On 14th June, the Indian kitchen and cabinet industry’s much-awaited meeting of minds, the India Kitchen Congress, was held in New Delhi at The Lalit. The 7th edition, IKC 2019, focused on innovation, partnerships, trends, and direction for the industry. The prominent theme of the conference was technology and innovation, and their linkage to the kitchen and cabinetry industry
India Kitchen Congress has been playing host to the who’s who of the kitchen and cabinetry industry and providing a platform to share ideas and present a roadmap. This year, IKC 2019 was attended by over 250 industry members, including manufacturers, designers, entrepreneurs, investors, franchisees, branding experts, real estate consultants, and others. Some 25 thought leaders, and domain experts – carefully drawn from across the industry – shared their vision about how organizations could take the big leap in these challenging times. This year’s edition of IKC was presented by Hettich, while BSH Home Appliances and Ultrafresh Modular Solutions were the associate sponsors, and Furniture & Fittings Skill Council was the skill development partner.
The daylong event had a mix of presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions. Broadly, there were five sessions. The first session aptly termed The Big Picture, presented the macro picture of the Indian real estate industry, a compelling reason for integrating technology and innovation, and an argument for fostering professionalism in business. The Game Plan session presented insights on the digital transformation of retail, design thinking, and disruption in the home improvement sector. Delegates also got a peek into what kitchens of the future could look like following the integration of augmented reality and the Internet of Things, something that’s already happening globally.
The session on Skill Development was of considerable significance to manufacturers big or small. The roadmap of the sector skill council FFSC was discussed at length, and HPWWI made a case for industry partnerships in skilling. The concept of LEAN Thinking was explained in a hard-hitting talk. At the CEO Roundtable, leaders from five top modular kitchen brands – Godrej, Nolte, Wurfel, Ultrafresh, Meine Kuche – made a case for franchising as a business opportunity, and presented the USPs of their respective brands.
At the session on Innovation, three experts explained how innovation could help the industry stay abreast of rapidly changing tastes and expectations of consumers. They also warned that delays in the adoption of technology could prove dangerous to present-day leaders.
Finally, it was time for the India Kitchen Congress Awards 2019. Amidst drum roll and applause and in the presence of peers, partners and friends, the winners were felicitated for their contribution to the industry and pathbreaking achievements.
