The Kitchen Bathroom Buying Group (KBBG), part of Der Kreis, Europe’s leading kitchen and bathroom buying group, hosted its largest Annual Members’ Meeting to date on Monday 12 June, in celebration of the buying group’s 10 year anniversary.
The event was sponsored by kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture manufacturer, JJO Plc, and took place at Wing Building which overlooks the start/finish line of Silverstone Circuit, in Northamptonshire. The venue offered space for a record-breaking attendance, as well as room to host the event’s largest ever ‘Suppliers’ Display Area’.
Bill Miller, Managing Director of KBBG, commented: “As 2023 marks 10 years since we launched the KBBG in the UK, we wanted this year’s Annual Members’ Meeting to be a true reflection on how far we have come as a group.
“The event was an opportunity for our members to meet with suppliers and benefit from exclusive offers, as well as to network with other members and celebrate our milestone.
“The Silverstone Wing provided us with the space to create an exhibition area, allowing our suppliers to highlight and showcase their products.”
The Annual Members’ Meeting also provided KBBG members with updates, insights and key takeaways for their businesses with presentations throughout the day. The conference began with a reflection, by Bill Miller, on the past 10 years and information on the KBBG’s latest initiatives. The audience was then addressed by Ralph Leimbach, CEO of Der Kreis, followed by a presentation from Jon Thelwell, Sales and Marketing Director at JJO plc; the event's sponsor.
Graeme Chaplin, Bank of England Agent for West Midlands and Oxfordshire, delivered a keynote speech, with an update on the country’s economic outlook, which sparked a lively Q&A session with the audience.
Furthermore, Andrew Davies, Managing Editor for Taylist Media, which publishes a number of specialist KBB titles, engaged the audience with interesting trends and encouraged them to think about the all-important topic of sustainability.
Miller added: “Our speakers certainly provided food for thought for our independent kitchen and bathroom specialist members. The ever-changing economy is something that is always on the mind of anyone running a business, and Graeme Chaplin provided a plethora of facts and figures for our members to contemplate and absorb.
“Andrew Davies is well-known in the KBB industry through his entertaining and informative podcasts, and he delivered a thought-provoking presentation for the audience.
“It’s hard to believe it has been 10 years since we brought Der Kreis buying group to the UK as the KBBG. We enjoyed bringing our members together to mark the occasion and would like to thank our event sponsor, JJO Plc, our exhibiting suppliers, our speakers and the staff at Silverstone for such an outstanding day.”
