Industry News
Technology in the Pool and Spa Industry
The evolution of technology has significantly affected the pool and spa industry. Unlike before, pool owners don’t have to employ pool service technicians frequently. Today, there are modern pool apps that enable one to keep their pool in perfect condition.

As water-monitoring smart sensors manufacturers, we don’t intend to take over the pool industry as some of you may think. These sensors do not eliminate the need for pool service technicians and contractors.
Founder of Sutro, Ravi Kurani
Product category manager for new business development at Fluidra, Jeremy Young, concurs, he says, “We are not here to hurt pool contractors and service technicians. In fact, sensors are powerful tools; you can use them to deliver better services to your customers.”
Now, pool owners can check their pool chemistry from their phones. Different advanced systems can help pool owners monitor the condition of their pools. Even so, these products are relatively costly. On average, they retail from $199 to $395 exclusive of subscription costs. Some of these products include the Blueriiot, Keto A.I., Phino by Hayward, and Sutro.
A Fluidra Product: Blueriiot
Blueriiot is a smart water analyzer that ensures you have balanced pool chemistry. This product originated from Belgium and keeps track of the pH levels, water temperature, and salinity. Pool contractors can install it on pool equipment pads. After installation, the Blueriiot will automatically send updates to your phone regarding your pool from time to time. The device also has Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. With this product, you can either subscribe to a ‘gold’ or platinum Bluetooth version. Fluidra is still looking forward to making certain advancements on this product based on their client’s feedback.
Keto A.I.
The Keto A.I. is one of the latest pool products in the industry. This product is a solar-powered device that keeps track of the pool pH and water temperatures. It also monitors the pump. Like the Blueriiot, the product sends readings to your phone. And this helps you keep your pool in perfect shape. It has good WiFi connectivity. Keto A.I. allows pool owners to monitor their pools even when they are miles away. Commercial pool owners can also tell whether their pool service technicians are doing a good job even when they are not onsite.
An advanced version of the Keto A.I. will probably be available this year. The latest product version incorporates a long battery life and can detect pool leaks. Also, the manufacturers plan to rebrand and rename the product. All these changes are meant to suit customer needs. Most users think that the product should have a stronger name that matches its excellent functionality.
PHIN by Hayward
Another smart water feature is the pHin by Hayward. pHin is not a new product; it came into the market in 2015. But a more advanced version of this product entered the market in 2018. The latest version of this product came out last year. The purpose of this product is to measure ORP, water temperatures, and pH levels. All readings are usually sent to your phone through an app. Also, you can keep records of all your pool readings using this app. If your pool experiences a problem, your pool technician can easily identify the source of the problem.
Sutro
Sutro is an advanced pool product that monitors a pool’s pH, chlorine level, and water temperature using smart technology. The product comes with different subscription options. Thus, there’s always a match for almost all pool owners. The most expensive subscription options provide weekly updates on the condition of the pool.
Ravi Kurani is the genius behind this product. He has extensive experience in pool maintenance. When he was a child, he helped his father run his pool supply stores. Here, he managed to pick up a few skills to establish his company and develop this trendy product.
We all have a part to play in the pool and spa industry
The pool and spa industry started embracing technology only a few years ago. But pool products incorporating advanced technology are rapidly becoming popular among most homeowners. The industry should therefore keep up and deliver what people need. Luckily, everyone has a part to play. As pool experts, it is essential to keep researching, learning, and discovering new things. This is the only way to expand the pool industry. All in all, change is inevitable; hence, it might be time to embrace it.
Keto A.I.’s Jensen says, “Most pool contractors and service technicians are still dubious about smart pool products. But they should keep in mind that in the next five years, things will be different. Our customers will be tech-savvy. The last thing they would want is to spend hours using a test strip or drip kit. Everything is moving fast. If we are not careful, we will lag behind.”
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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