by Global Connect Strategic Alliance Partners Alina Selbach, Head of Business for TÜV Rheinland LGA Products GmbH, and Jan Kurth, CEO of VDM, the German Furniture Association, to discuss North American consumer preferences for sustainably produced products with cleaner, simpler lines — the hallmarks of many European kitchen furniture brands.
The day ended with KBIS Uncorked, a celebration sponsored by Signature Kitchen Suite, which unveiled its new branding and logo. The event ushered in a “new era of luxury” for the brand, focusing its culinary journey on “Precision. Performance. Passion.” M-2 CEO Veronika Miller hosted designer Kimberly Kerl and design journalist Danny Seo, who all emphasized the importance of the sensory experience in design. “Homeowners want it to look pretty, but also feel pretty and sound pretty. Design must appeal to all the senses,” said Kerl. Seo said biophilic design was a big part of it as well, taking cues from nature, and that being in a well-designed space makes individuals feel respected. Champagne, fresh mozzarella and elegant nibbles from SKS Chef Nick Ritchie capped off the event.
The KBIS Next Stage is sponsored by Ferguson Home, Signature Kitchen Suite, Native Trails, and JennAir.
Wednesday Preview:
The NKBA Global Connect Lounge, #SL113 in South Hall, presents a packed slate of discussions on Wednesday.
10 – 11 AM: Global Connect Brand Spotlights
Greg Rohl, Global Connect Advisor and principal of The Rohl Model, hosts a series of rapid-fire presentations by five new-to-KBIS international brands, presenting innovative products to the North American market, followed by a brief Q&A.
12 – 1 PM: Distribution and Sales Options: Go-To-Market Strategies in North America
NKBA Global Connect Consultant Sherry Qualls hosts a panel of five Global Connect Advisors for a lively discussion about the finer points of sales, distribution, and showroom partner strategies in North America.
1:30 – 2:30 PM: The Bright Future of Design — Opportunities Beyond Business as Usual
Join Veronika Miller, CEO of M2 Consulting Group and founder of Designhounds, and award-winning designer Robin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD, CAPS, CLIPPS, for a discussion and Q&A exploring the importance of diversified sourcing and disruptive business models for designers, and navigating ways to charge design fees in an environment full of e-commerce, online and even AI based design services and purchasing options.
3 – 4:30 PM: Hit me with your Best SCHOTT
Celebrate the craftsmanship and American home of Germany’s SCHOTT CERAN (and its home tech brands) with a shot of Kentucky Bourbon. Learn how German engineering and technology is combined with American ingenuity to create innovative glass used in a myriad of ways to make life better at home. Register for a chance to win prizes.
