Breaking Down the Key Question for Global Kitchen & Bath Brands

By John Watson, Executive Vice President, Industry Relations & Business Development, IAPMO

I regularly speak with kitchen and bath manufacturers from Europe or Asia who have seemingly done everything right in their home market. 

Solid product. Rigorous testing. Genuine commitment to quality. 

They arrive in the US and start meeting with distributors, wholesalers, and large retailers. Then someone asks: “Is it listed?”

That question stops a lot of conversations cold.

The U.S. market is not necessarily harder than other markets, but it’s structured in a way that requires a specific kind of preparation–including proper product certification. Understanding that structure early in your product development process affects your speed to market. 

Why Your Existing Certifications Don’t Transfer

The most common question I hear from European manufacturers is some version of: “We already have CE certification. Why doesn’t that count here?”

The U.S. system is built on independent, third-party verification, not self-declaration. CE marking, even when backed by rigorous internal testing, is not accepted by U.S. authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs). These local inspectors–the people who actually approve products during construction–need to see marks from accredited third-party certification bodies. That’s the standard expectation in North America.

It’s important to understand there is no single national authority that approves your product for the entire U.S. 

Instead, state and local jurisdictions adopt model codes–sometimes with amendments–and enforce them independently. This creates a real complexity that catches many international kitchen and bath brands off guard. A good certification partner helps you anticipate and navigate those variations before they become delays.

What “Certification” Actually Means in This Market

For brands aiming to scale in the U.S., certification is a strategic foundation, not just a regulatory step. Independent certification programs help verify your authenticity through public directories that support enforcement efforts to remove non-compliant and potentially unsafe products from the market. 

The marks that carry the most weight in the kitchen and bath category include UPC® and cUPC® for plumbing products, NRTL listings such as IAPMO, UL or ETL for electrical components, IAPMO, NSF, or WQA marks to NSF/ANSI standards for products in contact with drinking water, and the EPA WaterSense logo for water-efficient fixtures.

When an AHJ looks at a product during a building inspection, they are looking for these marks. That mark is shorthand for a documented chain of evidence: an accredited third party tested this product to a specific standard, reviewed the manufacturing documentation, inspected the facility, and listed the product as safe and compliant. 

In jurisdictions where code compliance is required, products without a recognized listing simply cannot be installed. Many U.S. distributors, wholesalers, and large retailers prefer or require certified product lines to reduce liability and callbacks, while architects and engineers often require certification marks as part of their submittal review process. 

Certification Process Issues That Create the Longest Delays

In my experience, three situations create the most timeline angst for manufacturers entering the U.S. market.

• Starting certification too late. A straightforward product with an existing applicable standard and no material concerns can move through testing and certification in roughly 10 to 12 weeks. New technology, non-standard materials, or even a missing drawing or a gap in documentation, adds time. Manufacturers who begin the certification process after signing a distribution agreement are already behind.
• Not knowing which standards apply. This sounds basic, but I think I’ve made the point that the U.S. standards landscape is genuinely complex. ASME, ASSE, CSA, NSF, IAPMO, and others each publish standards covering different product categories. Identifying the right standards for your product, including any state-specific requirements such as California’s Title 20 flow rate rules or its lead content regulations, requires expertise in both product categories and regional code adoption.
• Offering a product that doesn’t fit any existing standard. This is usually a great thing: you’ve pioneered a new technology! Smart fixtures, integrated filtration systems, and novel materials may not map cleanly to any current standard. This is a solvable problem, but it adds considerable time. The best approach is to surface this issue as early in the development process as possible.

The U.S. market rewards preparation. Manufacturers who understand the landscape before they commit to tooling, distribution agreements, or launch timelines tend to move through the process faster and with fewer surprises.

John Watson is EVP, Industry Relations & Business Development of IAPMO, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. John serves as an NKBA Global Connect Advisor helping international manufacturers navigate U.S. market entry.

About NKBA Global Connect

The NKBA Global Connect mission is to connect and grow the kitchen and bath industry around the world through an international membership program. The initiative equips international companies with the support and professional community access they need to thrive in North America by providing market intelligence, brand-positioning guidance, and connections to key North American audiences. By combining NKBA’s expert marketing execution with access to a diverse and influential member network, we help businesses improve visibility, build meaningful relationships, and generate strong market demand, ultimately accelerating their success in the lucrative and competitive $228 billion North American market. Learn more here.

Native cultural fluency meets on-the-ground expertise 

Award-winning designer Laetitia Laurent is a Sorbonne-educated art historian who brings a distinctly European sensibility to her work–one rooted in craftsmanship, proportion, and timeless design principles. Her design language balances elegance with ease, blending contemporary sensibilities with classical references and artisanal materials. She has been featured in Vogue, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful. 

NKBA: Tell us about your professional background and involvement with NKBA.

Laetitia Laurent: I’m the founder and principal of Laure Nell Interiors, a boutique firm with studios in Boca Raton and Paris. I was raised in France and hold a Master’s in history and international relations from the Sorbonne, and I’ve spent the better part of two decades building a design practice rooted in the U.S. luxury residential market (primarily South Florida) while continuing to source and collaborate across Europe. That dual vantage point is really the through-line of my career. I’m an active NKBA member and have had the privilege of presenting at KBIS 2026 as part of Global Connect’s programming.

NKBA: As a Global Connect Advisor, what insights or services can you offer Global Connect members? 

Laetitia Laurent: My value to members sits squarely at the intersection they’re trying to navigate: I work in both markets, every week. I can help European brands understand how their products are actually received by North American luxury buyers–not in theory, but in real specifications, on real projects. That means translating European systems into the zones, lead times, and service expectations American clients assume, advising on how to position craft and material quality in language that resonates in the U.S., and acting as a bridge between manufacturers and the designers who ultimately specify their work. I bring the cultural fluency of someone native to one market and established in the other.

NKBA: Throughout your career, what are the most common mistakes you have seen that hamper a company’s success as they try to enter/expand in the North American market? 

Laetitia Laurent: The biggest mistake is confusing expansion with translation. Brands assume that if the product is excellent, it will simply land. But North America expects performance and convenience, clear specs and certifications, install logic, reliable lead times, and real service support. European brands often underestimate that. The other recurring mistakes: not accounting for differences in scale and lifestyle, so beautiful systems don’t map onto how Americans actually live; treating education as optional rather than essential; and leaning on bold visual impact when this market is increasingly rewarding material intelligence and quiet quality. None of these require a brand to change who it is–only to communicate it differently.

NKBA: How do you see the North American market evolving, and how will this evolution impact how international brands do business here? 

Laetitia Laurent: We’re watching luxury shift from visual impact to material intelligence–quiet confidence over performance-driven aesthetics. Kitchens and baths are becoming more architectural and tailored, materials more tactile and emotionally resonant, with warm, layered neutrals replacing the white-on-white era, and wellness now treated as a baseline expectation rather than an upgrade. For international brands, that’s actually good news, because it plays to European strengths in craft and longevity. But it raises the bar on storytelling and education. Brands that can articulate why their quality matters–and support it with availability and performance–will win. The future of luxury here isn’t louder; it’s smarter, and it feels personal.

NKBA: While every company’s journey is different, what is one general piece of advice you have for a company thinking of entering the North American market?

Laetitia Laurent: Invest in translation, not just expansion. Don’t change who you are –the heritage and craftsmanship are exactly what this market wants. But take the time to communicate that identity in American language: clear specifications, dependable logistics, education for the designers and dealers who’ll represent you, and a clear story about why your product endures. And find the right partners on the ground. Designers who work across both markets can be your most effective bridge to the buyer.

About NKBA Global Connect

The NKBA Global Connect mission is to connect and grow the kitchen and bath industry around the world through an international membership program. The initiative equips international companies with the support and professional community access they need to thrive in North America by providing market intelligence, brand-positioning guidance, and connections to key North American audiences. By combining NKBA’s expert marketing execution with access to a diverse and influential member network, we help businesses improve visibility, build meaningful relationships, and generate strong market demand, ultimately accelerating their success in the lucrative and competitive $228 billion North American market. Learn more here.