Pool & Spa News articles from November 2003

Pool & Spa News archives from November 2003

Latham set to buy Kafko.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... One of North America's largest manufacturers of package pool kits and components just got bigger. Latham International announced Oct. 23 that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Kafko International, a manufacturer of package pool...

A hot tub by any other name.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... I noticed your recent thoughts concerning the syntactic squabble over "spa" vs. "hot tub" (Reflections, 10/3/03). I concur with Joel Caesar in his assertion that the industry has something of an identity crisis. P.K. Data has actually...

Another vote for 'hot tub'.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... In response to your request for feedback on the hot tub vs. spa issue, I am a strong advocate of our industry using the term that best resonates with the consuming public--and that is "hot tub." To the consumer, the word hot tub is not limited...

Cut to the chase.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... Re: Reflections (10/3/03) I agree with your assessment on nomenclature. For many years, our company has used the terms "spa" and "hot tub" interchangeably. And I, too, share with those in my circle of influence what I do for a living and...

The drain issue.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... We've always installed two main drains in all of our pools. It's not even an option for our customers--it's just what they get. I find that most of the customers don't even know that their drains have a suction. They just have no idea; most of...

Chemical commentary.(Letters)
November 7, 2003... Re: "The Science of Sanitization" (8/22/03): Bromine (p. 66) * Bromochlorodimethylhydantoin BCDMH) does not split into hypobromous acid (HOBr) and bromamines. Upon hydrolysis, it readily forms hypobromous acid and slowly releases...

Tapping into the 20-something market.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... In the past, the 20-something demographic often was overlooked as a viable market for the pool and spa industry. They lived in apartments, drove hand-me-down ears and had no money for the finer things in life. However, that was then. This...

MPG bestows design awards.
November 7, 2003... Patio Pools of Tucson, Ariz., won six top awards for outstanding design and construction in the Master Pools Guild's Excellence Awards Contest. Patio Pools took home the Gold in the following categories. "Freeform, 250 Square feet or less:...

Horizon venture acquires scumball.
November 7, 2003... Horizon Ventures, a Deerfield. III.-based wholesale distributor of pool and spa products, announced that it has acquired Scumball, an oil absorption product, as well as other spa products, from Wham-O, an Emeryville, Calif.-based toy company....

New Orleans expo numbers: hot and spicy.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... Mardi Gras arrived early for organizers of the 2003 International Pool & Spa Expo. The North American industry's largest convention and trade show came to the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans Nov. 5-7. Industry members seem inspired...

NSPI updates school schedules.
November 7, 2003... The National Pool & Spa Institute is offering an updated schedule of Tech I and II Schools and certification exams. To see the latest school calendar information, visit www.nspi.org and click on "NSPI Education."

Perma crete opens new headquarters.
November 7, 2003... Perma Crete Resurfacing Products, a manufacturer of concrete resurfacing material has opened its new headquarters. The three-acre property is located in Nashville, Tenn., and features a 50,000-square-foot main facility housing a...

Custom molded products expands.
November 7, 2003... Custom Molded Products, a Tyrone, Ga.-based manufacturer of injection molded fittings for pools and spas, has broken new ground on a 69,000-square-foot space adjacent to its existing buildings. The new structure will increase the company's...

Sta-Rite's motion for retrial denied.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... The suction entrapment lawsuit against Sta-Rite Industries has been Closed--at least, for now. The Florida judge who oversaw the case, in which a jury awarded $104 million to an entrapment victim, turned down the manufacturer's...

Builders ramp up production.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... In a clear sign of housing's continuing momentum, single-family starts rose 3.1 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.52 million units. That almost entirely offset the August decline. "Housing production for 2003 should...

Pools closing across Germany.
November 7, 2003... Germany is in the grip of a financial crisis that's forcing the closure of city services from libraries, opera companies and day-care centers to swimming pools. Officials coping with lower tax revenues and investment and rising unemployment...

Riverside pump buys Homelite.
November 7, 2003... Riverside Pump Manufacturing of Cheraw, S.C., announced it has acquired the Homelite pump product line from Charlotte, N.C.-based Deere and Co. Riverside Pumps has purchased the tooling, intellectual property, work in progress and production...

BioLab dives into commercial water.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... To compete more fully in the commercial water business, BioLab Inc., a chemical manufacturer in Lawrenceville, Ga., plans to open two new dealer distribution networks for its products. One network will focus on supplying waterparks and...

Leading economic index dips.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... Though it had increased for four consecutive months, the Leading Economic Indicators Index decreased 0.2 percent in September to 113.0, due to a large negative contribution from the money supply. While it is not likely that September's decline...

Hayward to sell AquaLeader.
November 7, 2003... Hayward Pool Products, an Elizabeth, N.J.-based manufacturer of pool equipment, has entered into an agreement to sell the assets of its aboveground pool company, AquaLeader. Crystal Water Investments--headed by the family of Steve Cohen,...

Great lakes to take cost reduction steps.
November 7, 2003... Great Lakes Chemical Corp. (NYSE: GLK), an Indianapolis producer of water-treatment products and parent company of BioLab, announced plans for a series of manufacturing consolidations and reductions, and other cost reduction steps. The goal is...

Job market stimulates Wall Street.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... Indications that the economy is in the midst of a strong rebound have stimulated a period of modest Wall Street gains. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index rose to 81.1 in October, up from 77 in September. The business research...

Pool and spa industry stock market transactions.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... Pool and Spa Industry Stock Market Transactions Quotations are for October 27, 2003 Symbol Vol. (100s) NEW YORK STOCK...

Pentair appoints Del Amo & Murray.
November 7, 2003... Pentair Pool Products of Sanford, N.C., has named Carlos Del Amo director of marketing. He is the former vice president, sales/marketing at Letro Products, whose assets were acquired by Pentair Pool Products in February. Also, Dave Murray is...

Goodson joins Jandy.
November 7, 2003... Jandy of Petaluma, Calif., has hired Craig Goodson as territory sales manager, covering North Carolina, South Carolina, coastal Georgia and the Virginia Beach/Chesapeake area. Previously, he was vice president of Oxford Pools in Alabama.

Blue Haven names VP.
November 7, 2003... Ken Sanders has been appointed to the newly created position of vice president/central region, at Blue Haven Pools and Spas, a builder serving 29 states. Sanders will help oversee operations east of Arizona, provide professional training and...

NSPI school plans enter final stages.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... A National Spa & Pool Institute plan to establish a permanent pool and spa education center is on track as organizers seek financial aid from industry members. NSPI Region 11, with assistance from the national Service Council, plans to...

Optimism remains strong.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... The Small Business Optimism Index backed off from its August record reading, coming in at 101.9 in September (down 2.8 points). Rising insurance costs remained at the top of the problem list for small-business owners. Only one index component...

Survey indicates retailer web sites underutilized.(Making News)
November 7, 2003... A survey of store owners conducted by an industry manufacturer indicates that pool and spa retail Web sites may be drastically underutilized. Only 21 percent of hot tub retailers consider their Web sites to be very effective in generating...

2003 international pool & spa expo.
November 7, 2003... Nov. 5-7, 2003 Morial Convention Center New Orleans Exhibit Hall Hours Wednesday 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 2003 International Pool & Spa Expo Exhibitors A @ Road ...

Compelling evidence.(Reflections)
November 7, 2003... Back when I worked as a researcher at RAND, the man in the office next to mine put up a large sign that stated, "Anecdote is the opposite of evidence." OK, only a research geek would actually stick that up on their wall. But while planning our...

Open range: despite the West's plentiful land, people and money, the industry there faces rising business costs.
November 7, 2003... Its purple mountains, bone-dry deserts and thundering ocean have drawn pioneers across its plains for centuries. Since the first settlers braved its call, the West has been iconized as a source of prosperity. Though times have changed,...

Builders; the West boasts more high-end pools, higher closing ratios and just as many companies making $1 million as not. to learn more, check out the following pages.
November 7, 2003... How Big Are We? The West is almost evenly split between companies that make more than $1 million (54 percent) and those that make less (41 percent). The West also boasts the highest percentage of companies making more than $2 million: 33...

Retailers: backyard furniture is a valuable product line for many retailers in the West. for more profitable products in this area, flip the page.
November 7, 2003... Security Deposit Living out West isn't cheap. That may be why the great majority of pool and spa salespeople in the region are offered a base salary rather than straight commission--and why approximately 40 percent of those working off a...

Molding a new spa customer: the newest biggest player in rotationally molded spas wants everyone to "live the dream".(Advertisement)
November 7, 2003... Mike Johnson wants to get everyone in hot water. Johnson is the President of the newly formed Dream Maker, LLC, the largest rotationally molding spa manufacturer in the world. His fine of affordable, portable spas may change the industry by...

Service technicians: service companies in the West have smaller fleets, charge for pool cleaning less and have more NSPI-trained technicians. Want more details?
November 7, 2003... An honest day's work Companies in the West named hourly wages as the leading form of payment for their service technicians. The second most-preferred methods were annual salaries and by-the-pool payments, with each being named by 15...

Raising the stakes: legalized gambling, affordable housing and an increased demand, automation spark sales in America's heartland.
November 7, 2003... In Des Moines, Iowa, where the cornfields outnumber the days in a typical pool season, John Mosher recently discovered an unusual trend in home ownership. "I have friends who are Realtors," says Mosher, chairman of NSPI's Retailers Council...

Builders: Midwest builders hire more in-house crews and produce fewer mid-priced pools. Read on to find out more.
November 7, 2003... Good Things in Small Packages A large portion of companies across the nation reported annual construction revenues of less than $500,000 in 2002. But a higher percentage of Midwest companies reported this lowest revenue category. Nearly...

Retailers: Midwest retailers treat their employees well. To find out how they compare with other regions in base salaries and benefits, take a survey results.
November 7, 2003... Payment Promises Approximately 55 percent of the Midwest's business owners reported that they provide their sales staff with a base salary of $21,000 or more. Annual base salaries for salespeople straight commission 6% ...

Service Technicians: service technicians in the Midwest perform more jobs and get paid higher fees for vinyl-liner replacements than anywhere else in the nation.(State of the industry: Midwest)
November 7, 2003... The Hours The Midwest has a short swim season, so it's understandable that 49 percent of the service companies here pay technicians an hourly wage. In fact, not one respondent cited the by-the-pool method as a form of payment. This may be...

Southern Exposure: although the South faces regulatory challenges and a dire shortage of qualified workers, business is blooming.
November 7, 2003... In an effort to attract more qualified workers, Paul Broussard decided he needed to sweeten the pot. Three years ago, he began offering potential workers 30 percent more in hourly wages. "We're offering more benefits--401(k) plans, company...

Builders: pool in the South are more likely to cost less, include waterfeatures and be built by subcontractors.
November 7, 2003... The Million-Dollar Mark Builders in the South are almost evenly split at the $1 million mark. Close to half averaged less than $1 million in gross construction revenues last year, while 53 percent more. Gross construction revenues ...

Retailers: most retailers in the South stick to selling chemicals and water toys rather than larger-ticket items, such as aboveground pools and portable spas. Read on to find more statistics about the region.
November 7, 2003... Pay It Forward If you're selling pool and spa supplies in the South, you're more than three times as likely to be paid a base salary than straight commission. Compared with other regions, the South beats all in the percentage of employees...

Service technicians: service technicians in the South are the busiest in the country.
November 7, 2003... How Do We Get Paid? The leading form of payment for service technicians in the South is an hourly wage. However, this region has the highest percentage of service companies that use a hybrid method, such as an annual salary combined with a...

Aquapill chemical dispensing system for swimming pools and spas.(Advertisement)
November 7, 2003... The range of Etani Products for Pools and Spas include: * Aquapill 1 Clarifier * The Spa-Pill Pak * Aquapill Super 1 Clarity Maintenance * Spa-Pill 1 Clarifier * Aquapill 2 Clarifier * Spa-Pill 3 Defoamer *...

The sky's the limit: despite severe weather challenges, the Northeast still ranks as one of the hottest areas in the country for the pool and spa industry.
November 7, 2003... The weather in 2002 and 2003 generated big headlines in the Northeast. Last year's drought was so drawn out and bleak that pool and spa veterans in the region worried it would never rain again. Some industry experts even feared the Northeast...

Builders; the Northeast uses more in-house construction crews, a lower-priced product and a. relatively low percentage of pools with waterfeatures. Read on for more information about the region.
November 7, 2003... The Bottom Line The short swim season in the Northeast can limit the number of pools a company builds. Perhaps this helps explain why more than one-third of builders grossed less than $500,000 in construction revenues last year. Other...

Retailers: compared with other regions, Northeast sales staffs are raking in the bucks.
November 7, 2003... High Rollers Retailers in the Northeast pay their salespeople higher base salaries than anywhere else in the country. Twenty-two percent of sales professionals in the Northeast earn a salary of more than $30,000. Annual base...

Service technicians: the weather defines the way service companies do business in the Northeast--most technicians are paid by the hour and vinyl-liner pools reign supreme.
November 7, 2003... Payday An hourly wage is, by far, the most prevalent method of paying service technicians in the Northeast. Annual salaries, commissions and a by-the-pool system may be inequitable for techs who find their services in short demand during...

Expo marketplace.
November 7, 2003... Welcome to the Pool & Spa News 2003 Expo Marketplace, your must-have guide for exhibitor and product information during this year's International Pool & Spa Expo in New Orleans. With more than 580 exhibitors displaying thousands of products,...

Dual foot & shower tower.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Most Dependable Fountains Features: new model 575 has more features than company's standard model, including back-to-back foot and shower heads; full spray; self-closing valve prevents water waste; vandal-resistant shower is low...

Healing spa.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by ThermoSpas Features: according to manufacturer, this new spa is the first to be designed specifically for people with muscle and joint pain, in collaboration with the Arthritis Foundation; created to relax muscles and joints and be easy...

Learn-to-swim arm floats.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Poolmaster Features: company introduces its Learn-to-Swim Arm Floats, now featuring the new Wally the Walrus logo in colorful graphics: inflatable floats are graded for beginners and are recommended for ages 2 through 12: constructed...

Oval pool.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Sofpool Features: company introduces its new 17-by-50-foot oval pool for the 2004 season; 4-foot depth; holds more than 24,000 gallons; new pool keeps standard Sofpool design and can be set up in less than two hours by two people,...

New safety ladder enclosure.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Lumi-O Industries Features: affordable outside enclosure for reinforced municipality codes; exceeds BOCA standards, per maker; self-latching, self-closing; latch mechanism height of 51/4 feet with bottom clearance of less than 2 inches;...

Blue isle one-piece fiberglass pool.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Blue Hawaiian Fiberglass Pools Features: freeformed pool is newest model from Blue Hawaiian; it measures 15-by-34-by-6.6-feet deep; patent pending design allows the integration of waterfeatures such as spillover spas, waterfalls and...

Temporary surface seal for concrete.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Emecole Features: new Emecole 322 Seal-N-Peel adhesive is designed to sea[ concrete cracks prior to injection with epoxy resins or urethane foams; product can be peeled from the surface of the repaired crack after adequate curing of the...

Pump control panels.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Moeller Electric Corp Features: company offers a new line of standard and custom-engineered pump control panels, using a full range of power and control components made in modular blocks; fuse and fuse-less designs; all automatic and...

Brumgee multi-tool by BioGuard.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... Features: new product is ideal for both pools and spas, per maker: product serves as a broom, brush and squeegee; for indoor or outdoor use: uses patented polymer bristles that are long-wearing: designed so it will not scratch tile or...

Side winder gas cutoff saws.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Multiquip Features: new saw cuts concrete, masonry, ceramics, piping and more; high-speed, lightweight; two models offered, the HS62 and HS81; both models have 12- and 14inch blade capacities and feature a triple air filtration system...

Pool heat pumps.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Aqua Distribution Plus Features: new quick-heat line of pool heat pumps combines aesthetics with proven heat transfer technology; line features a microprocessor to control the pool water temperature and includes a service analyzer that...

CJ series filters.(New Products)
November 7, 2003... by Jandy Features: company offers a new line of single element cartridge filters; CJ filters' features include easy-grip tank handles, lock ring design for ease of service, fully interchangeable inlet/outlet ports for plumbing flexibility...

International Expo draws big numbers.
November 28, 2003... Now in its third year under new ownership, the International Pool & Spa Expo continues to grow. A total of 13,156 entered the exhibit halls at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans Nov. 5-7, according to Rick McConnell, senior show...

NSPI delays reorganization until mid-2004.
November 28, 2003... Wanting to make sure it presents a strong, tenable plan to its members, the National Spa & Pool Institute has pushed back the unveiling of its reorganization one more time. The trade association originally was to announce the plan...

Be a skeptic.(Reflections)
November 28, 2003... It's amazing how many people, myself included, will vehemently believe in something with absolutely no evidence to back it up. I've been told many times that if you pluck out one gray hair, two will grow back in its place. Everyone who has ever...

Conservatories heat up the high-end market.(Making News)
November 28, 2003... Mary Reedy and her husband spared no expense when building a conservatory for a swim spa in their Durham, N.C., home. It spans 26 feet by 16 feet, with exposed aluminum beams, curved eaves and cedar flooring. "I always wanted a pool, but...

Paramount acquires Aries Enterprises.
November 28, 2003... Paramount Pool & Spa Systems in Tempe, Ariz., announced it has purchased the assets of Aries Enterprises, a Salt Lake City-based supplier of training videos for pool design drawing and coloring, template design books, technical layouts computer...

BioGuard hosts dealer mart.
November 28, 2003... Lawrenceville, Ga-based pool and spa chemical manufacturer BioGuard recently hosted its 2003 Dealer Mart in Atlanta. Attendees heard from keynote speaker John Kasich, a retired U.S. Congress member and author. His Message centered on the...

Scenes from the expo.(Making News)
November 28, 2003... Expo '03: The International Pool & Spa Expo, held earlier this month in New Orleans, was one was the industry's biggest shows ever. Here's a photo montage from the event (beginning above and moving counter-clockwise): Attendees flock to the...

Moulton wins Jacuzzi premium sales contest.
November 28, 2003... As part of its Full Throttle sales contest, Jacuzzi Premium recently presented a Hawaiian trip for two to Mike Moulton from 2nd Wind Pool & Spa in Maple Grove, Minn. Drawn from a pool of more than 300 participants, Moulton was one of the top...

Casual furniture makers honored.
November 28, 2003... Nine manufacturers of summer and casual furniture walked away with awards for design excellence during the 2003 International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market held at the Merchandise Mart in September. The Summer and Casual Furniture...

Pacific industries receives certification.
November 28, 2003... Pacific Industries, a Latham, N.Y-based pool manufacturer, announced it has received ISO 9001:2000 certification for its manufacturing plant. The ISO is the symbol identifying an outstanding, structured quality management system. The Pacific...

Arch to focus on commercial pool business.
November 28, 2003... Arch Chemicals, a Norwalk, Conn.-based manufacturer of pool chemicals, has established a separate business unit to pursue growth opportunities in the commercial pool market. Stephen Heard has been appointed national sales manger for the...

NSPI debuts pool operators course.(Making News)
November 28, 2003... NSPI introduced a new educational track at the International Pool & Spa Expo earlier this month in New Orleans--and the trade association hopes it will become the standard for commercial pool operator certification. The National Spa & Pool...

Consumer confidence climbs.
November 28, 2003... The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index, which declined last month, advanced in October. The Index now stands at 81.1, up from 77.0 in September. "A more favorable job market was a major factor in the turnaround." said Director Lynn...

Jandy's product catalog Garners Pewter Award.
November 28, 2003... Jandy's 2003 pool and spa products catalog has won the Pewter Award for business catalogs at this year's National Gold Ink competition. Several hundred catalogs from various industries were entered into the competition, which was co-sponsored...

NSPI updates school schedules.
November 28, 2003... The National Spa & Pool Institute is offering an updated schedule of Tech I and II Schools and Certification exams. To see the Latest school calendar information, Visit www.nspi.org and click on "NSPI Education".

Correction.(Correction Notice)
November 28, 2003... The name of the company responsible for creating an aquascape featured in the Nov. 7 issue on the cover as well as page 124 was omitted. Downes Swimming Pool Co. Inc. in Wheeling, III., built the pool.

Florida Council takes case statewide.(Making News)
November 28, 2003... The newly formed Florida Service Council is taking its show on the road. The group, which is part of NSPI-Florida, was created several months ago to try to convince the state to require licensing for pool maintenance and chemical...

Job rate relatively unchanged.(Making News)
November 28, 2003... Though 147,000 jobs have been added since February, the U.S. unemployment rate of 6.0 for October was about the same as in September. There was little change in any of the major worker groups. In all, approximately 8.8 million Americans were...

Emerson Electric considers acquisitions.
November 28, 2003... Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) announced that it would consider making acquisitions in early 2004 and already has been looking at several companies. Chief Executive David Farr said the acquisitions being considered are mainly "bolton" purchases...

DuPont to construct R&D center in Shanghai.
November 28, 2003... DuPont (NYSE: DD) has announced that it will construct a $15 million corporate research and development facility near Shanghai, to support growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The center will accommodate up to 200 scientists and will include...

Despite economy, tech stocks retreat.(Making News)
November 28, 2003... In the wake of investors cashing in on recent gains after the market's brush with 2003 highs earlier this month, U.S. stocks fell in mid-November, with technology shares leading the retreat, according to Reuters News Service. Analysts say...

Pool and Spa industry stock market transactions.
November 28, 2003... Pool and spa industry stock market transactions. Quotations are for November 10, 2003 Symbol NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE A.O. Smith Corp AOS...