Pool & Spa News articles from March 2003

Pool & Spa News archives from March 2003

Industry cautious over hot tub council plan. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... Until more information is made public, industry members are reacting cautiously to the hot tub manufacturers' plans for a new organization. "It's understandable, but they're really going to have to prove the benefits" of belonging to...

State oks Aquatech insurance plan. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... The Arizona commissioner of insurance has approved Aquatech Corp.'s plan to create a self-insurance program for its members. The announcement came at the builder buying group's 40th anniversary conference in the Ritz Carlton Hotel at Lake...

Source of inspiration. (Reflections).
March 14, 2003... Recently, I heard a story from a pool builder that really inspired me. John Clarkson, president of Aquatech Pools by John Clarkson, wanted a new showroom and office area. He spent many hours designing the space and then, like any good business...

A new direction? A longtime NSPI member argues that it's time for the organization to give control back to the regions. (Commentary).
March 14, 2003... At our meeting in early January, our national officer's request for an approximate increase of $30,000 annually (a 46 percent increase from $65 to $95 per Florida Category 2 member) for continued affiliation with NSPI created a very interesting...

Hot tub fever heats up Hollywood. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... Jim McClure hasn't seen the movie, but he knows the scene far too well. It's the one where Kathy Bates bares all in a hot tub moment with Jack Nicholson in "About Schmidt." "People are saying good things about that scene and the hot tub,"...

Diamonds are her best friends.
March 14, 2003... PDC Spas, in conjunction with the introduction of its Diamond Anniversary Spa, gave away a diamond and 18k gold necklace at NESPA's Atlantic City Pool & Spa Show in January. Lynda Livingston of PDC (shown) pins a necklace on winner Tonya...

Seminars a splash, more slated.
March 14, 2003... WET Institute held its 31st Annual Dealer Symposium in Las Vegas at the Luxor Hotel Resort & Casino in January. The meeting featured seminars and a discussion about pool interior finishes, water treatment, pool heating systems, automated...

Judge overturns Florida's hard-wire alarm law. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... A controversial building code requirement that mandated residential pool alarms in Florida be hard wired, not battery operated, has been overturned. An administrative judge ruled that the Florida Building Commission had "exceeded its...

Housing starts reach 16-year high. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... Indicating continued momentum in the housing market, builders began work on new homes and apartments at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.85 million units in January, stated the Commerce Department. This marks the fastest construction pace...

Beachcomber honors dealers.
March 14, 2003... Beachcomber Hot Tubs, a manufacturer in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, held its industry awards banquet during its 25th Annual Learning Conference. At the event, held in the Pan Pacific Hotel, also in Vancouver, the company presented...

A bad case of bad timing.
March 14, 2003... Valley Pools & Spas in Andova, Minn., might be regretting its choice of the pitchman featured in its television commercials. Sitting in a hot tub in the TV spot is Todd Bouman of the Minnesota Vikings. The young quarterback now is caught up in...

Pentair buys HydroTemp assets. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... Pentair, reportedly the world's largest manufacturer of pool products, has purchased the heat pump assets of HydroTemp Manufacturing Co. Inc. Although terms of the acquisition were not released, it will "start generating profits within the...

Leading Indicators Index still makes headway. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... The Leading Economic Indicators Index stood at 111.2 in January, still above its peak prior to the 2001 recession and just below the previous high achieved in May 2002. A sharp drop in claims for unemployment insurance offset consumers' weak...

Pecora attains ISO certification.
March 14, 2003... Pecora Corp., a manufacturer of sealant and waterproofing products in Harleysville, Pa., has attained ISO Q9001:2000 certification. It was conferred by KEMA--Registered Quality Inc. Pecora is one of the first manufacturers in the area to have...

Eclipse3 ok'd for California.
March 14, 2003... Eclipse3, a water-treatment chemical made by Crystal Clear Pool and Spa, a manufacturer and distributor in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, received EPA registration in California. The product already is being sold in approximately 23 other states;...

Florida contractor gets 18 months.
March 14, 2003... A pool contractor who has been the subject of dozens of fraud complaints was sentenced to 18 months in prison. James Giovinco, 54, of Hudson, Fla., was already serving a two-year term on fraud charges imposed in March 2002. Last month, Giovinco...

Southeastern show continues to grow. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... For the third year running, organizers of NSPI Region 10's Southeastern Pool & Spa Show saw increases in the number of exhibiting companies, exhibit floor space sold and the number of attendees. At the 2003 show, 1,002 industry members...

Employment picture still bleak. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... After a significant dip in December, small business gained back a little ground in January as the National Federation of Independent Businesses' Index of Small Business Optimism increased .7 points to 99.2. Sales and earnings inched up...

Danaher to acquire Gasboy.
March 14, 2003... Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR), a controls manufacturer in Washington, D.C., announced that it is set to acquire the assets of Gasboy International Inc., a unit of Tokheim Corp. in Fort Wayne, Ind., for $38 million. The action occurred at an auction...

PolyOne reduces cost structure.
March 14, 2003... PolyOne Corp. (NYSE: POL), a Cleveland-based polymer services company with operations in thermoplastic compounds and specialty resins, will eliminate approximately 400 salaried positions, primarily in administrative functions. PolyOne also will...

Labor report soothes Wall Street. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... The U.S. Labor Department's report of a moderate increase in inflation in February helped soothe Wall Street, sending stocks to a second straight winning week. Wall Street was particularly nervous prior to release of the report because...

Pool and spa industry stock market transactions. (Making News).
March 14, 2003... Pool and Spa Industry Stock Market Transactions Quotations are for Vol. Close Net Change February 25, 2003 Symbol (100s) 2/25/03 from 2/7/03 NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE A.O. Smith...

Water Pik names Gutai product manager.
March 14, 2003... Steve Gutai has been promoted to product manager for Jandy pumps, filters and valves at Water Pik Technologies, a Petaluma, Calif.-based manufacturer of pool and spa equipment. Gutai has more than 19 years' industry experience and has written...

Softub promotions.
March 14, 2003... Karen Dilley has been promoted to corporate vice president of manufacturing at Softub Inc., a Valencia, Calif.-based manufacturer of soft-sided hot tubs. Dilley has 20 years' industry experience and most recently was vice president of...

Sta-Rite promotes Elsner and Strassburg.
March 14, 2003... Sta-Rite Pool/Spa Group, a manufacturer of pool and spa equipment in Delavan, Wis., promoted two members of its marketing team. Tom Elsner has moved from senior product manager to marketing services manager. Pam Strassburg went from marketing...

AquaCal sends skipper Down Under.
March 14, 2003... AquaCal Inc., a St. Petersburg, Fla.-based division of Horner Equipment, has hired David Skipper as national sales manager for Australia and New Zealand. A resident of Sydney, New South Wales, with more than 16 years' experience in the air...

Certol Intl. promotes Shaw.
March 14, 2003... Certol International, a manufacturer of pool and spa chemicals in Denver, has promoted Fred Shaw to national sales manager. He will be responsible for the sales throughout the United States and Canada of all products in the pool and spa...

Beauty and the deep: this model's career is all wet, but she wouldn't have it any other way. (People).
March 14, 2003... When Mehgan Heaney-Grier moved with her family from Duluth, Minn., to Summerland Key, Fla., the 11-year-old was immediately drown to the water. "The ocean held a strong attraction for me," Heaney-Grier says. This attraction eventually led...

On board: diving-board installers need to take decisive action to limit their risk of liability. (Legal Eagle).
March 14, 2003... The New Jersey Supreme Court recently handed down a decision that should make diving-board installers in that state and across the country take notice. In Tighe v. Peterson, the Court narrowly decided there are circumstances when a...

Facing your fears: four ways service techs can make spa repair less scary and more profitable. (Equipment Clinic).
March 14, 2003... Spa repair can be a lucrative niche market with built-in consumer demand. Yet many pool service companies simply won't add portable spa repair to their menu of services. Why? Pools and spas are completely different technologies. If a...

Trendsetters: what's hot and what's not in portable spa installations.
March 14, 2003... Dave McKibben took a deep breath. He faced a treacherous task. A local brain surgeon bought one of McKibben's high-end portable hot tubs to install on the second-floor balcony of his luxurious Arizona home. The doctor, who sought...

Going mainstream: favorable interest rates and an unsettled world brought an influx of new middle-class hot tub buyers in 2002.
March 14, 2003... On Sept. 11, 2001, Alice Cunningham sold two hot tubs. It baffled her, too. "I was shocked and wanted to say, `Excuse me. Did you watch the news?'" recalls Cunningham, co-owner of Olympic Hot Tub Co., a 2002 Pool & Spa News 100 company...

Changing moods? Mood rooms were once the big idea. Now some retailers are pulling them out. Are they no longer effective sales tools?
March 14, 2003... Robert Randall does not ask his customers if they would like to try out a hot tub. Assuming they will, he always presents them with a brand-new swimsuit and directs them into the room at the back of the showroom. There, amid a jungle of...

The chameleons: swim spas can take on any forms and attract many customers.
March 14, 2003... Ask any five people in the industry to define a swim spa and you're likely to get five different answers. Sometimes they're called "counter-current" pools; others refer to them as "therapy pools." One company even coined the...

Cloud-out. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... API Pure Water for Life Features: product is designed to clear cloudy biguanide pools and chlorine pools fast; great for spring openings, per maker; can be used in season to keep the cloud away; EZ Spa product also available Offerings:...

Ultima shock. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Advantis Technologies Features: shock treats and fights algae; combines power of chlorinating compounds and copper; designed to fight and prevent all forms of algae; granular formula requires no pre-mixing; does not combine with, or...

Filter blaster. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Applied Biochemists Features: cleaning agent now available in gallon-sized containers; spray-and-rinse formula is designed for use between deep cleanings or when soaking a cartridge of DE filter is not an option; compatible with all of...

Albrom disinfectant. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Albemarle Corp. Features: Albrom 1000 disinfectant is made to be an effective, single product disinfectant/oxidizer; passes the AOAC 30-second pool disinfectant test at half the dosage of brominating tablets, per manufacturer; designed to...

Aqua-Doc. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Aqua-Nova Features: company offers its all-new Aqua-Doc Titanium Series water conditioner; designed to be stronger and deliver more cleaning power, stabilize pH, remove scale, dissolve scum, inhibit algae growth and improve water clarity...

AquaMagic fume-free acid treatment. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... AquaMagic Features: muriatic acid replacement provides benefit of acid without toxic fumes; eliminates dangers of burns and fumes associated with most acids; 100 percent biodegradable; serves as acid wash and filter cleaner; product is...

All-Clear specialty chemicals. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Aqua Tri Features: product line includes oxidizer (nonchlorine shock) alkalinity, calcium hardness, stain and scale, oil and scum remover, mustard knockout, clarifier, yellow eliminator, diatomaceous earth, cyanuric acid, soda ash, tile...

In-store water testing. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... AquaChek Features: provides an inexpensive way to conduct in-store water testing; FastChek software prints pool water prescriptions for retail customers; in-store center includes professional test strips to test 13 chemistries, a plastic...

Poolife dealer exclusive product line. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Arch Chemicals Features: line features technically advanced chemistry platforms; products include primary sanitizers in granular, solid and liquid forms, shock treatments, pool maintenance, spa products, and pool and spa accessories;...

Brilliance spa care line. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Avecia Features: completely chlorine-free; less odor, irritation to eyes and skin; product won't upset delicate balance of spa water's chemistry, per maker; Brilliance Sanitizer, Metal and Scale Control and Shock provide customers with...

Commercial chemical products. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... BioLab Commercial Water Division Features: company offers commercial chemical products and will feature its comprehensive program, which includes chemicals, feeders and controllers Offerings: lease program; technical expertise and...

AquaClear rapid tabs. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... BioLab Custom Products Features: fast-dissolving 2-ounce tablets with special pH buffer; convenient size; use in skimmers and as an alternative to standard trichlor tablets, according to manufacturer; EPA approval pending Offerings:...

Dealer Rewards program. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... BioLab Distributor Products Features: new program gives dealers of Omni, Guardex and Hydrotech products an opportunity to earn free travel or merchandise awards; dealers can earn unlimited rewards through July 1, 2003; qualifying products...

Everyday chlorinating granules. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... BioGuard Features: new product uses a special process that combines the granular poolcare compounds; each granule delivers multiple solutions simultaneously; convenient skimmer application can be used as a sanitizer or shock;...

SpaBoss spa chemicals. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Capo Industries Ltd. Features: company offers a full line of hot-water chemicals and fragrances Offerings: new point-off purchase materials and packaging design Contact: Capo Industries Ltd., Parkesburg, Pa. (800) 263-8250 ...

Yellow Out. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Coral Seas Features: company offers the only scrub-free pool cleaner available that works with chlorine to safely clean pool, according to manufacturer; product is available in 8 ounce and 2-, 4-, 8- and 20-pound sizes Offerings:...

Eclipse3 power pak. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Features: user-friendly, complete kit for a maintenance-free pool Offerings: orders exceeding $5,000 are eligible for co-op advertising program Contact: Crystal Clear Pool and Spa, Brantford, Ontario,...

Formula F series aquatic treatment products. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Diversified Waterscapes Features: company offers aquatic treatment product that can be used in ornamental lakes, streams and ponds to keep the water clean, clear, algae-free and an aesthetically pleasing blue color, per maker Contact:...

DuPont oxone potassium monopersulfate. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... DuPont Chemical Solutions Features: Oxone is made to oxidize and eliminate nonmicrobial contaminants and prevent the poor-quality cloudy water they produce; when used in conjunction with a sanitizer such as chlorine or bromine, product...

PristineBlue nonchlorine pool and spa care. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Earth Science Labs Features: product is designed to offer easy, gentle pool care; won't bleach liners or swimsuits; users can swim immediately after application; nonchlorine product leaves no chemical taste or odor, per maker ...

PoolRx. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Enviro Holdings Features: designed to eliminate all types of algae and provide excellent water quality; reduces chlorine usage by up to 75 percent; natural Contact: Enviro Holdings, Lake Forest, Calif. (800) 376-6579 Circle 208 on...

Water-treatment system. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Etani Intl. Features: patented system for delivering chemicals to pool; prefilled plastic capsule is placed in skimmer, pump basket or directly into pool; patented chemical feeding system is based on the slow release of concentrated,...

Pool and spa chemicals. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... GLB Pool & Spa Features: complete specialty chemical line includes easily recognizable packaging; chlorine-free shock Oxy-Brite available; other products in the line include algaecides, sequestering agents, clarifiers and more ...

Guardex pool start-up kit. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Guardex Pool Products Features: kits include everything needed for a quick start to the swim season, including Guardex Crystal Clear MultiShock, Algae Terminator and Stain & Scale Prevention; free water sample bottle, pool care guide and...

The Liquidator liquid chlorine dispenser. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Hasa Features: made to be simple to use; automatically dispenses chlorine while pool pump runs; installs on pump return line; user can adjust flow control valve to desired output; installs in less than 30 minutes and saves up to 40 percent...

Pool Check pool & spa test strips. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Industrial Test Systems Features: company offers an extensive product line, with attractive pricing and immediate shipping Offerings: special distributor pricing; large-quantity discounts; merchandising support Contact: Industrial...

Hydro-therapies-wellness fragrance line. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... InSPAration Features: products include SpaCandles, the After Spa line of hand and body lotions; Body Misthydrants formulated for after-spa use; and Spa Pearls spa and bath crystals from the Day Spa collection Contact: InSPAration Inc.,...

Jack in a Box. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Jack's Magic Products Features: product offers a guarantee against all major stains and discolorations in pools; creates a new standard for water clarity, according to manufacturer; designed to be simple to use, cost-effective; weekly...

WaterLink Express lab. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... LaMotte Co. Features: in-store lab can test for free chlorine, bromine, total chlorine, pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, copper and iron in three minutes, per maker; result can be transmitted into the DataMate 7.1...

CitraBrite, pH Balance Plus and EsScents. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Leisure Time Features: CitraBright has cleaning power of citrus in spray-and-wipe formula that cleans and degreases almost any surface, according to maker, pH Balance Plus offers pH locking power of original pH Balance, but is specially...

Starver phosphate remover. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Lo-Chlor Chemicals Features: this new, improved formula is designed to remove twice as much phosphate as original; will not cloud water, and the filter pressure increase is minimal, if any, per maker; kits will complete 100 tests; easy to...

Metal-free and PHOSFloc products. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Natural Chemistry Features: metal-free chelating and sequestering agent is designed to deactivate iron, copper, other metals that impact water clarity; product is not affected by extremes of pH and temperature; PHOSfloc bulk phosphate...

Alg-X. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... N. Jonas & Co. Features: company offers a quality line of pool water sanitizers; Alg-X is nonstaining; made to be an effective copper algaecide; fights all types of algae, per manufacturer; Pink-X pink algae fighter, Scum-X scum remover,...

Pooltest 9 test kit. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Palintest USA Features: company will showcase its Pooltest 9, which is designed to be simple to use and accurate, according to the manufacturer; product tests for all pool and spa chemicals Contact: Palintest USA, Erlanger, Ky.; (800)...

Lifegard brand test kits and test strips. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Pentair Pool Products Features: company offers full line of Lifegard band test kits for pH and chlorine, DPD and bromine, water hardness, total alkalinity and cyanuric acid; Professional Test Lab (PRO11) offers 11 complete tests designed...

Algaedyn, silver algaecide. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Pool Products Packaging Features: company offers algaecide designed to effectively kill mustard, pink and black algae Offerings: national marketing campaign Contact: Pool Products Packaging, Evanston, Ill. (800) 344-6210. ...

PowerPac AT chlorination unit. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... PPG Industries Features: system incorporates Accu-Tab chlorinator and 3-inch calcium hypochlorite tablets; compact size, conversion is simple and installation is easy, according to manufacturer Contact: PPG Industries, Pittsburgh (800)...

Calcium hypochlorite tablets. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... ProGuard Features: new calhypo tablets work as sanitizers in feeders used in commercial and municipal pools, waterparks and aquatics facilities of every size; designed to provide constant free-chlorine residual delivery, to keep water...

Super Blue. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Robarb Features: powerful clarifier features a concentrated formula that is nontoxic, non-irritating and biodegradable, per maker; improves filter efficiency; simple to use; compatible with bromine, chlorine, ozone and biguanide;...

Pool and spa chemicals. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Quantum Biochemical Features: company offers full line of pool and spa products, including algae-and calcium-deposit-control formulas for pools, pool and spa clarifiers, balancers, shock treatments and maintenance products color-coded...

SoftSwim Assist. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... SoftSwim Features: product can be used to kill or prevent slime and mold growth in biguanide-treated pool circulation systems; stops the excessive consumption of SoftSwim C, saving money and restoring sparkle to the pool; can be used...

Ozone generators, ionizers and chlorine generators. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Sunshine Pool Products Features: company offers high-output corona discharge ozone generators and ionizers for large pools, and large chlorine generators Offerings: full one- to three-year warranty; technical support Contact:...

HealthCare system. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Superior Aqua Enterprises Features: advanced water purification system combines the algae- and bacteria-killing effectiveness of ionization with the oxidizing effectiveness of ozone in one easy-to-operate system; company says it can size a...

sureTRACK-4 test strips. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Taylor Technologies Features: dip-and-read tests for free chlorine or bromine, pH and total alkalinity, dispenser eliminates spillage from wet fingers; results comparable to Taylor wet chemistries, per maker Contact: Taylor...

Sea-Klear pool and spa products. (Chemicals).
March 14, 2003... Vanson HaloSource Features: company offers Sea-Klear 4-in-1 Clarifier, 3-Month Algaecide, Zero-Phos phosphate remover, filter cleaner, tile cleaner, leak sealer, winterizing kit, spa care kits and alternative purifier kits; quality pool...

EZ Pool Lift. (Safety & Disability Access Products).
March 14, 2003... Aqua Creek Products Features: company offers a full line of access lifts for pools and spas; EZ Pool Lift has manual lifting capabilities of up to 400 pounds; easily portable for storage and/or relocation to another pool area; quality...

Pool alarms. (Safety & Disability Access Products).
March 14, 2003... Acu-Trol Programmable Controllers Features: alarm sounds when pool and spa water goes out of tolerance levels; automatically pages up to eight different phone numbers when alarms go off; shuts off system when water is out of balance; can...

Automatic and manual safety covers. (Safety & Disability Access Products).
March 14, 2003... Aquamatic Cover Systems Features: company offers pool and spa safety cover featuring all-fluid drive hydraulics; single user manual systems and trackless automatic covers also available. Offerings: displays, videos, CD-ROMs. ...

Pool safety covers. (Safety & Disability Access Products).
March 14, 2003... By Anchor Industries Features: solid, mesh or 5-Star safety covers available in standard and custom sizes; form-fitted to exact specifications; CoverWorks software program also available Offerings: safety covers come with limited...

Lift models IGAT-180 and IGAT 180AD. (Safety & Disability Access Products).
March 14, 2003... Aquatic Access Features: company offers ADA-compliant pool and spa lifts; self-operated lifts are water-powered and designed to fit user's pool; mounts into pool deck; each unit includes a flip-up leg-rest, deck socket and socket cover...