RMBF aligns conference with leading NZ Building and Interiors Industries Trade Event

Two of the biggest brands in New Zealand building, the biennial BuildNZ Trade Exhibition and the Registered Master Builders Federation (RMBF) have joined forces to create the ultimate event for all those associated with the building, design and interiors industries in New Zealand.

The event now sees the Registered Master Builders Federation, whose membership is collectively responsible for two thirds of total value of all building work in New Zealand, bring its annual conference and educational activities alongside BuildNZ, creating a complete one-stop-shop for products, services, education and professional development.

The conference will be co-located at BuildNZ, alongside the Designex and Plush exhibitions at the ASB Showgrounds, Auckland June 26 - 28, 2011 - creating a combined audience expected to exceed 7,000 unique visitors, and what is expected to be more than 250 leading trade exhibitors. Conference seminars will be held onsite at BuildNZ with an extensive line-up of forums open to all exhibitors and trade visitors.

"Having the knowledge and professionalism of RMBF together with BuildNZ's proven trade exhibition format creates a must-see event happening at the ideal time for the industry," says Brent Spillane, Director of XPO Exhibitions; organisers of the event.

"Tony Alexander, Chief Economist for the BNZ, has recently referred to research suggesting New Zealand needs around 23,000 new houses built each year to keep up with expected population growth," says Spillane*.

"New housing consents are falling well short of that number at present, however it remains important for the building industry to prepare for growth sometime in the future. The (combined) BuildNZ seminars and exhibitions will help with that preparation," he said.

Spillane adds that this announcement coincides with a greater emphasis on industry professional standards for ongoing training and education. “It absolutely makes sense to combine the professional knowledge component (of the RMBF seminars) with the extensive industry products and services on offer at our BuildNZ event,” he said.

“We are also working with other leading building and interiors authorities and associations to bolster the education and key speaker platform even further.”

Warwick Quinn, CEO of the Registered Master Builders Federation is extremely enthusiastic about the partnership. “RMBF is thrilled to be bringing these industry leading events together. Having been a supporter of BuildNZ in the past we’re well aware of the benefits to those involved in the industry who attend. We will be actively encouraging all RMBF members to be there in 2011,” he said.

A schedule of seminars will be created closer to the date, but Quinn notes that the timing of the event coinciding with the introduction of builder licensing and new weather tightness legislation add to the importance that all builders attend. “It is also very likely that attendance will also qualify for professional development points that professional builders will require to be licensed in future,” he said.

BuildNZ also includes two equally important additional components; Designex and Plush, which focus on interior design and interior textiles respectively, so trade visitors get to see end-to-end (product and service) solutions and trends for commercial and residential buildings. “This is a complete industry event,” said Spillane.

BuildNZ runs from 26-28 June 2011 at the ASB Showgrounds, Auckland, with the RMBF Conference running from 25-27 June, 2011.

The event is FREE to attend for relevant industry professionals.

Please visit the website: www.buildnz.com

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*source: NZ Herald June 8, 2010, page 7, “Property Report” Tony Alexander, Chief Economist, BNZ

About The Registered Master Builders Federation (RMBF)

RMBF represents New Zealand's premier building and construction companies, who work to deliver the highest quality houses and buildings. Established in 1892 the Registered Master Builder brand is a recognised hallmark of quality working to ensure high standards are maintained with builders and tradesmen.

Membership criteria is very strict and once accepted the member companies and/or individuals proudly use the RMBF mark to validate the quality homes and buildings they build. RMBF member companies employ more than 15,000 staff and subcontractors, and complete two thirds of all construction work (by dollar value) in New Zealand.

www.masterbuilder.org.nz



About BuildNZ

BuildNZ is a leading trade fair for the Building & Construction Industry with a solid reputation for bringing building professionals and construction industry innovators together to share ideas, showcase the latest products, and develop business relationships.

The event is designed to inform trade professionals about business solutions, information and new innovations in the building industry.

In 2009 BuildNZ exhibited alongside Designex and Plush at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland and will again feature in 2011.

www.buildnz.com



About Designex

Designex is the industry leading trade exhibition event for interior design and architecture industries. Creativity is the lifeblood of design. Designex brings together professionals from a wide variety of trades to share knowledge, encourage creativity, to feed and nurture the creative process with inspirational sights, experiences, and ideas. Designex celebrates and showcases design and innovation on many levels to all disciplines in a format that inspires and excites.



About Plush

Plush - Textile Gallery: New Zealand's largest textile trade exhibition, offers interior designers, soft furnishing specialists, retail textile buyers, commercial specifiers, and architects the chance to experience inspirational new textile, fabrics and soft furnishings collections from around the world. Plush combines the intimacy of a boutique sales environment with the depth and breadth of New Zealand’s largest textile galleria.



About XPO Exhibitions

XPO Exhibitions (XPO) are owners and organisers of the largest trade exhibitions in New Zealand having purchased the business from dmg World Media (NZ) in February 2010. XPO’s trade exhibition portfolio includes the NZ Gift & Homewares Fairs which occur three times annually, EMEX (Engineering, Machinery and Electronics), Foodtech Packtech (Food Technology and Packaging Technology), Printech (Print and Digital Technology), as well as BuildNZ, Designex, Plush. Collectively these exhibitions attract more than 35,000 New Zealand and international trade visitors. Trade exhibitions remain an important sales platform for the many hundreds of successful New Zealand businesses who exhibit at XPO events.