Industry News
Why You Should Invest in Automatic Pool Covers
Due to their high cost, automatic pool covers are popular in states like California, Arizona, Florida, and Texas, where a large percentage of the pools are high-end. Other than the ordinary state law that permits the installation of pool covers, many factors explain the reason for the widespread use of automatic pool covers. Michael says that although all states do not have any mandatory guidelines for installing automatic pool covers, most pool areas require fencing to ensure human safety. Indiana initiated pool fencing from as early as the late 1980s. “My dad ventured into the industry in 1979, and it was incredible to see a majority of homeowners opting to use automatic pool covers instead of fencing,” Michael says. Automatic pool covers ensured more safety in comparison to fencing, among many other benefits.
Approximately 90% of pools are furnished with automatic pool covers.
CEO of Automatic Pool Covers in Indiana, Michael Shebek

Shebek’s company witnessed its last variance application in 1995. Afterwards, the state permitted both automatic pool covers and fences; and it was for pool owners to make a choice. The rule was to meet the ASTM 1346, which primarily commands the use of an automatic pool cover or a powered pool cover. Automatic pool covers promote an increase in annual sales since water becomes purified and much warmer hence attracting more people. With an automatic pool cover, pool owners optimize their profits by extending peak season periods; one month is added before the peak season, and another is added after the peak season.
Automatic pool covers will not only cleanse the water, but will also minimize water usage, energy, and time used. He also says that the law on permitting pool covers has undoubtedly created a large market in the automatic pool cover businesses. In the early 1980s, Indiana fostered the development of pool cover companies in other states. Today, many factors, including weather, contribute to the increased demand for pool covers. Among all the benefits of pool covers, the major one remains to be prevention from drowning. “Yes, a fence serves as a good guard for everyone passing by near the pool; however, it does not prevent anyone from entering the pool premises.” Quite the contrary, a pool cover protects everyone, either those outside or inside the premises.
In the pool industry, automatic covers are effective
director of operations for Poolsafe, Tom Callahan
Warmer climates
In various regions, fences and automatic pool covers are not necessary. Therefore, automatic pool covers are not sought-after in these areas, and very few pools have them; this mostly happens in warm climatic regions. For instance, in states such as Texas and Arizona, where the temperature is already warm, there is no need for heating or cooling water in the pools. Therefore, in these markets, pool owners mostly buy pool covers to ascertain safety, Michael says.
Callahan concurs and states that in these areas, if one has children, purchasing a pool cover will thus make sense, and one might also save energy by using a pool cover. Furthermore, Callahan thinks that pool builders in warmer areas focus on designing what may be referred to as “resort-style pools.” Resort-style pools have specific attributes such as rock formations and waterfalls to make them more attractive. Consequently, such pools can’t have pool auto covers due to their complicated structure. Nevertheless, these distinctive layouts, say perimeter overflows and vanishing edges, can still be improvised to function with an automatic pool cover. Homeowners and designers only have to liaise with their respective builders when organizing the construction of the pool.
The big push
Overtime automatic pool cover companies have profited from legislative laws on pool covers across various states. The Pool and Hot Tub Alliance also seek to support the industry on a national level. “Often, these laws and requirements are established on the state level before they are enforced and implemented countrywide,” Jennifer Hatfield says. “Indiana was absolutely a leader on innovating automatic pool covers as an option to fencing, and we have seen how many states followed after that.” Jennifer Hartfield, director of government affairs for PHTA, supports associations of pool cover producers.
These are the Aquamatic Cover Systems, Cover Pools, Latham, and Automatic Pool Covers to facilitate the implementation of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. The ISPSC is implemented in 13 states as compulsory and in 19 countries and 311 local jurisdictions as an alternative. Through this, Jennifer Hartfield forecasts that there are high chances of the code being mandated countrywide in the long run. However, this relies on the type of state and their application of the law.An example is New Jersey, which implemented the code, but they altered it so that pool owners can still use fences. Additionally, Hartfield states that regulators are open to the idea of embracing automatic pool covers. “Occasionally, they lack information on APCs and do not even know what it means; therefore, the first step is to inform them of the advantages of using pool covers.” All in all, the main objective of implementing pool covers should benefit the end-user, Hartfield says.
Industry News
POOLCORP Welcomes John Watwood as President and Chief Executive Officer
Seasoned distribution leader to drive POOLCORP’s next chapter of growth, deepening commitment to customers and supply partners
COVINGTON, LA., May 14, 2026 — POOLCORP, the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and outdoor living products, recently announced the appointment of John Watwood as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Watwood joined the company in January 2026 as Executive Vice President and has quickly made an impact after spending much of his time in POOLCORP sales centers, meeting with customers, engaging with suppliers, and aligning closely with teams across the business. With extensive leadership experience in industrial and specialty distribution, Watwood brings a deep understanding of how to build high-performing teams, strengthen customer connections, and create long-term value in the industry.
Prior to joining POOLCORP, Watwood served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations at Motion Industries, a leading distributor of industrial parts and value-added solutions and a subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company. During his career, he has led large-scale sales and operations organizations focused on customer growth, supply chain excellence, and market expansion.

“John has gained the trust of our employees, customers, and suppliers in a very short period of time,” said Kenny St. Romain, Senior Vice President at POOLCORP. “He understands distribution at its core, but more importantly, he understands the value of relationships and the local support that our customers need. Our field teams have seen firsthand his commitment to listening, supporting our customers, and helping us continue to evolve our already successful service model. There’s real excitement across the organization about where we’re headed under John’s leadership.”
Watwood’s appointment marks the next chapter for POOLCORP as the company continues to invest in customer-focused solutions, sales and service excellence, operational capabilities, and technology-enabled experiences designed to help industry professionals grow and operate more efficiently.

About Pool Corporation
POOLCORP is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related outdoor living products. The Company operates approximately 455 sales centers in North America, Europe, and Australia, through which it distributes more than 200,000 products to roughly 125,000 wholesale customers, including pool builders, retail stores, and service professionals. For more information, please visit www.poolcorp.com.
Industry News
Latham Rings Nasdaq Opening Bell Commemorating 70th Anniversary & 5 Year IPO
Latham Group, Inc. – the largest designer and manufacturer of in-ground residential swimming pools in North America, Australia and New Zealand, visited the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square.
The team at Latham proudly rang the Nasdaq Opening Bell. The industry leader took a moment to celebrate its 70th anniversary and five years as a public company, highlighting continued growth, strong market performance, and resilience in a shifting residential construction landscape.
The achievement follows a year of solid performance for Latham Group Inc., which reported 7% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025, even as the broader residential construction market faced ongoing economic headwinds.

In a statement on LinkedIn, the company said:
“For seven decades, innovation has been at the core of what we do, made possible by the trusted builders and partners who bring these backyards to life every day.
Together, we’ve helped transform backyards into spaces where families gather and memories are made.
Here’s to 70 years of progress, partnership, and what we’ll build next!”
Photo Credit: Latham, The Pool Company
Industry News
SPS PoolCare Expands Enterprise Platform with ServiceTitan
SPS’s Recent Acquisition of Pool Troopers Accelerates Company’s Investment in Scaled Infrastructure with ServiceTitan Powering Over 30 Branch Locations Across Five States and Standardizing Operations across the Service Cycle
LOS ANGELES – March 17, 2026— ServiceTitan (Nasdaq: TTAN), the software platform that powers the trades, today announced that SPS PoolCare, the largest residential swimming pool services platform in the United States, is standardizing their 30+ branch locations across five states on the ServiceTitan platform. By unifying their family of brands on ServiceTitan, SPS will leverage a single, enterprise-grade system to unify its vast operations, accelerate its high-velocity acquisition strategy, and scale its platform.
“SPS is demonstrating how purpose-built technology can transform a traditionally fragmented industry,” said Connor Theilmann, Chief Business Officer of ServiceTitan. “Their leadership team has made a deliberate investment in enterprise infrastructure, and we’re proud to support their continued growth. Standardizing on ServiceTitan will allow SPS to meet the needs of a large, multi-location operation, with Fraser Ramseyer, Storr Group, and the SPS leadership team making this one of the most seamless large-scale integrations we’ve ever seen.”
The move reflects SPS PoolCare’s continued investment in enterprise-grade infrastructure, as it advances its position as the dominant market leader in a highly fragmented industry. Founded in 2021 and backed by Storr Group, an investment firm that builds and scales industry-leading platforms, SPS PoolCare operates across Texas, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, where it employs more than 1,000 team members and is on track to perform more than two million weekly recurring pool services in 2026. ServiceTitan’s cloud-based platform serves as SPS PoolCare’s technology backbone, enabling SPS to manage complexity across geography, workforce scale, and service frequency.
“We’ve worked closely with the ServiceTitan team for several years, and this decision reflects the trust and alignment we’ve built as long-term partners,” said Lance Martin, CEO and COO of SPS PoolCare. “Our objective has always been to build a durable platform that enables our team to deliver exceptional service to our customers. Standardizing on ServiceTitan gives us the operational visibility, integration speed, and performance discipline required to scale responsibly and create long-term value.”
Ranked #1 on Pool and Spa News Top 50 Service list, SPS continues to solidify its position as the industry leader, driven by the company’s ability to pair high-velocity revenue growth with a deep commitment to staff training and retention, active industry leadership, and an early adopter of innovative technology within the pool service space. SPS PoolCare is dedicated to the communities it serves, ensuring that its national scale translates into a positive local impact across its entire service footprint.
“From inception, our thesis at Storr Group has been to build the pool industry’s first scaled category-defining operating platform,” Fraser Ramseyer, CEO of Storr Group and Founder of SPS PoolCare. “Technology is not ancillary to that vision – it is foundational. ServiceTitan provides the infrastructure necessary to integrate acquisitions efficiently, drive operational consistency, and support disciplined expansion.”
SPS PoolCare’s focus on being the employer-of-choice is supported by ServiceTitan’s mobile-first capabilities, which empower their over 1,000 staff team members with the tools they need to succeed in the field.
ServiceTitan continues to invest in purpose-built technology for the pool industry, offering features like route optimization, automated chemical tracking, and integrated project management for renovations. By providing real-time visibility into multi-location operations, ServiceTitan enables enterprise-scale businesses like SPS PoolCare to make data-driven decisions that fuel organic growth.
About ServiceTitan ServiceTitan is the software platform that powers trades businesses. The company’s cloud-based, end-to-end solution gives contractors the tools they need to run and grow their business, manage their back office, and provide a stellar customer experience. By bringing an integrated SaaS platform to an industry historically underserved by technology, ServiceTitan is equipping tradespeople with the technology they need to keep the world running.
About SPS PoolCare
As the #1 swimming pool services company in the United States, SPS PoolCare is on track to perform over 2,000,000 weekly recurring pool services in 2026 and employs more than 1,000 staff across five states. Backed by Storr Group, the company is focused on growing its family of brands across the Sun Belt, as it continues to make owning a pool a joy. SPS PoolCare is committed to creating a world-class service experience for its customers and being an employer-of-choice for its team members. Read more at spspoolcare.com.
About Storr Group
Storr Group is an operationally focused lower-middle-market private equity firm that backs, builds, and scales industry-leading platforms. With a rich background in business building, Storr combines world-class operators with strategic M&A, deep integration, and sophisticated technology to drive sustainable growth and long-term value. To partner today, visit storrgroup.com.
Press Contact
Max Wertheimer
ServiceTitan, Inc.
© 2026 ServiceTitan. All rights reserved. ServiceTitan, the ServiceTitan logo, and all ServiceTitan product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or unregistered trademarks of ServiceTitan, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other brand names and marks mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s).
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