Luxury Products Group (LPG), IMARK and Walter Morris Company joined forces to host an Oktoberfest-themed educational event for kitchen and bath showrooms in Foxborough, Mass., on Oct. 1. German food and decorations served as a festive backdrop as suppliers and showroom representatives gathered with influential kitchen and bath designers for an entertaining day of training, building relationships, sharing trends and innovations, and playing games. The event strengthened relationships among four primary pillars of showroom success: the sales agency, buying groups, suppliers, and customers (showrooms/wholesalers).

A member of IMARK Plumbing, LPG is an innovative buying group for independent luxury bathroom, kitchen, and lighting showrooms. The day-long Oktoberfest trade show built on the success of last year’s premier conference for kitchen and bath designers that was hosted by LPG and Walter Morris Company. The 2024 event was extremely well received by both suppliers and showrooms, so this year’s symposium expanded to include IMARK and the wholesale market. 

“Bringing together buying groups, sales agency reps, suppliers, showrooms, and wholesalers created an incredible opportunity for learning, collaboration, and relationship-building within the LPG and IMARK community,” says Peter Ollestad, director of business development for LPG.  “The energy and engagement throughout the day were truly remarkable, making this one of the most rewarding professional experiences of the year.” 

Exhibitors included six decorative suppliers and seven wholesale suppliers. Each of the suppliers hosted an interactive exhibit for showrooms/wholesalers to visit and learn about their particular product specialties. The top-notch brands that participated were Basco Shower Enclosures, Blanco kitchen solutions, Eemax tankless water heaters, Fluidmaster toilet parts, Flusso luxury plumbing fixtures, IPEX, MTI Baths, Pioneer Industries, Rheem, Saniflo SFA, Sioux Chief, Strasser, and WoodPro Cabinetry. The more than 50 attendees traveled from as far as Washington, Oregon, Georgia, and the United Kingdom to attend the event. 

"The second annual LPG/IMARK/Walter Morris industry event hit it out of the park! I was thrilled to be part of this incredible experience alongside industry leaders who are driving innovation,” said Ted Ley, vice president of sales and marketing, Basco Shower Doors. “Sprinkle in an Oktoberfest theme, instructional learning, and a food truck, and it created a recipe for high energy and collaboration. The event was a fantastic opportunity to share ideas, build and extend meaningful relationships, and celebrate the future of our industry in a fun, dynamic setting."

Ollestad says LPG is looking forward to continuing the positive momentum and hosting future events in different areas of the country.