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Driving Connections At An Industry Conference

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Event Snapshot

430

Delegates in attendance

18

Months of planning

10+

Years of partnership

The Challenge

Every two years, NMBS brings together builders’ merchants and suppliers for one of the industry’s most important events. It’s where relationships are strengthened, business gets done, and the industry’s future takes shape. The challenge was delivering a seamless overseas conference for 430 delegates that balanced business with meaningful experiences. Over 18 months, every detail had to come together to create an event that informed, inspired and connected the industry, while making networking feel natural and worthwhile. With conference sessions, one-to-one meetings, social events and dinners all happening across multiple days, the experience needed to feel effortless for every attendee.
Tell Us About Your Event
A speaker stands on stage at the NMBS Conference 2026, presenting in front of a large screen. The audience watches attentively, surrounded by conference banners, sponsor logos, and a striking bespoke exhibition stand. A speaker presents to an audience in a conference room with blue lighting beside a bespoke exhibition stand. A large screen displays a diagram with icons and the words: Scale, Trust, Settlement, Community, and Protect the strengths. Build the next layer. A speaker stands on stage in front of a large screen displaying NMBS Conference 2026 and Welcome to a seated audience in a dimly lit hall, with sponsor logos and a striking Bespoke Exhibition Stand visible on the screen. A large group of people sit at tables in a spacious, well-lit room with numbered signs, engaging in conversation during a networking or business event. A Bespoke Exhibition Stand is visible, enhancing the professional atmosphere.

The Solution

Set within the Meliá Villaitana in Alicante, the NMBS Conference combined business, networking and unforgettable experiences in one destination. Across the event, delegates took part in 422 Meet the Merchant appointments with 74 suppliers, alongside one-and-a-half days of conference content featuring respected industry voices, inspirational keynote speakers and host Jake Humphrey. Beyond the conference, the programme encouraged conversations to continue through shared experiences, including golf, wine tasting, cultural excursions, local dine-around dinners and a spectacular gala evening. Before delegates arrived in Spain, an event website, mobile app and pre-event comms kept everyone informed, engaged and excited.
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How we delivered the conference

Behind the scenes, this was a complex international event delivered over an 18-month planning period, designed to feel completely seamless.

Our full event management included:

  1. Delegate management, travel logistics and full event delivery

  2. Event website, app and pre-event communications

  3. Creative design, branding and stage design

  4. Full AV production and technical management

  5. Supplier, venue and programme management

A lively outdoor festival fills a town square with people dining at colourful tables and festive banners overhead, while a bespoke exhibition stand adds flair amid historic Mediterranean-style buildings and a church, all set against a mountainous sunset backdrop. A large group of people sit at outdoor tables, eating, drinking, and socialising on a sunny day. Colourful flags and a bespoke exhibition stand add to the lively, cheerful scene. Two flamenco dancers perform on an outdoor stage at night, facing an audience seated at tables under fairy lights and trees, with colourful lighting illuminating the scene—creating a vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of a bespoke exhibition stand. A large group of people gather in an outdoor courtyard, listening to a person speaking on a raised platform beside a bespoke exhibition stand. Tall palm trees, potted plants, cocktail tables, and Mediterranean-style architecture are visible.

Event Results

422

Meet the Merchant meetings

435

Messages exchanged through the app

353

Active event app users

Meet the team behind the event

 

A woman with long light brown hair and sunglasses on her head smiles at the camera. She is wearing a black top with a white vest and a gold necklace, standing outdoors near what appears to be a bespoke exhibition stand surrounded by greenery.

Krizstina

Project Lead: Led the project from concept through to on-site delivery.

 

A smiling woman with blonde hair tied back, wearing sunglasses on her head and multiple earrings, looks over her shoulder at the camera. The softly blurred background hints at a vibrant bespoke exhibition stand setting.

Lia

Delegate Manager: Ensuring every attendee had a seamless experience.

A smiling man with short, plaited hair and a beard, wearing a black collared shirt, stands outdoors with greenery blurred in the background—looking ready to design your next Bespoke Exhibition Stand.

Luke

Technical Manager: Delivering flawless AV and event production.

A person with short, platinum blonde hair and facial piercings smiles outdoors, their tattoos on display. Wearing a white shirt, they stand on a green lawn with trees behind them, radiating confidence and the warmth of shared experiences.

Aleks

Graphic Designer: Bringing the event identity and visual experience to life.

A middle-aged man with a shaven head and blue shirt smiles at the camera, standing confidently in front of a blurred bespoke exhibition stand, which draws all attention to his face.

Richard

Client Experience:
Providing strategic delivery support throughout.

 

Work With Us

Explore More

Want to see how we bring conferences to life? Explore our conference services or check out more of our previous work.

Get in touch

Looking to create a conference that inspires your audience, strengthens relationships and delivers real business value? Talk to our award-winning event agency about how we can bring your next event to life.

Leeds

+44 01943 877444

Ghyll Beck House, Gill Lane,
Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7SE

London

+44 02039 098579
86 – 90 Paul Street, London,
EC2A 4NE

Email Us

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 01943 877444