We have enjoyed getting out and meeting with industry colleagues over the last few weeks. We attended the KBBR Retail & Design Awards 2021 in Liverpool on September 15 and then the BFM Members Annual Conference and Awards, just last week.
After so long in lockdown it was amazing to have the opportunity to meet with friends, network, and celebrate all that is great within our industry.
Now that we have had a taste of freedom we are not going to stop. We are attending and supporting the Young Builders Merchant Conference this week, the DER KREIS KBBG Annual Members Meeting on Monday 11th October at the William F1 Experience Centre near Oxford, followed by the SBID International Design Awards on 22 October, and the BMA sustainability awards on 23 November.
Everyone we met at the two recent events were as happy as we were to be out and about again, and the organisers have experienced record bookings and sell out situations for their events, as people welcome the opportunity to meet face to face once more.
We all had to adapt and learn to live with virtual meetings, which served their purpose but are no match for meeting real people.
Communication is such a personal thing, being able to read body language and interact with the people around you has been so refreshing.
Not only did we enjoy the personal touch, which is good for our well-being but our business will benefit from the networking and sharing of ideas. We have made new contacts or reinforced existing ones, which will help us increase our sales and build our business. We have gained a better understanding of the issues that our customers face and shared views on current trends.
We are also looking forward to the events that are returning next year. KBB Birmingham in March 2022 will bring together key decision-makers from all components of the supply chain, reuniting the industry for 4 days of networking and specifying.
After this we can look forward to the BMA Industry Conference in June, which promises to bring thought-provoking presentations from world-class speakers, as well as the opportunity to network and build new relationships.
Looking ahead we are excited to be confirmed as a sponsor for the KBB Focus inaugural Awards & Celebration event on 1st December 2022, at The Brewery in London. This event, is sure to be an afternoon of festive fun, as well as a celebration of KBB industry talent, achievement and innovation.
We hope to see many of you out and about over the coming months. Whilst Covid is still with us, if we all act responsibly, following guidelines for regular testing and respecting each other’s personal space, we can look forward with confidence.
You can take a look at our film from the BMF Members Annual Conference and Awards here
