Blum puts installers’ product knowledge to the test at InstallerSHOW

A fast-paced competition on the Blum UK stand at InstallerSHOW 2026 revealed just how well installers know the brand’s products while opening up wider conversations about efficiency, technical support and how to free up as much time as possible for their personal lives.

Visitors were invited to complete a Blum-themed quiz covering the company’s jigs, templates and wider product range. The challenge consisted of ten multiple-choice questions, with the most knowledgeable and fastest entrant each day of the show taking home the prize.

Carpenter and joiner Dom Edington proved he knew his hinges from his runners, finishing comfortably ahead of the competition. 

“The quiz was designed to be engaging and introduce installers to the practical benefits of Blum tools, templates and assembly devices,” explains Toby Russell, Blum UK’s Head of Sales. “In the event of a tie, the winner would have been selected at random, but that wasn’t necessary because Dom was streaks ahead of everybody else.”

A practical prize

Rather than offering cash or a generic giveaway, Blum chose a prize intended to make a genuine difference to the winner’s working day.

Dom was one of three winners to receive the Blum Fitter’s Box awarded during the show. Each contained a carefully selected collection of tools for use on site, including an ECODRILL, runner templates, front gap templates and distance buffers.

The idea was to create a problem-solving kit containing the items that can help installers deal with adjustments or unexpected issues outside the controlled environment of a workshop.

“One of the pillars of our brand is quality of living, and everybody who interacts with our products should feel a benefit,” says Toby. “The consumer gets the usability of the finished product, but the installer shouldn’t be forgotten in that process.

“The box brings together the tools that can get you out of trouble on site and give you some time back.”

That message tied into Blum’s wider Make It Happen campaign, which focuses on helping those responsible for the handling and fitting of Blum products, complete jobs quickly, accurately and efficiently.

Toby explains: “It might be four o’clock when a customer asks if one more thing can be done before you leave, but you have dinner to make or children to put to bed. It’s about giving installers the ability to deal with that request efficiently and correctly, so they can get some of their time back.”

Installers demonstrate their knowledge

As well as giving visitors a reason to test themselves, the competition helped Blum gauge how familiar installers already were with its products.

The results proved encouraging, with visitors demonstrating a strong understanding of the brand and the practical applications of its product range.

Blum has traditionally worked closely with furniture manufacturers, but attending InstallerSHOW provided an opportunity to speak directly to the people fitting its products in customers’ homes.

“We’re very good at making sure we’re front and centre in our relationships with manufacturers and driving our message around quality,” says Toby. “But the real validation comes when installers tell us they know and believe in the products as well.

“Ultimately, delighting the end consumer requires a joint effort between the manufacturer and the installer.”

There were still a few moments of confusion during the quiz, although not for Dom, particularly when visitors encountered Blum-specific terminology.

For example, installers may be very familiar with the function of BLUMOTION but refer to it simply as “soft close” or “the thing that makes it shut quietly”.

Toby says these conversations provided a useful reminder that tradespeople often develop their own practical language for products: “We define product groups using names that we’re very familiar with, while an installer might describe what the product actually does. It’s always useful to hear how they explain that function to a customer.”

Finding solutions with installers

Away from the competition, many of the conversations on the Blum stand began with a practical problem.

Installers arrived with questions about particular applications, adjustments or challenges and wanted to know whether the company could help them find a solution. According to Toby, these discussions differ considerably from those it typically has with manufacturers and provide valuable insight into what happens at the point of installation.

Visitors were directed towards Blum’s technical department, which is available from Monday to Saturday to answer questions from installers, manufacturers and consumers. The company also highlighted its Easy Assembly app, which contains fitting and assembly videos designed to help users troubleshoot problems quickly.

“If we say we’re trying to give time back to installers, we have to speak to them and understand whether we’re actually achieving that,” Toby says. “If the answer is no, then we’re not doing our job properly.”

Feedback from installers also plays an important role in product development. Toby highlights that no suggestion is dismissed and that even established products continue to be refined in response to experiences in the market.

“We consistently invent new solutions, and that means responding to the needs of customers,” he says. “Some of the best challenges come from installers because they have to think differently and act quickly. If innovation is important to us, we have to be just as responsive.”

Winning ways: Dom Edington

Dom began his career early, completing work experience as a carpenter and joiner at the age of 13. He secured a job at 15, starting work the Monday after leaving school, and remained with the same business for around 14 years before becoming self-employed.

Five years into running his own business, he described the experience as a “rollercoaster” but a valuable one.

“You find out more about yourself when you go self-employed,” he says. “You learn what works, what doesn’t, and which products and manufacturers you can rely on. Over time, you narrow down who you choose to work with. It’s been challenging, but very good.”

Having dependable products and responsive suppliers becomes particularly important when there is nobody else in the business to absorb problems or delays.

“If you know there’s a product you can fully trust and that will give the best outcome for your customer, it’s a massive weight off your shoulders,” Dom adds.

Making the trades aspirational

The conversation at InstallerSHOW also extended beyond products to the shortage of skilled installers and the need to encourage more young people into trade careers.

Dom regularly speaks at colleges and believes the industry must engage with pupils before they reach the point of choosing between further education, university and an apprenticeship.

“It needs to be talked about more in schools,” he says. “There’s still a feeling that if you get a trade or don’t go to university, you’ve failed. I speak to college students and a lot of them say they didn’t know much about the opportunities available.

“Some of the most incredible people I know haven’t followed the university route. They’re inspiring tradespeople. If there was more positivity around having a trade, it would draw more people into the industry.”