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22 Apr 2026
The NMBS Exhibition returned to the Coventry Building Society Arena on 15-16 April 2026, bringing together merchants and suppliers with a focus on networking, commercial opportunities, and sharing industry knowledge.
This year’s event welcomed a record 301 exhibitors, the highest number in NMBS Exhibition history, alongside 1,230 visitors from 649 member companies.
The strong turnout reflects the continued importance that the merchanting industry places on face-to-face meetings. Events like the NMBS Exhibition are critical to sharing new product innovations, securing competitive deals and strengthening existing relationships.
The exhibition was also the first for Kevin Williams as chief executive officer of NMBS.
Kevin said: “The NMBS Exhibition continues to demonstrate the strength, resilience, and relationships that make up the merchant sector.
“What’s encouraging is the level of engagement across the exhibition floor. This willingness to build meaningful relationships is what will continue to drive the sector forward.
“It’s great that NMBS can help support merchant and supplier growth by strengthening connections and helping streamline trading in an increasingly competitive and fast-changing market.”
Strong engagement across the exhibition floor
Over the two days, merchants accessed a wide range of exclusive offers, including over 150 spot buy deals, alongside the voucher book, competitions, and live product demonstrations.
The exhibition app saw record-breaking engagement, recording over 25,000 scans throughout the event. Each scan represents an interaction between members and exhibitors, whether it is an order placed or a relationship built at the event.
To encourage more engagement, exhibitors hosted a range of interactive activities, including darts, reaction games, and live product demonstrations. Alongside these attractions, an owl as well as a McLaren Formula 1 car, provided great opportunities for merchants and suppliers to connect.
Exhibiting at the NMBS Exhibition for the first time, Paul Pennick, managing director of James E Smith (Northern) Ltd, said:
“The event has allowed us to connect with a range of credible businesses and secure some excellent new enquiries that we are eager to follow up on. It has proven to be the ideal platform to build new relationships and better align our offerings with the needs of the merchant market.”
Stephen Bell, sales director at Heller Tools GmbH, said:
“Exhibiting at the NMBS Exhibition has been an exceptional experience for us. Being able to showcase our drill range directly to merchants has proven far more effective than any email campaign. It has allowed us to demonstrate the scale of our offerings to both new and existing contacts. The results have exceeded our expectations, with high engagement levels and over 40 high-quality leads generated between us in just the first day.”
An evening of celebration at the Gala Dinner
The first day of the exhibition concluded with the NMBS Gala Dinner, providing an opportunity for attendees to connect in a more informal setting.
The evening was hosted by Gavin Inskip, with a special guest appearance from comedian, presenter and author Rob Beckett, who entertained the guests with a comedy set.
During the evening, Kevin Williams spoke about the resilience of the merchant sector, noting its ability to adapt, maintain strong relationships and continue moving forward despite ongoing market challenges. He also set out NMBS’ focus on strengthening support for members, investing in digital capability and driving greater efficiency across the supply chain.
On the night, the evening combined entertainment with fundraising, raising over £6,500 for the construction charities Crash and the Rainy Day Trust. A highlight of the night was the donation prize draw, which saw Lewis White from Longwater Supply win an iPad.
The strong turnout and positive feedback from both merchants and suppliers reinforced the exhibition’s position as a key event in the industry calendar, supporting businesses as they continue to adapt, network and grow.
For more information about NMBS, or to explore supplier and membership opportunities, visit: www.nmbs.co.uk.