The NMBS Exhibition took place the Coventry Building Society Arena on 15-16 April 2026, bringing together merchants and suppliers with a focus on networking, commercial opportunities, and sharing industry knowledge.
This year’s event welcomed 301 exhibitors, the highest number in NMBS Exhibition history, alongside 1,230 visitors from 649 member companies.
The exhibition was also the first for Kevin Williams as Chief Executive Officer of NMBS. He said: “The NMBS Exhibition continues to demonstrate the strength, resilience, and relationships that make up the merchant sector.
“What’s encouraging is the level of engagement across the exhibition floor. This willingness to build meaningful relationships is what will continue to drive the sector forward.
“It’s great that NMBS can help support merchant and supplier growth by strengthening connections and helping streamline trading in an increasingly competitive and fast-changing market.”
The exhibition app saw record-breaking engagement, recording over 25,000 scans throughout the event. Each scan represents an interaction between members and exhibitors, whether it is an order placed or a relationship built at the event.
To encourage more engagement, exhibitors hosted a range of interactive activities, including darts, reaction games, and live product demonstrations. Alongside these attractions, an owl as well as a McLaren Formula 1 car, provided great opportunities for merchants and suppliers to connect.
The first day of the exhibition concluded with the NMBS Gala Dinner, providing an opportunity for attendees to connect in a more informal setting.
The evening was hosted by Gavin Inskip, with a special guest appearance from comedian, presenter and author Rob Beckett, who entertained the guests with a comedy set.
On the night, the evening combined entertainment with fundraising, raising over £6,500 for the construction charities Crash and the Rainy Day Trust.
You can view our short video from the exhibition on LinkedIn.
