Kbb Birmingham, the UK’s premier kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms exhibition, celebrated its 40th anniversary at the NEC from 1–4 March. Across four days, the show welcomed nearly 16,000 visitors, including designers, retailers, developers and installers, who explored 320 exhibitors spanning 26 categories on the show floor.
Jon Johnston, kbb Birmingham sales director, commented: “What an incredible celebration of our industry this special, 40th edition has been. A huge thank you to all our colleagues in the KBB community, whose support made this year’s event such an outstanding success. We were delighted to have welcomed such a strong mix of returning exhibitors, new brands making their debuts, together with a diverse international representation from over 20 countries, all showcasing the very best in KBB design and innovation.”
Award-winning stands
Day one saw the announcement of the 2026 Stand Awards, recognising exhibitors for inventive use of materials and layouts. Winners included:
Best Kitchen over 30sqm – Rotpunkt
Best Kitchen under 30sqm – Daniel George Kitchens
Best Bathroom over 30sqm – Ca’Pietra
Best Bathroom under 30sqm – Bonavit
Matt Phillips, head of UK operations at Rotpunkt, said: “2026 marked our 14th consecutive year at kbb Birmingham. The show is a fantastic networking environment, and winning Best Kitchen Stand is a proud achievement for the brand and our new 2026 collection.”
Showcasing innovation
New products and hero collections featured heavily at the show. Midea UK made its debut with TEKA appliances, now part of the Midea Group. Julia Livett, head of sales and marketing at Midea UK, commented:
“What an incredible first kbb Birmingham for Midea… it’s been inspiring to meet so many retailers, distributors and studio partners.”
House of Rohl UK and Aqualisa returned with smart digital showers, Victoria + Albert launched Lussari baths, and Vetralla basins were also unveiled. Michael Bennett, head of commercialisation for House of Rohl and Aqualisa, said:
“kbb Birmingham has been a brilliant platform to showcase our latest innovations and connect with both new and longstanding partners.”
InSinkErator highlighted its COMPOST CADDY EASY initiative and instant hot water taps, alongside the LEDefense sink flange. Ashley Munden, managing director EMEA at InSinkErator, said:
“This year’s event was full of energy and provided a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with the industry… it is a key moment in our calendar which we look forward to each time it comes around.”
2026 Innovation Awards
The People’s Choice Award went to Sensio Lighting’s Affinity Magnetic Track Lighting System. The Judge’s Choice was Flova UK’s DripFree® Rainshower. Finsa took the Sustainability Award for its Fimapan Bio BDecor. Ben Hughes, UK sales director at Finsa, commented: “Topping it all off by winning the Sustainability prize was a truly proud moment for the Finsa team.”
Celebrating four decades
To mark 40 years, 40 rubber ducks were hidden across the floor, offering prizes from Ca’Pietra, Smeg, Bidbury & Co, Rangemaster, Abode and more. Sam Fisher, kbb Birmingham event director, also presented the inaugural Andy Bishop Award posthumously, saying:
“I’m so proud to be celebrating four decades of kbb Birmingham as the industry’s meeting place… the stands reflected the creativity and dedication of our exhibitors and partners.”
kbb Birmingham returns to the NEC from 5–8 March 2028.
