Forte Buying Group, a member-owned group of high-end decorative plumbing and hardware showrooms, held its first biannual conference in Bloomingdale, Ill., in October. The new buying group was organized and incorporated in August in Houston.
Touted as a national marketing and procurement group of decorative plumbing and hardware dealers, Forte is a separate organization from the six-year-old Bath and Kitchen Buying Group. BKBG is a member-owned buying group for local and regional kitchen and bath dealers, wholetailers and distributors who design, specify and sell product. Currently BKBG has about 183 members with 234 showrooms in 38 states. The group has a Preferred Vendor Program with more than 75 participating vendors, designed to increase profitability and gain market share for both member showrooms and vendors.