UPDATED: KBIS: First Impressions. Dateline Atlanta

Even more from KBIS

• FUEGO, a brand of highly designed urban targeted BBQs, is pulling out of 2-step distribution throughout the US, and selling direct to large and big box retailers.  FUEGO has sent letters to all its distributors canceling them effective July 5.
• Middleby, owner of Turbochef, Jade, Dynasty (and a myriad of commercial cooking products) has just added another feather in its cap, the Cooktek line of professional high performance induction hot plates and cooktops.  Middleby promises to leverage the new Cooktek assets with the introduction of Turbochef brand residential induction products, including a way-excellent induction wok burner.
• The Sears Kenmore booth included product vignettes of Kenmore and GE, and the only KBIS display of Bosch, Samsung, and Electrolux.  No Whirlpool.
• Discussed with Peerless Premier, with great amusement, that the 9100 BTU aluminum open gas burner that they use is the most efficient gas burner in America.  This is true.  Once it was the standard burner used by GE, Modern Maid, etc, etc but now it has been all but replaced with less efficient sealed burners.  That's progress for you.

More missives from the front.

• Nortek (owners of Broan, Nutone, and a whole lot more) is rumored to be back on the block, by owners Thomas H. Lee Partners a private equity firm.  The rumors include just about everyone on the planet as a suitor, but Panasonic seems to be the best fit for the whole ball of wax.  Maybe some one of you folks can convince the Partners to just sell off the appliance chunk.
  UPDATED:  Broan has responded.  Nortek is not for sale in whole or in part.  Broan is not for sale.  No one is speaking to Panasonic about the sale of some or all of the business.
• Jennair relaunched the brand with a new line of luxury products, repositioning the brand they say above KitchenAid, above Monogram in direct competition with Viking, Wolf et al.  To elevate the brand, it will limit distribution and pull out of Home Depot, Lowes, and Best Buy.  Balsy move.  The new pro-ranges are built in-house they say, no longer by DCS.  The new Jennair hoods come developed on GE's dime (as did Bosch's hoods from KBIS past).  It's a shame GE doesn't get a royalty.
• A surprising number of distributors and manufacturers said this show was great.  The comments suggested that the more leisurely pace left everybody with more time to do the deals.
• Fisher & Paykel and DCS are the subject of rumors in conjunction with various suitors.  President John Bongard indicated this February that they were seeking a significant partner.  Recent rumors included Miele as a possible suitor.
• Kuppersbusch did not bother to attend, or they changed locations
• GlemGas, Italian range manufacturer, did make the show, but did not make our DanceCard.  No idea how it happened.  We apologize.
• Maryland is said to be fiddling with the UMRP laws, which the Feds recently decided was a fully legal crime against humanity.........like torture.  More when we get more.
• Blomberg, a brand of Turkish manufacturer Arcelik, has clearly set its sights on Bosch, and no one else.  They are starting with dishwashers.
• TRUE promised to cross over from the dark side ending its distribution of REAL commercial refrigeration for residential installations (the dark side), and bringing out a full line of appliances actually approved for residential installation.
• Cheng Design was the featured designer in the Jennair booth this year.  Zephyr, Cheng's long time sponsor did not exhibit.  One wonders if there's been a break between Cheng and Zephyr.
  UPDATED:  Broan has responded.  Cheng Design has an exclusive arrangement with Zephyr for the design of rangehoods.  Cheng's work for Jennair revolved around kitchen cabinets and countertops.  No break.
  UPDATED2: Fu-Tung Cheng, the principal at Cheng Design returned my call.  He was amused, and proud to be the subject of any rumor at all, including an untrue rumor.  He said, all is well, even better than well, and that they are about to start work together on new products.

First Impressions from Atlanta

• Atlanta not nearly as bad as we let on.  Easy in, easy around.  Hotels near convention, and you can walk everywhere.
• There are so many cops, one on every street corner and at every sign post.  One could get the feeling that Atlanta is on the edge of insurection, riots in the streets, and cannibalism.  Makes you feel a bit insecure with all that security.
• Convention Center is worse than Chicago, Las Vegas and Orlando.....but it's workable.
• Half the exhibitors of last year, but show management still can't figure out how to locate exhibitors without burying them in lost corners, or behind the 10' walls built for LG's or, Jennair's booths.  There are some pissed exhibitors out there.
  UPDATE:  We were told that the problem was the result of the closure of one of the three halls, and jamming all those orphan booths into whatever space was available.
• There is also talk about the death of KBIS after this year.  A push to go to once every two year ala Europe, or just go regional.  There is some unhappiness out there with the costs of this show and how it was set up.
• For those who canceled from the show, Viking showed its product at Hadco Distribution's Atlanta showroom.
• Miele held a cocktail at Coke's World Obesity Headquarters.  It was great.  Better still, I believe that as the Miele event was after hours, and  not showing product, they didn't breach any unwritten rules of KBIS etiquette.
• KBIS is now charging for attendees who come from manufacturers not exhibiting.  It may be designed to convince manufacturers showing off-site to show onsite.  It's a grenade when a BB gun would do.  They have to get rid of the fees.
• The gifts for the press are decidely non-existant this year.  Received a 4 month supply of a new anti-static "Bounce" line extension, and a Miele apron.  Much more of this, and I too will agree with changing the show to every other year.
• Heard a statistic that 10 million lbs of exhibitor freight was brought into Chicago last year, but that 4.5 million lbs was brought into Atlanta.  This is unconfirmed.
• Some folks are saying that they are busy, and at eye level it is difficult to really know how many people are here.  My impression is that the number of attendees is low.

More information on products and photos when the staff gets back to the office and has a chance to compare notes.