The Northeast Spa and Pool Association announced it’s plans to transition the Pool & Spa Show in Atlantic City from an in-person event to a live streaming event in light of the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Every year over 10,000 participants gather for the NESPA Pool & Spa Show (Jan 26-28 2021). Convention attendees have the opportunity to meet with vendors, connect with peers and attend seminars. This year however, for the first time ever the organization announced it’s plan not to host an in-person event, citing safety concerns as the primarily issue.

The Convention Isn’t Cancelled, The Format Has Changed However Says NESPA

“Since last spring, we have known that we needed to have multiple options on the table to deliver the high-quality content and first-class experience that our attendees and exhibitors expect. We had hoped to have an in-person event, and worked hard with many stakeholders in Atlantic City as well as the Pool and Spa Industry to make that happen,” said Patricia McCormick, Show Manager for The Pool and Spa Show. 

“As the year ends, and keeping the safety and success of our friends in the industry in mind, we are pivoting to a live-streaming, interactive event.”

Patricia McCormick, Show Manager for The Pool and Spa Show

Instead they will be live streaming an interactive event from Atlantic City and promise attendees a unique experience they have never seen from traditional online meetings.

“Walt Disney famously said, ‘If you can dream it, you can do it,’ and the NESPA staff and leadership never cease dreaming of ways to improve the show, and folks will find that is never more true when they get to see The Pool and Spa Show experience,”

Amy Rullo, president of the Northeast Spa and Pool Association

Robotic pool cleaners are a new age high tech method of cleaning your pool and performing basic maintenance tasks. Robotic cleaners have become enormously popular over the last five years. Ariel is an intriguing new cleaner with an interesting paddle wheel design concept. Ariel by Solar Breeze is the latest line of innovative robotic pool cleaners to come from Tempe based Pivot-Solar Breeze, and is set to debut at the CES 2021 show running from Jan 11-14. Ariel is solar powered and uses intelligent technology to navigate around the surface of the pool to collect debris. Pool owners everywhere can pre-order Ariel at www.solar-breeze.com. Retailers can email paul@solar-breeze.com for special pricing.

Ariel is the culmination of years of engineering and consumer feedback to produce the quintessential, future-focused pool cleaning device that brings a whole new level of intelligence, beauty and performance to the robotic surface cleaning category.

Paul Sim – vice president of solar breeze

Ariel Robotic Pool Cleaner Features

• Mesh filter collects and retains particles down to 200 microns in size
• Debris collection chamber that holds twice the volume of a normal skimmer basket
• Simple removal from pool with no-slip handle
• Easy to empty debris and clean the unit
• Rechargeable battery that powers the unit after the sun goes down
• Solar panels that produce enough power to run the unit and charge the battery during the day
• Sensors that detect obstructions and light up at night
• No chords or hoses attached
• Covers the surface of an average pool every 1.5 hours
• Functions in temperatures ranging from 40° to 130°F
• Can withstand water salinity of 6,500 ppm

News Releases from Robotic Pool Cleaner Manufacturer Solar Breeze:

• https://ces.vporoom.com/Solar-Breeze/New-Robot-Ariel-Debuts-at-CES-2021-Makes-Pool-Cleaning-a-Breeze
• https://ces.vporoom.com/Solar-Breeze/Play-All-Day-in-the-Sun-with-New-Pool-Cleaning-Gadget-Ariel-by-Pivot-Solar-Breeze

The swimming pool industry has seen meteoric growth this year. Nowhere is this more true than in the Fiberglass Pool sector. The vertical had already seen enormous growth over the last ten years. In 2020, however the Fiberglass Pool sector saw a double digit increase in growth.

“Most of [our dealers] have ordered more than ever before, so it’s like a double bump.”

ED VONDELL – CEO OF THURSDAY POOLS

Covid-19 Leads To Increase in Fiberglass Pool Sales

Many manufacturers attribute the increase in sales largely to the Covid-19 Pandemic limiting the options for discretionary spending. With limited traveling options, many homeowners who traditionally spend discrectionary dollars elsewhere are building swimming pools.

“Things were looking good before the lockdowns, but the lockdowns put everything on steroids,”

Bob Harper – CCEO of latham pool products

It’s definitely looking that way for Latham. The industry giant went on a hiring spree this year hiring new executives and looking to fill over 300 positions at 20 various locations around the country.

Leisure Pools hasn’t shown signs of pumping the brakes either. The company added over 400 new dealers this year alone. The Knoxville, TN based manufacturer acquired the facilities of luxury yacht manufacturer Group Beneteau. The quarter million square foot facility sits on 40 acres and is the 3rd large plant in it’s repertoire.

“It was starting to push out our lead times. So we decided that instead of continuing to increase our lead times, we’d [increase] our manufacturing capacity.”

David Pain – CEO OF LEISURE POOLS

After nine weeks training with the staff at Leisure Pools, the facility has retooled to begin producing Fiberglass Pools. The facility recently rolled out it’s first fiberglass pool shell. That’s not all, rumor has it that Leisure is soon to start franchising. After adding United Aqua Group CEO and franchising veteran Patrick Walls as COO, they are now concentrating on developing their franchise operation. While details are still being ironed out, the Fiberglass Pool giant stated that it has plans to begin franchising early 2021.