The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), representing nearly 50,000 North American kitchen and bath industry professionals, and the owners of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), recaps the “Americans in Milan” program hosted at Eurocucina 2024.
Eurocucina, launched in 1974 as bi-annually integrated trade show at Salone Del Mobile, has established itself as the leading international kitchen and bath design event. The show takes up multiple major halls at Fiera Rho, outside of Milan, with the combined shows seeing well over 200,000 visitors, 80% of whom are from outside of Italy.
NKBA Global Connect’s aim was to enhance the show experience through a curated VIP tour for North American designers, buyers and media that were already in town, offering an opportunity to meet with leadership of established and new-to-market international kitchen and bath design brands and participate in in-depth educational tours and new product presentations.
The aptly named “Americans in Milan ” tour was a new way for NKBA Global Connect to demonstrate the association’s commitment to connecting the international kitchen, bath, and residential design community. The program took place on April 18th, 2024, at the Salone del
Mobile/Eurocucina Show with an added NKBA Welcome event for its North American and International members and partners the same day at the Kohler Palazzo.
The official tour kick-off was hosted at Eurocucina by the NKBA Global Connect team in partnership with the Italian Federation of Woodworking and Furniture industries, Federlegno, represented by Edi Snaidero – president of the European Furniture Industries Confederation. In addition, a special welcome by show organizer Marco Sabetta, General Manager, Salone del Mobile. Following was also a presentation on the history of the fair and the role of Italian Design By Salone del Mobile Communications Director, Luca Adornato.
Following the kick-off, attendees visited the brands listed below:
- Officine Gullo: NKBA Global Connect member Officine Gullo, established in Florence, Italy, is the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship as a producer of metal luxury kitchens, professional cooking appliances and kitchen accessories.
- Optimum Surfaces ft. in Febal Casa: Optimum Surfaces exhibited in the Febal Casa booth at this year’s Americans in Milan tour. NKBA Global Connect member, Optimum Surfaces products are created with premium raw materials, cutting-edge technologies and a deep culture in the field of surface design.The result is a
high-performance design surface, made with our values of sustainability, uncompromising aesthetics and efficient production. - Infinity: Infinity specializes in the production of high quality large-size porcelain slabs for architecture, interiors and tailor-made solutions, with a wide variety of collections to support the creativity of designers.
- Bertazzoni: NKBA member Bertazzoni, based in Po Valley in the north of Italy, offers premium kitchen appliances as the world’s oldest family-owned appliance manufacturer, built on more than 140 years of innovation.
- Kohler: Long-standing NKBA member Kohler, founded in Kohler, Wisconsin, in 1873, is a global leader in the design, innovation and manufacture of kitchen and bath products. The company’s leading-edge solutions enhance interior spaces and bring a level of art and inspiration to every interaction.
- Cleaf: NKBA Global Connect member Cleaf is an Italian company producing innovative surfaces for furniture and interiors. Faced panels, laminates, edges exclusively manufactured at production sites in Brianza are installed worldwide by architects and furniture manufacturers building inspiring spaces.
- Effe: NKBA Global Connect member, Effe draws from the ancient traditions of the sauna and the Turkish bath that today’s advanced technology and design excellence have reinvented. Since 1987, we are proud to offer saunas and Turkish baths that are 100% Italian, from design to manufacture.
