Kuiken Bros. throws a Garden State party

New Jersey was lumbering with the effects of Hurricane Sandy, from destruction down the shore to power outages all over. But the show must go on — especially if it coincides with the host’s 100th anniversary.

Kuiken Bros. semi-annual Product Expo packed the Mahwah, N.J., Sheraton parking lot with contractor pickup trucks last month, as more than 1,000 builders, architects and designers braved the elements and long gas lines to attend the show.  

New Jersey and New York building communities have a tough challenge ahead of them with the recent destruction,” said Douglas Kuiken, president. The expo, he said, gave builders “an outlet” to network and swap stories.

The rebuilding isn’t going to happen overnight, he added. But Kuiken Bros., a fourth-generation pro dealer, intends to be there for its customers when it does.

We’re continuing to talk to our vendors and our customers to make sure we have the products they need,” said VP Nick Kuiken.

Some 50 vendors were set up in the hotel conference room, with a steady flow of traffic. Some of the highlights are shown below. 

Products keep changing, and you can’t fight against technology,” said Douglas Kuiken. “We embrace it — we keep looking for new products all the time.”