News
Piscina & Wellness Barcelona Closes Its Best Edition Of The Last Decade

Piscina & Wellness Barcelona has more than lived up to expectations in its best edition of the last decade. The Fira de Barcelona trade show closes its doors today, confirming its position as an effective international business center for an innovative industry that is committed to sustainability and digitalization in order to achieve more experiential and efficient aquatic facilities in terms of water and energy consumption. The event, with 367 exhibitors from 30 countries, was visited by more than 14,000 professionals, 56% of them international, from up to 100 countries.
After four days of intense activity, Piscina & Wellness leaves a good feeling among the participating companies, speakers, invited buyers and the professional public. The international connection with Europe, the Mediterranean and Latin America, together with the attractiveness of the Spanish market, one of the most important in the world in terms of the size of the pool stock to be maintained and equipped (more than 1.3 million units), have been even more evident in this edition marked by growth.
Specifically, the event has increased its commercial surface area by 54% compared to 2021, has reached an all-time record of international participation with 68% of foreign companies, and has increased the number of visitors by 40% compared to the last edition held two years ago at the height of the pandemic, also exceeding the attendance figures for the 2019 show by 16%. On this occasion, moreover, the presence of international buyers from Mexico, France, Portugal, Italy, China, Belgium, Germany and the Middle East region has also increased.
The president of Piscina & Wellness Barcelona, Eloi Planes, is satisfied with the development of the fair and the representativeness of the offer achieved this year: “we have attracted a quality visitor and clients with specific projects that need to apply solutions very focused on sustainability to adapt all types of aquatic facilities for both residential and public use to the demands of the context of climate change in which we find ourselves”. Planes also highlights “the contribution of the fair to give visibility to innovation in the sector and to highlight the social impact of swimming pools as infrastructures necessary to improve people’s health and wellbeing, creating spaces for community relations”.
Activities
As a complement to the commercial offer, it is worth highlighting the interest aroused by the show’s activity areas. In this regard, the Innovation Zone, with around twenty new products for a smart, connected, sustainable and healthy pool, was one of the must-see places at the show. On display in this area were, for example, intelligent skimmers to eliminate waste that work with solar energy, salt chlorinators capable of controlling pool disinfection and the operation of peripheral equipment with a mobile phone, water purifiers that reduce the use of chemical products by up to 85% and the quietest and most energy-efficient pool pumps on the market.
Another focus of the show was the Wellness Experience, a large wellness centre with an active pool, saunas, whirlpool baths, showers, fitness area and treatment cabins. Demonstrations of aquatic therapies and various treatments in the cabins took place there. As a novelty, visitors to this space have had the opportunity to live an immersive experience within a virtual environment, through a Roman baths, a spa on ice and a tropical beach. Also noteworthy was the ‘Outdoor Living Experience’ showroom, which showcased new products and services related to swimming pools, outdoor decoration and outdoor wellness experiences.
Piscina & Wellness Barcelona also hosted various conferences that promoted debate and networking, such as the first edition of the Pool Horizons Summit, an event promoted by the world’s leading companies and organisations in the sector, which reflected on the role of swimming pools and their contribution to social and environmental challenges. Also well received was the fourth Europe – Latin America Business Meeting which, for the first time, included buyers and specifiers from the Middle East and associated business meetings. Other widely attended sessions were the INDESCAT (the Catalan sports industry cluster) workshops on the sustainability and digitisation of swimming pools, which brought together professionals from these markets linked to architecture, the hotel and tourism industry; and the conferences organised by the Spanish Association of Landscape Architects (AEP) on a new paradigm in landscaping and the impact of climate change on project design.
Awards
Once again this year, Piscina & Wellness Barcelona awarded prizes to the best products presented at the trade show, the best wellness establishments on the Iberian peninsula and in Europe, and the aquatic projects presented by architecture students from all over the world in three competitions that received around one hundred entries.
The companies Ercros, for its sustainable corrugated cardboard packaging, and Fluidra, for its new range of AstralPool Verdon VS variable speed connected pumps, were recognised with the awards for innovative product in sustainability and connectivity, respectively, at the Piscina & Wellness Barcelona 2023 Awards. The Vidago Palace Hotel Golf & Spa wellness centres in the Portuguese town of Vidago (Vila Real), The Retreat at Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland, and the Parador Costa da Morte in Muxía, in the province of A Coruña, are some of the winners of the Wellness Experience Awards, which recognised the best spas, spas and thalassotherapy centres of the year. Finally, the student Catalina Petra Lizasoain from the Madrid School of Architecture, ETSAM, won first prize in the International Competition for Architecture Students with her project “Aquatic Stitching”.
Water reuse
Finally, as part of the measures to reduce the event’s environmental footprint, this year all the pools and spas on display at the fair have been filled with vitalised seawater, a sustainable alternative from the company “Másque iniciativas”. This afternoon, after the show closes, the water will be collected again in tanker trucks to be reused in other aquatic facilities or fire-fighting ponds.
Manufacturer
Soake Pools Bolsters National Growth With Four Key Hires

New territory managers, production leadership, and operations support reinforce the plunge pool manufacturer’s white-glove service as demand grows across U.S. markets
Pembroke, N.H. — October 2026 — Soake Pools, the New England manufacturer that pioneered the made-to-order precast concrete plunge pool, has added four team members to support its growth into new regional markets. The hires span sales, production leadership, and operations, positioning the team to scale with rising national demand for its hand-tiled pools, without sacrificing service or quality.
New appointments include:
- Kerry Covington, Pacific Northwest Territory Manager—Based in Oregon, Covington is Soake Pools’ first territory manager to live and work in the Pacific Northwest, offering on-the-ground support. With more than a decade of experience in high-end remodeling and landscape design for luxury residential construction, he will help Pacific Northwest homeowners translate plunge pool concepts into thoughtfully planned additions tailored to their homes and landscapes.
- Brooke Fine, MA South Shore, Cape Cod & Islands Territory Manager—Also based in territory and a Soake Pools customer herself, Fine brings both local knowledge and firsthand experience with the brand to the role. With a personal understanding of how a Soake Pool can enhance wellness, relaxation and outdoor living, she will provide dedicated in-territory support to homeowners across the Massachusetts South Shore, Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
- Eric Bailey, General Manager—At the company’s Pembroke production facility, Bailey will oversee manufacturing with 22 years of precast concrete experience. As a born-and-raised New Hampshire resident with a career built on quality and customer service, Bailey embodies the values Soake Pools has built its reputation on.
- Katherine Fillon, Accounts Receivable—Lifelong New Englander Fillon rounds out the company’s administrative team, supporting a seamless experience between Soake Pools’ customers, partners and collaborators.
The news follows Soake Pools’ recognition as one of Business NH Magazine’s 2026 Best Companies to Work For in New Hampshire, where the company earned the No. 11 spot after a rigorous evaluation that included employer and team surveys, site visits, and employee focus groups. As it grows its team, the locally owned, family-run company stays anchored to the same standards that earned this honor.
About Soake Pools: Co-founded by Karen and Brian Larson in 2014, Soake® Pools disrupted the industry as the first company to offer hand-tiled precast concrete plunge pools for the home. Today, Soake Pools is the leading prefabricated plunge pool manufacturer in North America, designing luxury, space-saving pools for year-round use and enjoyment. At Soake Pool’s New England facility, its plunge pools are made to order in a controlled environment using proprietary concrete and state-of-the-art tile, continually setting the standard with new dimensions, luxury finishes, and innovations in quality control, safety and usability with impressive turnaround timelines. Fully customizable and delivered ready to install, each Soake Pool is equipped for hot dips in the winter and cooling soaks in the summer, with cold plunge and resistance system offerings that support athletic recovery and enhance at-home wellness routines. The monolithic concrete design offers accessibility in size and pricing, while saltwater filtration, low water usage, and variable speed pumps support sustainability, require less maintenance, and lower costs. Delivering backyard luxury retreats with demonstrated ROI in home value, Soake Pools offer countless physical and mental wellness benefits at a fraction of the footprint and expense of a traditional pool.
Industry News
Hayward Holdings Names New Chief Accounting Officer

CHARLOTTE, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) (“Hayward” or the “Company”), a leading global pool and outdoor living technology company, today announced the appointment of Jared Arrowood as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, effective immediately. As principal accounting officer, Arrowood will oversee the Company’s global financial reporting, tax, operational finance and technical accounting functions.
“Jared’s experience as a financial executive for publicly traded global organizations and his deep understanding of our business make him exceptionally well suited for this role,” said Eifion Jones, Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer. “I am confident his technical expertise, leadership and business perspective will continue to strengthen our finance organization and support long-term value creation for shareholders.”
Arrowood will continue to report to Jones as part of his financial leadership team.
Arrowood joined Hayward in 2023 as Assistant Corporate Controller and was promoted to Vice President, Corporate Controller in 2024. He has helped strengthen the Company’s financial processes, controls and continuous improvement efforts across the global controllership organization. Prior to Hayward, Arrowood spent 17 years at SPX FLOW, including serving as Vice President of Finance for its Mixing Solutions division.
He holds a Master of Accounting from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a certified public accountant.
About Hayward Holdings, Inc.
Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) is a leading global specialty water management company focused on designing and manufacturing pool and outdoor living technology and industrial flow control products. Driven by a mission to transform the experience of water, Hayward offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy‑efficient and sustainable pool equipment—including pumps, heaters, sanitizers, filters, LED lighting, water features, and cleaners—integrated through its intuitive, IoT‑enabled SmartPad™ platform. The Company also provides industrial thermoplastic valves and process control products serving a wide range of applications.
Investor Relations Contact:
Kevin Maczka
[email protected]
Media Relations Contact:
Misty Zelent
[email protected]
Press Releases
Daldorado Names Marcia Gyles Director of Sales

Daldorado, a leading innovator in the commercial aquatic industry, announces the appointment of Marcia Gyles as its new Director of Sales. Bringing a distinguished track record of high-impact leadership to the role, Gyles’s comprehensive sales approach will span the entire industry ecosystem, serving distributors, contractors, and facility owners alike as she accelerates revenue growth and scales national operations.
In her new role, Gyles will manage the entire United States, leveraging her deep market expertise to provide unlimited access to Daldorado’s expansive product line. She is tasked with representing the company’s full portfolio of high-performance aquatic solutions—including its signature Rim-Flow systems, Main Drains, and highly anticipated products currently in development.
“We are thrilled to welcome a professional of Marcia’s high caliber to the Daldorado leadership team,” said Rob Lawson, Founder/CEO. “Her unparalleled expertise in channel sales and sophisticated account management makes her the perfect fit to elevate our national footprint as we shift to a distribution sales model. Marcia’s dynamic energy and master strategic vision will play a critical role in setting the tone for our sales pipeline and achieving our aggressive scaling goals.”
As Director of Sales, Gyles will oversee regular sales forecasting, manage cross-functional collaborations with marketing and operations for seasonal inventory planning, and maintain a commanding field presence. Her role involves an extensive travel schedule which includes conducting on-site commercial installation visits and providing master-class training for Daldorado’s extensive distribution and design networks.
About Daldorado
Daldorado is a leading innovator and manufacturer of high-quality commercial aquatic drainage systems and perimeter grating solutions. Committed to safety, durability, and superior engineering, Daldorado serves major commercial aquatic facilities, waterparks, and competitive swimming venues globally.
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