CMPi's Kbb London will take place from 17-19 May next year at Earls Court. Its event director Paul Sweeney said Kbb London is different to Kbbreview Expo. "We are only including mid- to high-end companies to suit our target audience and each company will have to apply to exhibit and then be selected as to the quality of its products," he commented.
"The majority of the exhibitors we are targeting have never been to Expo, so for this group the economic climate is much more likely to be their main concern. A few are possibly using the excuse of another exhibition as a reason to delay signing up for Kbb London. Only two companies have actually said that they would prefer to go to Kbbreview Expo," he added.
Kbbreview Expo will take place from 10-12 May 2009 at Excel London. It takes place in alternate years to CMPi's Kbb show in Birmingham.
Kbbreview Expo show and events manager Mark Pearson said: "Nobody believes that two shows serving the same market should take place within a week of each other, wherever they might be in the country, let alone both taking place in London. Through talking to our regular exhibitors we know that the launch of the Earls Court show has caused hesitancy over which show to sign up for in 2009. Exhibitors have not been happy about the situation, which is seen as a cynical business ploy to gain a monopoly in the UK kbb trade sector. This can only hinder sales prospects."
Dana Davies, managing director of Kbbreview Expo exhibitor Merlyn, added: "We were very surprised when CMPi launched a competitive event, not only in the same year but in the same month and the same city. We exhibited at Kbbreview Expo in 2006 and are very comfortable with the bi-annual Birmingham/London arrangement - as I believe is the industry as a whole. The debacle of trying to launch a show against an established and successful event when there is no industry demand seems to me to be ridiculous and unhelpful to the sector."