LAYOFFS / KBIS Pullout: Viking

Submitted by advisor on Tue, 03/17/2009 - 5:00pm.

Viking announced to its employees and partners that it will NOT show at the 2009 Kitchen and Bath Show in Atlanta. The announcement comes 9 weeks after Viking's last chance to recover any of its show booking fee. Viking's absence will be a severe blow to KBIS, and will obviously have some cascading effect on attendance.

Viking Press Statement:
Viking Range Corporation will not participate in this year’s Kitchen and Bath Show in Atlanta. We continue to get feedback that the projected attendance will be substantially lower than in previous years and a large number of exhibitors have already dropped out. Therefore, we do not anticipate that the show will meet the expectations on which we originally based our planning and does not justify continued significant investment at this time.

Note from ApplianceAdvisor.com
Atlanta may be just behind Tikrit as a preferred KBIS venue, but we at ApplianceAdvisor will be there. We may be forced to chat up chromosome challenged knob salesman or mingle with plumbing brand managers with their tailored pants at half crack, but we will be there. If the 2009 KBIS show was made up of only one rusty 1983 ModernMaid in a broom closet, The ApplianceAdvisor.com would be there. We will be there, so come at least to see us, and pull us away from the knob guy.

Other Viking news:
Viking also announced March 13 that it was laying off 87 employees (6% of the workforce) just one month after laying off 57 workers.
The Greenwood Commonwealth Newspaper

KBIS Pullout

Submitted by premium on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 5:48pm.

This is what we are seeing the Minor Majors are now only getting ready for the Big Box Retailer Best Buy (Pacific Sales) and this is there first step in abandoning the small independent retailer.

Revenge best served cold.

Submitted by SAS007 on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 2:21pm.

It is time for the Big Guns (Viking, Wolf-Sub, Electrolux, BSH, Whirlpool, and Miele) to seat down around a table and organize their own trade show; regain focus on appliances and kick small cabinetry manufacturers to the curb. The message is out: undercover inquiries welcome. Suzie Williford: are you listening? A Top-Exec at one of the Big Guns.

??????

Submitted by Appliance Stallion on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 3:03pm.

I agree with what you seek.Question a big gun publicizing on this site. Call Jim , Fred and the others. Include Dacor if you are smart.KBIS went away from appliance manufacturers back in 1997. A show specifically for appliance manufacturers would be a good thing.

Add GE + LG + Dacor to the

Submitted by SAS007 on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 3:28pm.

Add GE + LG + Dacor to the Big Guns' meeting. As you wish - you get the idea.

Maybe Not

Submitted by Appliance Stallion on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 2:46pm.

Maybe Dacor does not belong on the list anymore. You are right. It seems like no one has anything good to say about them anymore. For that I am surprised and not happy.

Viking, too?

Submitted by Appliancecarguy on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 12:48pm.

Sorry, appliance advisior. For the first time in over 15 years I, too, am going to bail on KBIS this year. There are just going to be too few major vendors showing to justify going. Besides, I don't want to be stuck talking to Chinese hood manufacturers nor wood siding suppliers. You can do that for us.

Viking

Submitted by Appliance Stallion on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 12:36pm.

This is a tough economy. Sorry to see anyone get laid off. Good luck to Viking.