More building and renovation products for the residential market than ever before in Las Vegas

The National Hardware Show (NHS) promised to be packed with more products, events and resources for the home improvement and construction industry because of its partnership with two other organizations, the NAHB known for its International Builders’ Show (IBS) and the NKBA which hosts the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).

The promise seems to be fulfilled with over 60% of the nearly 1,000 exhibitors not usually seen at the NHS, plus over 50 educational presentations and hundreds of networking events.

They say that what happens in Vegas should stay there. Let’s make an exception: as an on-site delegate, Richard Darveau, President and CEO of “Well Made Here”, reported on everything that was “wow” about the Las Vegas Convention Center.

 

Notwithstanding the political friction between China and the United States, exhibitors from the Asian empire, including mainland China and Taiwan, numbered in the hundreds at the National Hardware Show.

A nice meeting with “Well Made Here” participant Imperial Manufacturing‘s New Brunswick team. Richard Darveau is shown with Normand Cassie and Steve Finlay, respectively founder and VP of Sales Canada of the company, and a well-known face among Quebec retailers, Steeve Lavoie, standing behind.

In the “Home” section of the National Hardware Show, visitors discovered some rather heart-warming inventions with the common trait that they gave the word “home” a noble status.

 

The exhibitors were visibly proud of their KBIS association, which is blowing out 60 candles this year. This part of the triptych show in Vegas can be summed up in one word: beauty. The booths were beautiful, the entertainment dynamic, and even the visitors looked different. A big wow.

 

The main course of this grouping of shows is definitely IBS, The International Builders’ Show (IBS), organized by the American equivalent of Quebec’s provincial home builders’ association, the APCHQ.

After “Men in Black”, here are the men in pink, the Quebec team from OSBLOCK. Tony Levesque explained why the insulation board manufacturer made the trip to Vegas and the standardization issues that are coming up in Canada, but also in the United States.

Among the twenty or so Canadian exhibitors in Vegas, most of whom accredit products in the Bien Fait Ici/Well Made Here program, Richard Darveau met with Brendan and Amala Houle, the son of founder Roland of Global Dec-k-ing Systems in Surrey, British Columbia. They seem happy with their participation in IBS.

 

One of Mr. Darveau’s favourites during his visit to IBS in Las Vegas was this tree presenting the Oldcastle family. A good idea given the successive acquisitions. It is difficult to list all the offspring of the mega company.

 

Wood, which is an essential part of residential housing, also had a prominent place at IBS.

 

Large Canadian flags flew over the exhibitors supported by a federal promotional effort, but without creating a true pavilion. Mr. Darveau is seen here visiting Martine and Jean Sgariglia of Concept APG. Discussions were held to consider an “Assembled in Canada” status in the “Made in Canada” program.

 

Almost every major brand was exhibiting at the 2023 International Builders Show. Some of the big players went all out with their displays, spending tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds, to attract attention.