CCEI, is pleased to announce the hiring of Martin Grenier to head their North American operations. Martin has over 10 years of experience in the swimming pool industry having worked for Hayward for over 7 years plus other positions in both retail and distribution. CCEI is a manufacturer of automation and controller systems in the US as well as lighting systems in Canada, Mexico, Europe and Africa with its head office located in France.  

Martin is now responsible for operations and sales for both the company’s US and Canadian markets and is also charged with raising brand and product awareness of CCEI’s products throughout the North American pool industry. “As an established supplier in Europe, we are focused on raising awareness of our products and services with pool builders, retailers and distributors, while also working to form strategic partnerships in the US and Canada,” says Grenier.  A native of Canada, Martin is also fluent in English and French. “Martin has already made a significant impact in the Canadian swimming pool market and we are confident CCEI will continue to experience exponential growth in sales of our products in both the US and Canadian markets,” says Sébastian Chéreau, Head of CCEI’s Global Marketing. “We are pleased to have Martin join our team and share his expertise with our company as he helps align our marketing strategies and goals across all branches of CCEI around the world,” says Sébastien Chéreau, Marketing Director for CCEI.  

Since 1973, CCEI has been designing and manufacturing electrical equipment for private and public pools. Over the years, we have acquired in-depth experience with pools and their specific constraints. Starting as a manufacturer specialized in electrical boxes, CCEI has expanded to different areas, including automatic water treatment and lighting for pools.

CCEI’s technical team has also grown and now has a team with recognized skills in electronics, optics and electrochemistry. With this knowledge, CCEI is now able to provide global, adapted solutions to pool builders and industries and enhance the safety, ergonomics and reliability of pool facilities. 

Martin can be reached at the company’s offices in Montreal at:  [email protected].

More information about the company’s US operations can be found at:
www.ccei-pool.com/us/
CCEI USA Inc., Inglewood, CA 90301

Honoring public health officials and departments with $5,000

(Alexandria, Va.) — The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Dr. R. Neil Lowry Grant. The winners will be honored at the PHTA Awards Ceremony at the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo in Las Vegas, NV, on October 21, 2025.

Given in the memory of Dr. Robert Neil Lowry, a long-time member of PHTA and the PHTA Recreational Water & Air Quality Committee (RWAQC), this $5,000 grant honors a public health official or department who has made outstanding contributions to advance the public’s health and safe use of recreational water in pools, spas, and waterparks through educational, safety, operational, and technical programs.

“Knowing Neil at the beginning of my career in this industry impacted me in a profound way,” says Jody O’Grady, Chair of the RWAQC. “His knowledge of applying chemistry to keep everyone safe through education was invaluable. I am proud to be chairing the committee that reviews and selects this award so his legacy, through education, will continue.”

To be considered for the Lowry Grant, the public health official or department must describe their planned or proposed program, the service provided and how it benefits public health and safety, the impact of the expected results, and how the grant funds will be used. The nomination deadline is Friday, August 1, 2025.

Past winners of the Lowry Grant include: Central Valley Health District, 2024; Craven County Environmental Health, 2023; Fishers Health Department, 2022; City of North Richland Hills, 2021; Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment, 2019; Arizona Department of Health Services, 2018; Quechan Parks & Recreation, 2017; Riverside County California Department of Health, 2016; Columbus Public Health, 2015; Middlesex-London Health Unit of London, Ontario, 2014; Brevard County Environmental Health Services Department, 2013; Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, 2012; Alexandria Health Department, 2011; City of Houston, 2010; and City of Plano, 2009.

For more information about the grant and to submit a nomination form, visit www.phta.org/lowry-grant.

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with more than 3,700 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $36.5B pool, hot tub, and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth initiatives to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge, and profitability. Additionally, PHTA promotes the use of pools by expanding swimming, water safety, and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.

About PHTA’s Recreational Water & Air Quality Committee (RWAQC)
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance’s RWAQC develops and maintains verifiable science-based information regarding sanitization technology and chemical products for use in pools, spas, and hot tubs. The committee also has an important role in the development of the chemical and sanitation sections for American National Standards Institute (ANSI) PHTA standards, including the ANSI/APSP/ICC-11 American National Standard for Water Quality in Public Pools and Spas. For a current listing of Committee members or more information, email [email protected].

(Clemson, SC) — On Monday, June 23rd, the Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic Tile (Coalition) filed a Complaint with the U.S. Court of International Trade (USCIT) following the Summons it filed on May 23rd, contesting certain aspects of the final determination issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) in its antidumping investigation of ceramic tile from India. The final determination was published by Commerce in the Federal Register as Ceramic Tile from India: Final Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Final Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances, 90 Fed. Reg. 17030.  In the Complaint, the Coalition challenged Commerce’s handling of the affiliates of the largest Indian exporters, Commerce’s accepting of new information during on-site verification, and Commerce’s handling of scrap in the tariff calculation.  “As we previously noted, by statute, Commerce is time-limited in its investigation, at a time when more trade remedy actions were launched than at any other point in Commerce’s history,” said Eric Astrachan, executive director of the Coalition. “We are truly sympathetic to the obstacles Commerce investigators faced, but we firmly believe Commerce didn’t have all the facts at hand to decide this case.”  “In particular, for their own financial well-being, we want the importer and distributor community to be aware that any finding resulting in an anti-dumping tariff should be retroactive to April 23, 2025,” added Mr. Astrachan. “That tariff may be substantial,” noted Andrew Whitmire, trade data analyst for the Tile Council of North America. “Anyone tracking the world prices for ceramic tile knows that once Commerce has all the requisite information, a dumping tariff is entirely possible.” About Tile Council of North America (TCNA)  TCNA is a trade association representing manufacturers of ceramic tile, tile installation materials, tile equipment, raw materials and other tile-related products. Established in 1945 as the Tile Council of America (TCA), it became the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) in 2005, reflecting its membership expansion to all of North America.  The Tile Council is recognized for its leadership role in facilitating the development of North American and international industry quality standards to benefit tile consumers. Additionally, TCNA regularly conducts independent research and product testing, works with regulatory, trade, and other government agencies, and publishes installation guidelines, tile standards, economic reports, and promotional literature.