SPN (Swimming Pool News) October 2019

OCTOBER 2019

POOLS SPAS HOT TUBS SAUNAS CHEMICALS ACCESSORIES & MORE

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE UK INDUSTRY

SAFETY FLOORING Providing under-foot grip whatever the conditions

HIGH-END HOT TUBS Premium models for the ultimate experience

TILED SPAS & SWIM SPAS

Bespoke solutions that provide the ultimate in flexibility, durability and luxury

ENCLOSURES

Attractive and versatile over the top solutions enabling year-round swimming

PLUS SPN_October_19_Cover.indd 3

STA Pool Plant – Hard Water | Manufactured In The UK | Show Previews | Opinion Pool & Spa Industry | R&D Tax Credit Scheme | 13 Pages Of The Best Industry News 04/10/2019 15:59

FAIRLOCKS COVREX APR19 NEW.qxp_Layout 1 26/03/2019 12:25 Page 1

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The profile structures are made from expanded PVC-foam, coextruded with polyurethane. The profile exterior is high density PVC, which gives a perfectly smooth surface to prevent any algae formation either above or below the water level.

Covrex® covers comply with the French safety standard NF P 90308 Version 2006, probably the strictest standard in the market.

They provide excellent resistance to weather and UV which makes them suitable for use all year round and come with an amazing standard 5 year warranty.

Covrex® is the future; so get ahead of your competitors before it’s too late!

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Editor’s Features: Karen Witney Features & Subeditor: Andrea Hartshorne Co Publisher and Sales Director: Tony Weston Production: Cathy Varley Accounts: Sam Bartholomew For editorial enquiries contact Jon on: T: +44 (0)20 8306 8150 E: jon@aqua-publishing.co.uk For advertising enquiries contact Tony on: T: +44 (0)1474 813433 E: tony@aqua-publishing.co.uk For production enquiries contact Cathy on: T: +44 (0)1823 432416 E: cathy@aqua-publishing.co.uk For accounts enquiries contact Sam on: T: +44 (0)1823 430639 E: accounts@aqua-publishing.co.uk Design: Colin Halliday

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Annual subscription rates (6 issues): UK £30, Europe £50 and ROW £60 SPN is published by W: www.aqua-publishing.co.uk Printed in the UK by The Manson Group Ltd Aqua Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for any insert, display or classified advertisement included in Swimming Pool News. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure that all advertisers are reliable and reputable, Swimming PoolPNews can UBL I Sgive H I no NG assurance they will fulfil their obligations under all circumstances. The views expressed in the articles in Swimming Pool News are the contributors’ own. All rights reserved. Copyright for all materials published in SPN remains with the publishers. Material contained in this publication is not to be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior permission of Aqua Publishing Ltd.

– www.archenclosures.co.uk

Editor and Co Publisher: Jon Wadeson

letter

Cover image courtesy of Arch Enclosures

SPN incorporating Pool & Spa Industry is the official trade magazine for the UK wet leisure markets and is the only trade publication that invests in the industry it serves.

With recent news headlines in the UK and around the world, it’s very easy to conclude that we are living in extremely unprecedented and uncertain times. Whether it’s politics or protests, crime or climate change, the world definitely seems to have become a less stable place over recent months and pretty much every news bulletin contains a large dose of doom and gloom from some part of the world.

Brexit, of course, still figures heavily on a daily basis. Will we? Won’t we? The uncertainty over the last few months isn’t good for business or mindsets of the population on the whole – perhaps what is needed is a long soak in a pool or hot tub and for each individual to look after themselves and their families and not worry about factors that can’t be influenced.

And the politicians? Well many politicians could do with more than a good soak!

With the holidays now long done, the kids now back at school and with the first few chilly mornings and nights making an appearance, it feels the season finally has some closure and businesses are now using the time to reflect on a summer that was the hottest on record. Yes, I’d forgotten that fact as it doesn’t accurately tell the full story of the summer we’ve just had. Across the UK, it was in fact the 12th warmest summer on record since 1910 – so a pretty good statistic, but unusually it was also rather wet too – 7th wettest overall on record. So was it a good season? Well many businesses have been extremely hard to get hold of so I’ll take that as a sign of a successful year rather than avoidance of myself and my colleagues!

With summer behind us, autumn heralds the start of show season. So with the focus back on this latest edition of SPN, inside we take a look at exhibitions as we preview Piscina & Wellness Barcelona, Cologne’s aquanale and the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation at the NEC. We’ve also a piece on tiled spas and swim spas – a niche sector which offers flexible and bespoke solutions for both domestic and commercial markets alike – along with a piece on GMT Spas International who are celebrating ten years in business this year. High-end hot tubs are also under the spotlight as we look at premium models costing in excess of £10,000 from a variety brands.

We’ve also an in depth look at the latest enclosure solutions that are extending the swimming pool season whilst simultaneously reducing the maintenance and costs of pool ownership. Safety flooring is also covered in this issue and we take a closer look at the available under-foot options that are making wet leisure environments a safer place for all.

As if that wasn’t enough, Golden Coast’s Jamie Adams gives his opinion on automation and whether it’s always a good thing, whilst the STA take a look at the hardness of water and the challenges posed by too hard or too soft water.

We’ve also a piece from funding experts Leyton, who provide advice on the R&D Tax Credit scheme – a must read for pool and spa installers plus manufacturers too.

There’s also useful information from the BSPF, SPATA and BISHTA plus, we’ve got our round up of all the latest industry, product, people and eco news from both here in the UK and further afield.

So with everything covered, hopefully we’ve provided something for everyone in this latest issue. I hope you enjoy reading it.

Jon Wadeson - Editor PS – If you are involved within the industry and have some relevant news that you would like to appear within SPN or on our website, please do get in touch.

You can follow SPN on:

Aqua Publishing also publishes: What Pool & Hot Tub magazine – our sister publication – is the only consumer magazine in the UK that provides the complete and crucial information that potential buyers are looking for! For more information visit the What Pool & Hot Tub website at www.whatpoolandhottubmag.co.uk

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SPN October 2019 1 04/10/2019 17:17

CONTENTS

Inside This

65

25

60

45 COVER

SHOW PREVIEWS

45

SAFETY FLOORING

52

HIGH-END HOT TUBS

57

We look at Piscina Wellness, Holiday Park & Resort Innovation and Aquanale

Providing under-foot grip and enhancing wet leisure safety whatever the conditions A closer look at some of the ultimate models costing in excess of £10,000

TILED SPAS & SWIM SPAS 60

Bespoke solutions that provide the ultimate in flexibility, durability and luxury

ENCLOSURES

65

Attractive and versatile over the top solutions that can extend the pool season

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FEATURES

POOL & SPA INDUSTRY

31

STA POOL PLANT

39

The industry’s associations dedicated pages

Luke Griffiths discusses the potential issues of pool water being too hard or soft

R&D TAX CREDIT SCHEME 40

NEWS

INDUSTRY

04-12

The latest industry news, info, projects and gossip

PEOPLE

15

PRODUCT

17

New appointments and updates on industry personnel

Funding specialists Leyton take a closer look at R&D Tax Credits

Innovations and new products on the market

MANUFACTURED IN THE UK

43

HOT TUB, SWIM SPA & WELLNESS

20

OPINION

76

WORLD

25

A closer look at Chester-based GMT Spas International Golden Coast’s Jamie Adams offers some thoughts on the subject of automation

Dedicated news for this important sector All the latest news from around the world

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 04/10/2019 17:15

CONTENTS

Issue Of SPN 52

40

57 READER SERVICES DIGITAL EDITION Read this and previous editions online at www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk

BUYERS GUIDE For suppliers of products and services in the pool, spa and sauna market turn to page 71

SUBSCRIPTIONS Ensure you receive a regular copy of SPN (Swimming Pool News).

Subscribe online today at www.aqua-publishing.co.uk

FORWARD FEATURES For our forward features, please visit our website at www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 2-3_SPN_October_19_Contents.indd 3

34 Next Issue

• Filters and filter media • Dosing pumps and control systems • Swim spas – entry level and party spas • Wellness – saunas, steam and more • Pool repairs, refurbishment and renovation Plus much, much more!

SPN October 2019 3 04/10/2019 17:15

NEWS

NEWS First Look At Derby’s

All the Latest News, Info, Products and Gossip From the UK Pool and Spa Industry and Beyond

New Water Park Derby City Council has released the first images of the water park that will be part of Derby’s new pool complex at the Moorways site.

The water park will have England’s first wave generating wow ball and the first wave rider slide of its type.

More thrills will be provided by two fourstorey flumes, as well as dual racer slides where riders can race their family and friends. For younger visitors there will be a beach area and water playground with mini slides and water jets.

Councillor Robin Wood, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said: “These plans have been developed with families in mind and include a number of thrills and spills to enjoy. Once built there will certainly be more ways than ever for everyone to have fun in Derby.”

The 50m pool with moving booms and floors gives the flexibility to be turned into three separate pools in a matter of minutes. The learner pool will provide a great environment for swimmers of all ages to learn to swim and take part in water activities.

Customers will be able to relax in the sauna and steam rooms, after a swim or workout. Various other facilities complete the project including a large multi-use area will be fitted out with a family activity to complement the range of activities that are

also on offer, delivering a more extensive family experience.

Earlier this year the green light was given to build a much larger leisure water pool as part of the new complex. A capital budget of £42m has been approved to deliver and complete the whole project by late 2021.

Plans Approved For Berwick’s New Leisure Centre Berwick’s new state-of-the-art leisure centre is a step closer to reality after it was granted planning permission in September.

The £20m facility, funded by Northumberland County Council, will be built on the site of the current Swan Centre in Tweedmouth and will be run by Active Northumberland, a charitable trust that manages leisure services across the county.

Work is due to start on site in November, and will be carried out in phases to ensure that the existing centre continues to operate at all times until new facilities open to replace them. Phase 1, which includes a new swimming pool and fitness suite is due to open in April 2021. The full new building is expected to be open in summer 2022.

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Designed by GT3 Architects, the centre’s wet leisure offering includes a five-lane, 25m swimming pool, a teaching pool, leisure pool plus spa facilities.

Northumberland County Councillor Cath Homer, Cabinet Member for Culture, Arts, Leisure and Tourism, said: “I am thrilled that this planning application has been approved. It now means we are able to move forward with the development and soon offer more great opportunities for people living in the Berwick area to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“Not only will it be a fantastic facility for the local community but we want it to be a tourist destination too attracting visitors from other parts of Northumberland, the Borders, South Scotland and beyond.”

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 04/10/2019 17:18

AQUASPEED

A new generation of an industry favourite Spring 2019 sees the launch of a new generation of the popular Aquaspeed pump, which is available exclusively from Certikin.

As well as a modern look, the new model has an upgraded motor which is manufactured using the latest technology to provide an efficient and powerful pump. Despite this upgrade, there are no changes to the dimensions meaning it will still fit in perfectly to the original pump’s footprint and pipework connections.

Aquaspeed Pump

Aquaspeed ECO-V Variable Speed Pump

• Available in a choice of sizes from 0.5hp to 3hp • Solid clear lid for easy inspection of the basket • Comes with 2” quick connect unions • 316 high grade mechanical seal • Suitable for salt chlorinated pools • Hydraulically efficient impeller and diffuser design • Limited 2 year warranty • UV stabilised and corrosion resistant pump body • Straight swap for all old style Aquaspeed pumps

All the features of the Aquaspeed Pump plus: • State of the art permanent magnet brushless motor which uses components chosen for their quality performance and reliability • 3 variable programmable speeds for efficient and cost effective performance • Direct replacement for single speed Aquaspeed pumps • Rapid payback due to huge reductions in running costs

 01993 777200  info@certikin.co.uk

www.certikin.co.uk

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NEWS PWTAG CONFERENCE 2019 The PWTAG Conference features a range of vital, ground-breaking presentations and is a must-see for professionals in the pool water industry.

Following on from last year’s sell-out success, the 2019 event – taking place on Wednesday 13 November at Holywell Conference Centre in Loughborough – promises to be bigger and bolder.

As well as important updates on PWTAG’s PoolMark scheme for validating pools, there will be presentations and insights from experts in their field and trade stands from aquatics businesses.

Prices to attend are £120 for PWTAG members and £135 for non-members.

SHIPPING CONTAINER TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO PORTABLE SCHOOL POOL Swim England has revealed its latest innovative idea to help increase the number of youngsters gaining access to school swimming lessons.

The charity has purchased a shipping container which is to be transformed into a portable swimming pool.

A two lane, 10m pool will be created from the 40ft long container, which will have a deck and built-in filtration and heating unit underneath.

It would then be transported to areas across the country where schools have limited access to facilities so more youngsters could be taught how to swim and learn to enjoy the water safely.

Around one in four youngsters currently leave primary school unable to swim a minimum of 25m despite swimming being part of the national curriculum.

The container and work to transform it into a pool costs around £50,000.

The concept is not new but Swim England’s idea is believed to be the first portable shipping container pool in the country being used to improve the outcomes of school swimming.

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Chiltern’s New Lifestyle Centre Gets The Go Ahead

Following three years of intense research, planning and consultation, final plans for the new Chiltern Lifestyle Centre have been approved.

Chiltern District Council recruited leading sports and leisure planning consultancy KKP to be part of the project team, developing the strategy and assessing the feasibility for this flagship facility.

KKP and colleagues at Space & Place Architects developed the concept and design of a state-of-theart community lifestyle hub, which brings together a range of leisure activities and complementary services under the one roof.

KKP prepared the full business case for the new facility and managed the community consultation and research for the development. Over 2,500 residents took part in the community survey, which gave the Council the mandate for the investment, with many more supporting consultation events throughout the development of the project.

The Chiltern Lifestyle Centre will provide a wide range of sport, leisure and community activities and facilities including an 8-lane 25 metre swimming pool with viewing plus a diving / teaching pool alongside a kids’ splash pad area.

There will multi-functional use of the different spaces, which will be able to cater for activities and agencies ranging from youth groups, University of the 3rd Age (U3A) to diving and swimming competitions.

The old Chiltern Pools centre is no longer fit for purpose; having been built in 1965 it is not only aesthetically showing its age, but also requires urgent repair or replacement in some key areas of the facility, making it uneconomical to run longterm. The new centre has been designed to high quality standards, which will reduce the ongoing management costs that arise from operating older centres.

Demand Is Strong For Lifting Pool Floors The ever-increasing popularity for additional and multi-use space within homes or commercial properties is at an all time high. That’s the feedback from The Lifting Pool Floor Company (LPFC) who have the answer for anyone who wants to provide additional space for functions, wants to raise the swimming pool floor to different heights, completely increase the safety for their children and animals, or even who want to wow guests!

The company are one of the UK’s leading specialists in high quality lifting floors for domestic and high end commercial swimming pools and whatever the requirement, their highly flexible lifting pool floor system can be tailored to most needs.

From disappearing steps to lights and fountains, the company thrives on unusual requirements.

With just a simple click of a button, the owners lower or raise a swimming pool floor within just eight minutes. The Lifting Pool Floor Company’s unique design famously holds up to 158kg/m2 which provides owners with a great deal of confidence.

All the LPFC’s lifting floors operate using water hydraulics systems. This means no oil is used

anywhere in the system, so there’s no chance of leaks contaminating the pool.

All the company’s floors can be operated using touch screen technology so users can see exactly at what depth / level the floor is at. Links can be added to make operation possible from a smart phone or tablet. Also the floor can be monitored via the internet by LPFC’s maintenance team anywhere in the country.

Whether it’s for a brand new swimming pool installation or for an existing pool, the company can offer both design and building expertise for any project.

The Lifting Pool Floor Company 0800 035 3974 www.theliftingpoolfloorcompany.co.uk

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NEWS COUNCILLORS DECIDE TO CONSULT ON NEW POOL FOR PITSEA Councillors have voted to undertake an appraisal on the development of a swimming pool at Eversley Leisure Centre in Pitsea, Essex and to consult local people on options.

Eversley leisure centre, owned by Basildon Council and managed by Everyone Active, currently has a health and fitness suite, workout and spin studios, plus a 3G football pitch.

Councillor David Harrison, Chair of the Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces committee, said: “It’s clear that the borough needs additional swimming pool provision to meet the needs of our growing population.

“The addition of a swimming pool to Eversley leisure centre would complete the centre’s status as the sports hub for Pitsea and could be a very exciting development for the area, which has been deprived a local pool for some time now.

Splashing New Dudley Leisure Centre’s Designs Dudley Council is unveiling the latest design visuals for a brand new Dudley Leisure Centre, set to open in 2021.

The new Flood Street centre will have a 25m swimming pool, large state-of-the-art gym, five court sports hall, a number of studios to host activities such as spin classes, and an on site café.

The council, working in partnership with Alliance Leisure are sharing the very latest design visuals as insight into their exciting project. Application for planning permission is expected to follow later in the year.

The centre will benefit from excellent public transport links through the Metro and the nearby

PUDDLE DUCKS PLANS STATE-OFTHE-ART POOL Puddle Ducks, the leading baby and child swimming school franchise, has plans to open a state-of-the-art flagship swimming centre, catering to the specific requirements of babies and children, in Barons Quay, Northwich, Cheshire.

The very first Puddle Ducks classes took place in the town back in 2002, so it is fitting that the franchise is opening a flagship pool in Northwich town centre.

The new pool will also become a national teacher training centre.

Puddle Ducks has submitted a planning application for change of use from retail to D2, ‘leisure and assembly’ to enable them to create a dedicated Puddle Ducks pool. The proposed innovative use of an empty retail building demonstrates how leisure and other non-retail outlets can become a key element of a thriving high street.

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Interchange, and is part of wider major regeneration programme bringing over £1b investment to the town centre.

Council leisure centres will be retained in each of the three existing areas of the borough and alongside the new build centre in Dudley, the multi-million pound leisure programme will also see refurbishment of Crystal and Halesowen leisure centres.

The Council will use prudential borrowing to fund the investment in leisure centres. Subject to details yet to be confirmed, the total cost of work to all three centres is currently estimated to be in the region of £31m.

Throughout the development of the new site, the existing Dudley Leisure Centre will remain open.

Options for the redevelopment of the Wellington Road site are yet to be considered.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: “We are very excited to showcase latest designs for our brand new Dudley Leisure Centre.

“With the 2022 Commonwealth games coming to the region and the Metro plans set to include a nearby stop, this really is the perfect time for us to get started on this programme.”

Spade In The Ground For New Suffolk Pool Work is underway, (after ground was broken in September) on the new swimming pool at Hadleigh Pool and Leisure in Suffolk.

As part of a £2.4m investment

by Babergh District Council, with £200,000 of funds provided by Hadleigh Town Council and a Sports England grant (£150k), Hadleigh Pool and Leisure will have a new pool, expected to be completed in summer 2020.

The development will be completed by Rose Builders and will include: • Brand new pool with five 25 metre lanes • Disabled access • Changing Places toilet and shower facility • Sauna • Spectator seating.

All existing facilities including the current pool

will remain open and unaffected during most of the works.

The existing pool will be demolished towards the end of the project once the new building has been connected to the existing centre. The area will then be re-landscaped into park land, resulting in no net loss of open space.

Tracey Loynds, Development Director for Abbeycroft Leisure, said: “We are all about inspiring a healthier you and recognise that we need to improve our

customer experience with modern fit for purpose facilities.

This is a great investment for us and for the people of Hadleigh and will go a long way to supporting our community to get more active.”

Cllr Derek Davis, Babergh District Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Providing new community leisure facilities in Babergh is a real priority for us and it’s great that work is now starting in Hadleigh to do just that.

“This work takes a huge step in helping our residents of today remain healthy and active, as well as ensuring that future generations can enjoy our leisure facilities over the coming years.”

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NEWS

Ramside Spa Shortlisted For Good Spa Guide Awards

A north east spa is bubbling with excitement after being shortlisted for a prestigious industry award.

The Spa at Ramside, at County Durham’s Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa has been announced as one of the finalists for the Best Spa for Wellness category at the Good Spa Guide Awards.

Ramside, which won Best Spa for Wellness at last year’s ceremony, was the first in the UK to offer a special programme of treatments for guests whose lives have been affected by cancer, as part of the Wellness for Cancer organisation.

With five pools, guests can spend time in the award-winning hydrotherapy pool, bubble pool, 25 metre swimming pool, outdoor vitality pool and book a slot at the private infinity pool.

It is also home to a number of thermal

suites, including a herbal infused sauna, caldarium, sunken sauna and Himalayan salt steam room, and a state-of-the-art fitness suite.

And the spa, which recently expanded its offering by welcoming luxury skincare brand, Natura Bissé, regularly hosts self-discovery retreats with workshops and talks from a leading life coach.

Spa manager, Joanne Green, is delighted that the spa has been recognised for its efforts.

“The Good Spa Guide Awards is one of the most highly acclaimed in the industry and it is fantastic news to hear that we have been selected as finalists,” said Joanne.

“Wellness is something that we hold to the utmost importance here at the spa and being shortlisted for this award is a credit to the whole team.”

Greenford’s Gurnell Leisure Centre To Be Redeveloped The local council is redeveloping Gurnell Leisure Centre to provide a brand new flagship leisure facility in Greenford, West London.

The leisure centre opened in 1981 and needs a significant level of repair, which would be nearly as expensive as building a new sports centre.

Subject to planning approvals, the centre is now expected to close for redevelopment during the summer of 2020 and re-open in the spring of 2023.

Gurnell Leisure Centre will be replaced by a modern, energy efficient building that offers sport and leisure facilities to meet the needs of the local community. Building on the successes of the current swim school and swimming club and creating a first class facility for future generations.

In addition to various leisure facilities, the new leisure centre will include on the wet leisure side: • 10 lane 50 metre pool with moveable floors to provide greater capacity • Fun/leisure pool • Pool viewing areas • Sauna and steam rooms • Wet and dry changing facilities including separate family changing As well as the new leisure facilities, the regeneration will provide improved and enhanced outdoor landscaped facilities in the park area next to it.

The new facility will be funded through residential development on the site.

Knauf AMF Makes A Big Splash At University of Strathclyde When the £31m refurbishment of the University of Strathclyde’s Sports Centre took place, optimum sound control was a design imperative for the new centre. Step forward Knauf AMF whose HERADESIGN® and THERMATEX® Aquatec products were specified for the project.

220m2 of white HERADESIGN® macro was installed on the walls around the impressive six-lane 25m swimming pool. A further 1000m2 of THERMATEX® Aquatec formed the ceiling system in the adjoining changing, showering and circulation areas.

Gareth McKnight, Architect, Kennedy Fitzgerald & Associates said: “The biggest challenge was the pool hall as there are only a few systems that meet the anticorrosive criteria necessary in areas with high humidity. HERADESIGN® is one which is why we have worked with this

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product on several similar projects. Acoustic performance was also a critical factor in an area where there are a lot of hard harsh services. We worked with an acoustician to measure the reverberation times and HERADESIGN® performed well. We were looking for a white tile, to complement the interior colour scheme but the wood wool surface of HERADESIGN® micro also brought

texture, added depth and interest to the overall interior design.”

Acoustics in sports centres can be challenging. Pool areas have permanently high humidity and are usually lively noises spaces with noise reverberation from tiled surfaces whilst indoor sports halls and gyms tend to be large open hard service spaces.

Each of these environments not only need to be welcoming and built for fun they need to be safe, comfortable and conducive workplaces. Swimming instructors and sports coaches need to be able to teach and be easily heard. Importantly lifeguards need to be able to quickly identify a call for help.

Knauf AMF 0191 518 8600 www.knaufamf.com

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NEWS

Hydrotherapy Pool Gets Medical-grade Filtration At Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, the North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre offers a comprehensive, individually-tailored and family oriented approach to spinal cord injury treatment.

So, when the rehabilitation pool’s metal filters began to fail, a decision was made to upgrade the plantroom.

“The pool is a vital part of the rehabilitation process for many of the patients at Southport Hospital, so it was important that the plantroom was refurbished with high-quality longlasting filtration equipment,” explained Facilities Department Estates Officer, Ted Williams.

Limited access to the plantroom meant positioning the filters was extremely difficult and removing walls and doorways was not an option. The only access was through a narrow passage and doorway, making it impossible to use standard vertical tanks.

“The challenging nature of the plantroom meant that Waterco’s SMDT split tank filters provided the perfect solution,” Ted explained. “Ideal for retrofitting, they can be delivered in two parts and easily assembled on site in

Berkshire School Swimming Pool Officially Opened

the plant room.”

Along with fitting Waterco’s 2 x Hydron SMDT1600 split tank filters and dual pressure gauge panels, Aqua Thermae UK – the specialists in sports and hydrotherapy pools – also installed Waterco’s Glass Pearl filter media and 2 x Hydrostar 7hp pumps in the plantroom.

“Over a number of years, we have installed Waterco equipment on many of the pools that we have built and where plantrooms have been refurbished,” explained Aqua Thermae UK Managing Director Richard Bishop. “It is important for us and our customers to know that we install products of the highest quality and that is what we get from Waterco along with the highest level of customer service and product support.”

Thanks to Waterco’s innovations and proprietary methods, spinal trauma patients now have access to crystal clear hydrotherapy water and a pool that will be used for years to come.

Waterco Europe 01795 521733 www.waterco.eu

Friday 13 September 2019 marked a day of huge excitement and celebration at St Georges School in Ascot, Berkshire as the new swimming pool complex was officially unveiled.

The £5.6m facility, which took just over 12 months to complete, was opened by sports presenter, journalist and alumna Kirsty Gallacher in the presence of Governors, Staff, Parents and Pupils. The impressive indoor six-lane, 25m swimming pool adjoins the existing school sports hall and boasts a stunning view of the school’s extensive playing fields through the magnificent south-facing panoramic windows.

Commenting on the new pool, Mrs Hewer said: “I am thrilled with this incredibly impressive facility and the future opportunities this will now offer for both performance swimmers and for health, exercise and enjoyment for everyone. With the introduction of our new 11+ and 13+ swimming scholarships last year, I am confident that we will inspire and develop the next generation of elite swimmers. Our Swim Squad has already used the pool to train this week, using the new equipment ahead of their first gala next week. As well as a new facility for our current pupils and staff, we have already hosted our first local swimming lessons and we look forward to opening up our venue to other schools and clubs in the local community.”

The architects for the project were Windsor based firm, Edgington Spink & Hyne and the building contractors were Kingerlee Ltd.

Contura Provides The Perfect Pool Cover Fit When Smallbone Pools had a customer with very specific requirements for a new pool cover, they turned to leading distributor Golden Coast for advice.

The customer in Suffolk knew they wanted a slatted cover, but an in-ground cover wasn’t an option. Smallbone got in contact with Golden Coast to see what they could recommend.

Having discussed the available options, Golden Coast suggested the Contura, the latest model from French manufacturer DEL. Although the Contura had not yet been officially released in the UK, it was the ideal fit for this customer’s requirements so Golden Coast got permission from DEL

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to specify it to Smallbone Pools ahead of time. This meant it could be sent out as soon as it launched.

Managing Director of Smallbone Pools, Dean Smallbone explained the situation: “I had a great chat with Luke at Golden Coast and we went over their whole range of covers. The customer absolutely loved the look of the Contura.

It was nothing like the other systems they had seen on the market and looked incredibly sleek and modern, which is exactly what they were after.”

The successor to the popular DEL Dune series, the Contura features a stylish curved bracket design in a metallic

grey aluminium which is highly resistant to scratches and impacts.

Contura is offered with either PVC or solar polycarbonate slats, which are available in a range of colours to match the environment and can be locked at both ends using the Pushlock system to completely secure the pool.

Dean Smallbone concluded: “I am really happy with the project

and the cover looks fantastic. We initially had concerns because the pool wasn’t square, but the polycarbonate slats were made to order and fit like a glove. It was a great result and the customer loved it.”

Golden Coast 01271 378100 www.goldenc.com

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PEOPLE NEWS

Virgin Get Active With STA Virgin Active and STA have announced a new exciting partnership, which will see the leading health club chain become the first to roll out STA’s new Pool Lifeguard qualification nationally as part of its commitment to raising professional standards and providing enhanced, and more flexible training opportunities for its workforce.

The partnership will see Virgin Active create its own national training framework, powered

by STA, a national governing body and an official awarding organisation partner for CIMSPA. Further, as part of Virgin Active’s aims to consolidate training providers and work with a single awarding organisation for aquatics that is both nationally and internationally recognised, STA’s First Aid and Pool Plant qualifications will also form an integral part of the new partnership moving forward.

This is all in addition to STA’s Swimming Teaching qualifications, which are already successfully embedded into Virgin Active’s health club network.

Pip Werbinski, People Development Director at Virgin Active, says the new partnership with STA provides Virgin Active multiple benefits, both

operationally and commercially, and for the benefit of staff and customers.

She said: “By creating our own national training framework under the governance of STA’s Approved Training Centre model, we can radically transform how we manage and deliver staff training across our national network. Importantly, this will enable us to control, plan and standardise the quality of training our internal tutors deliver, in line with our own staffing and commercial requirements – in addition to opening up opportunities for us to deliver external STA training courses and new local recruitment channels.”

With STA recently aligning its Pool Lifeguard revalidation process with First Aid at Work, Virgin Active will also be able to create a more robust three-year competency plan and for the first time, each club will have the flexibility to organise on going refresher lifeguard training at a time that suits their needs, and with minimum disruption to customers.

STA 01922 645097 www.sta.co.uk

Everyone Active Contract Putting Water Safety First A new agreement is helping to keep swimmers safe and standards high in pools across the country.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has signed a three-year deal with Everyone Active, the UK’s longestestablished leisure contractor, to continue their commitment to training lifeguards.

Everyone Active’s lifeguards will continue to be qualified in the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), which meets CIMSPA’s professional standard for lifeguarding.

The deal also sees Everyone Active commit to upskilling its colleagues to become RLSS UK NPLQ Trainer Assessors.

This will empower current team members to train the next wave of lifeguards coming through, as well as providing ongoing training to support their roles.

Everyone Active, which operates 190 leisure facilities across the country, has also secured a deal with RLSS UK’s strategic partner, Swim England, to encourage more people to get involved in aquatic activity.

“The safety and comfort of our customers is our number one priority at all times, so the continuation of our relationship with RLSS UK makes perfect sense,” said Jacqui Tillman, head of swimming at Everyone Active.

“Our mission is to get ‘everyone active’ and our pool offering is a crucial part of that.

We want both our customers and team members to have confidence in the rigorous training standards we set, ensuring everyone can enjoy the water safely every time they visit our pools.”

RLSS UK’s Director of Commercial Operations, Jo Talbot said: “As the leading provider of water safety training and education, having Everyone Active onboard with us for another three years is a real coup for us.

“They mirror our dedication to ensuring that people can enjoy all the health and well-being benefits of the water, safely.”

RLSS UK 0300 323 0096 www.rlss.org.uk

Huw Edwards Appointed New CEO Of ukactive At the end of July, Huw Edwards was appointed as the new CEO of ukactive, the not-for-profit health body.

The ukactive Board confirmed that Huw will lead the organisation on a permanent basis, following the previous four months in his position as Acting CEO. Huw has been Director of ukactive’s Public Affairs, Communications and Research Department for the past three years and played an integral role in the

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development of the organisation’s new fouryear business plan.

In June he opened one of the sector’s biggest events, Active Uprising, calling for a ‘cultural shift’ across government, in order for it to recognise the crucial role that the physical activity sector can play in improving the nation’s health.

He has been influential in

developing ukactive’s relationship with key stakeholders including Sport England, and also serves as the Leisure Sector Disability Champion, as appointed by the Department of Work and Pensions.

Huw succeeds former CEO Steven Ward, who joined Ingesport as Chief Transformation Officer in April after 13 years with ukactive, which he joined as an intern.

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PRODUCT / ECO NEWS

Calorex Launches New Range Of Inverter Heat Pumps It is with great excitement that Calorex can unveil their first range of inverter heat pumps the I-PAC and V-PAC. These stylish and modern looking heat pumps are designed in the UK and come with a three-year on site parts and labour warranty.

They will be part of the Calorex heat pump range that already includes the HPP. The new inverter heat pumps replace the PRO-PAC and come in a side and top outlet with the I-PAC and V-PAC air temperature range from -5°C – 43°C and the I-PAC+ down to -10°C. Inverter heat pump technology allows for efficient control of the pool temperature with the I-PAC/V-PAC only using what energy is needed when it is required.

High efficiency with modulating step-less inverter compressor gives an average COP of 10.3 (I-PAC+), 9.7 (I-PAC) and 10.7

The New FlexiTester – A New Generation Of Pooltesters

(V-PAC) which is twice as efficient as the older models.

With a focus on the environment and complying with the new F-Gas regulations in Europe, our new heat pumps will use the low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant R32. It will require less refrigerant volume per kW and is easier to reuse and recycle.

Wi-Fi is built into the I-PAC and I-PAC+ machines with an App (available January 2020) for remote control. They can also be set to two modes, ‘boost’ for quick start-up and ‘whisper’ for super quiet day to day running. This is a great feature as it lets you control the temperature of your swimming pool remotely, so it’s always ready for you to dive into when you get home.

The new Calorex inverter heat pumps will be sold exclusively by their pool partner Certikin in the UK. Certikin International 01993 777200 www.certikin.co.uk

Pooltesters are widely considered as a quick and reliable tool to measure the most important water values but unfortunately, they only provide up to three parameters plus the colour chart for comparisons is usually divided in steps, meaning it is sometimes difficult to make a match.

The new FlexiTester from Water-i.d. is about to fix these shortcomings and allows users more flexibility.

The tester itself is used like a regular pooltester.

Water is scooped, a tablet is added and the water develops a colour. Differing from a pooltester, where the colour is compared to a chart, the FlexiTester comes with colour sticks that are inserted into the tester. The colour is graduated and not in steps like on a pooltester, so sliding the stick up and down ensures a perfect match.

Additionally, by having the colour chart on a stick, the user is not limited to only a few parameters.

Water-i.d. offers sticks for up to 25 different parameters, including the most common ones for pools, such as pH, chlorine, active oxygen etc.

When purchasing the FlexiTester, the user can choose which parameter-sticks and reagents are included, whilst always having the option to order other parameter-sticks and reagents later on.

Water-i.d. is a German based manufacturer and distributor of water testing equipment which has won several awards for innovation. With a wide range of products, such as pooltesters, test strips, tablet reagents, photometers, comparators and electronic meters, they are able to cover the needs of many different industries.

Water-i.d. +49 721 782 0290 www.water-id.com

Commercial Robotic Pool Cleaner Hire From Kaltech Kaltech have been selling Aquabot robotic pool cleaners in the UK for 15 years and are so confident with their quality and performance that they now offer long term hire for commercial pool cleaners.

Aquabot are the brand leaders in robotic pool cleaners. The commercial range has been specifically designed for commercial use, providing effective cleaning of all pools up to Olympic size. The machines automatically map out their cleaning route to ensure all areas of the pool are left thoroughly cleaned with no supervision, drastically reducing the number of man hours needed to clean a pool. All commercial

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machines come with remote control for targeted cleaning.

Kaltech have listened to their customers over the years and know that the main problems commercial pools face when it comes to robotic pool cleaning machines is a lack of funding for the purchase of a machine and impossible budgeting for inevitable maintenance and repair bills. Also, most importantly, pools are often left without a functioning machine for long periods of time whilst repairs are carried out.

Long term robotic pool cleaner hire means the customer always has a working pool cleaner.

In the unlikely event of

a problem with the machine, it is Kaltech’s responsibility to repair it and more importantly at their cost. Even consumable parts are included. All problems are dealt with within 48 hours and if the machine needs parts, a replacement machine will be provided. Hire payments are fixed and made monthly, so budgets can be easily managed. No outright purchase cost and no expensive repair bills.

We offer free demonstrations so you can see the ease of use and excellent cleaning results for yourself.

Kaltech 01684 252251 www.kal-tech.co.uk

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PRODUCT / ECO NEWS

GripClad® – Overflowing With Practicality Providing a simple solution for overflow drainage channels, GripClad® GRP Composite Mini-Mesh Grating is ideal for swimming pools with square straight deck level overflow channels. Operator David Lloyd Leisure identified this and for the past five years realised that such a product is one of the most practical ways in which to grid out the overflows on their large pool areas.

Available in any colour, the product’s configuration is 20mm x 20mm pitch dimension (middle bar to middle bar) and 12mm x 12mm is the aperture actual square hole size. The depth

ranges from 14mm, 22mm, 30mm or 38mm.

GripClad® collects larger debris which can be easily removed and not able to collect in the balance tanks and pumps strainers. Other benefits of the grating include: • It doesn’t break up like interlocking plastics grating • It doesn’t float in the drain channel because it cannot break • It is anti-slip and kind to bare-feet and safe for adults and children • It is much stronger than what you have sitting in your channel right now • It doesn’t lift out with surface movement GripClad® specialises in GRP Composites, and this covers antislip solutions and safety access. The product offers many innovations and also high strength at low cost and low weight.

The company cut to dimensions supplied to them, but they always like to have a chat to ensure customers are happy with their process and that they can answer any questions and customers can respond to theirs.

GripClad® GRP Composite MiniMesh Grating allows opportunities for increased safety, and is considered to be a leading material choice.

In fact, the manufacturer’s claim there’s only one downside to specifying the product – and that’s a lead times of 10 to 12 weeks from the placement of order!

GripClad Ltd 02380 406796 www.gripclad.co.uk

PoolLab 1.0 – One For Everyone!

Testing pool water can be a real pain. Is the pH-value balanced? Is there still enough chlorine in water? Is the alkalinity (acid capacity) and cyanuric acid (stabiliser) in an acceptable range?

Test strips and pooltesters are frequently used as photometers seemed to be reserved for professionals simply because they are expensive. Luckily, times have changed and Water-i.d. have launched an inexpensive photometer that everyone can afford! The new PoolLab 1.0 photometer is easy to use, gives accurate results of 11 pool parameters (tested on 3 wavelengths!) and even comes with Bluetooth, a powerful App and software which synchronise via a cloud server, free of charge. Test results can be downloaded via the App/ software and individual water treatment chemicals can be stored and used to let software and App calculate a dosage recommendation for a pool or spa’s water.

The built-in cuvette can be changed, if required.

The PoolLab is waterproof to IP68 and simply needs to dipped in the pool to scoop the water used to perform the test.

Six buttons allow direct access to all 11 test procedures and the PoolLab comes with reagent tablets (for most common parameters) a stirring rod and a syringe.

If PoolLab isn’t your first choice, Water-i.d. also offers a wide selection of pooltesters and test strips too.

Water-i.d. +49 721 782 0290 www.water-id.com

HeatForm® – The Insulated Pool Panel That Doesn’t Cost The Earth Available from Lighthouse, HeatForm insulated pool panels are the convenient way to build a high quality in-ground or aboveground swimming pool in gardens, spas or schools, whilst helping the planet at the same time.

Traditional liner pools have been around for over 50 years and the main build technology has not really changed. Building a concrete ‘pool-basin’, rendering it, and then putting a liner in takes a lot of time and energy. The HeatForm pool system has transformed the swimming pool construction process, utilising a fibreglass panel system that gives the ability to erect the pool walls for a 10m x 5m pool in the course of a

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single day (and the best part is it can be done in any weather).

HeatForm’s insulation reduces energy consumption significantly compared to traditional in-ground concrete pools.

Not only reducing the amount of energy being wasted through heat loss, but also helping the environment by using empty plastic (PET) bottles to form the insulated section of the pool wall. Made of 100% post-consumer (recycled) PET material, the Armacell green foam core meets not only stringent technical requirements for composites but also follows the guidelines for circular economy and helps to preserve and enhance the human environment. In

addition, HeatForm pool panels help comply to building regulations Part-L U-Values, providing assurance that the pool is adhering to the latest regulations.

The HeatForm panel system can be used for any pool size; from plunge pools (2m x 2m), exercise pools (4m x 2m), domestic fun pools (7m x 3.5m), right up to spa and school pools (25m x 8m). The panel system is flexible and easy to install and can be adjusted in half a metre increments depending on requirements.

Lighthouse 01752 253525 www.heatform.co.uk

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HOT TUB, SWIM SPA & WELLNESS NEWS

Another First For The Spa Leisure Industry Park Leisure Solutions have announced the launch of a brand new, all in one spa water auto-fill, quality monitoring and inline treatment system. The new product, coupled with their award-winning Climacube, offers park operators the complete solution for the running and maintenance of spas – ensuring the most cost effective way to fill, heat, dose and drain each.

HSE Guidelines for holiday park hot tubs and spas recommends twice daily monitoring of the chemical and pH balance of the water used to determine free chlorine levels, fixed chlorine levels, pH and alkalinity. Ensuring safe use for customers and where necessary treating water and dosing the hot tub according to the measurement results.

In addition, to make the most effective use of chemical dosing – which will save money, help the environment, and provide customers with a more enjoyable hot tub experience – tracking the hot tub’s temperature and UV exposure can be extremely beneficial.

However within a park environment, it can

also be very time consuming and costly.

That’s why Park Leisure Solutions has developed, and now offer the new monitoring and delivery system. It will, in real time, monitor everything automatically, sending updates about the hot tub’s chemical dosing needs over a Wi-Fi network to a smartphone,

Graham (centre) with Superior Spas Managing Director Rob Carlin (right) and Sales Director Gareth Ward (left)

A Superior Move For Graham With major expansion in full flow, Superior Spas are pleased to welcome a hot tub industry veteran to their team to help spearhead the launch of a new American brand into the UK market.

With over 20 years’ experience, Graham Message brings extensive knowledge of the hot tub industry to Superior Spas and has a proven track record of dealer support. Graham said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to join Rob and his team at Superior Spas in the midst of their expansion process and be a part of something special.

“I have been very fortunate to have worked alongside a few leading hot tub manufacturers over the years where I’ve gained a variety of experiences and knowledge that I can hopefully pass on in my new role with Superior Spas.”

Graham joins Superior following a successful and enjoyable seven years with Aqua Warehouse Group. “I like to thank Richard Hart for having the trust in me over the years and allowing me to help built his business to where it stands today. I am especially proud of the work I achieved there and I truly wish him and his team continued success for the future,” said Graham.

So why the move to Superior Spas? “I’ve watched with interest the growth of Superior over the last few years and listened to many of their existing dealers praise the work they do. I personally feel it was the right time to take on a new challenge and I’m really excited to be joining Superior,” explained Graham.

Superior Spas 01246 559 071 www.superiorspas.co.uk

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from anywhere in the world.

The new system will auto adjust the dosing levels in line to create the correct water balance for the hot tub or users can adjust remotely if required.

When fitted to a single or a hundred hot tubs, the system can remotely monitor, track, record and inline dose each individual unit in real time and produce the necessary performance data for both maintenance and health and safety departments when required. It will save man hours on change over days and monitoring plus takes the guesswork out of maintenance, leading to more efficient and effective dosing.

Park Leisure Solutions 01202 691166 www.parkleisuresolutions.co.uk

Jacuzzi® And Hydropool Announce UK Integration Plan Jacuzzi Brands LLC recently announced the integration of their three successful businesses in the UK – Hydropool Europe, Jacuzzi Spa and Bath Ltd and Hydropool UK. Jacuzzi Brands LLC first acquired Hydropool in 2017 and as a leading supplier of hot tubs and swim spas around the world, Hydropool has proven to be an exciting and complementary addition to Jacuzzi’s already impressive portfolio.

The union of these wellness powerhouses provides a unique opportunity to develop and deliver an enhanced customer experience within the spa industry in the UK. Duncan Simcox will take up the position of Managing Director for all three business, spearheading the new blended organisation as it moves towards an exciting future. Duncan has played an instrumental role in the growth of Jacuzzi for the past 17 years, leading its UK

offices as Managing Director of Jacuzzi Spa and Bath Ltd since 2012.

Lloyd Burden will take up a new role as Sales Director, using his 26 years of experience within the industry to strategically drive all Jacuzzi brands within the UK including Jacuzzi®, Sundance® Spas and Hydropool. Lloyd will also maintain his responsibilites as VP of International Sales for Hydropool in Europe and other territories.

Jacuzzi Spa and Bath Ltd 0113 272 7430 www.jacuzzi.co.uk

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HOT TUB, SWIM SPA & WELLNESS

VIRTUS™ Combines Hydrotherapy And Great Design

Designed for the hospitality market and created by Dodo Arslan, an Italian designer ranked by Taschen among the 90 best designers, the Jacuzzi® VIRTUS™ is a large hot tub – 250 x 215 cm – that can comfortably accommodate up to six people. The inner shell appears moulded by water into soft and enveloping lines and guarantees an effective and complete wellness path. The seats, with different inclination and depth, are designed to offer a hydrotherapy experience targeted to specific body areas from head to toe. VIRTUS™ is the perfect place to share a moment of wellness, have fun and relax.

VIRTUS™ is the first freestanding spa with integrated compensation tanks and polymer filter – those characteristics make the installation easier, without dedicated technical compartments plus, the overflow and the automatic refill keep the water at the perfect level.

Available with electric heater, heat

exchanger or heat pump Jacuzzi® EcoHeat™, VIRTUS™ is the best solution for energy saving. Moreover it can be equipped with the cooling pump Jacuzzi® CoolPower™ that cools the water down to 10°, even in the hottest days. Inspired by Nautilus, the shell has a spiral shape that drains the water quickly and completely, avoiding stagnation.

With VIRTUS™, Jacuzzi® confirms itself as one of the leaders in the wellness and hospitality market, thanks to its long experience alongside specialists of these fields.

This latest model is a versatile and cutting-edge spa that meets the needs of both private and professional users, with energy savings, easy maintenance and low running costs.

Along with the added value of Jacuzzi® design and technology.

Jacuzzi Spa and Bath Ltd 0113 272 7430 www.jacuzzi.co.uk

The FITT B-Active Flexible Spiral Hose For 50 years, FITT has been developing fluid-conveying solutions for industrial use, the construction sector, water pipelines and for professional and household gardening applications.

FITT B-Active is the company’s latest innovation. This flexible spiral hose is used to draw-off and run water, and is suitable for hot tubs, swim spas and above-ground pools. It is the ultimate product designed by FITT’s R&D team to solve major setbacks during installation and maintenance of these products. It’s very easy and quick to install, features 50% more resistance than traditional hoses and it has an innovative protection from internal chemical aggression to guarantee significantly lower maintenance costs.

The hose inside is lined with a special patented film that offers extensive protection against high-chlorine water (CDS – Chlorine Defence System) and acidic environments, guaranteeing lasting performance.

FITT B-Active is made in PVC-P and inside of it there is a D-Shape spiral which is extremely resistant to crushing (up to 34 kN/sqm). The D-Shape spiral guarantees high flexibility and a smaller radius of curvature (up to 125 mm), which makes installation easier also in case of uneven terrain.

The rigid spiral is itself covered by a lining (Spiral Protection Barrier) which acts as a barrier that prevents premature embrittlement due to environmental stress cracking (ESC).

It’s manufactured with patented technologies and characterised by an indelible marking under the membrane that guarantees traceability.

FITT B-Active is a totally Made in Italy hose that offers double security thanks to ten year insurance coverage and warranty.

FITT +39 44 446 1000 www.fitt.com

Dose The Easy Way With The Aquasparkle Bromine Pod The AquaSPArkle Bromine Pod is a revolutionary pre-filled adjustable bromine dosing product from Complete Pool Controls for domestic hot tubs, and spas in holiday let locations subject to HSG282 guidelines. It is designed to be used in conjunction with Darlly’s SaniStreamTM filter range, or in proprietary in-built dosing units by way of the adaptor clip included with each pack of three Pods.

Easy to install and use, the cost-effective Bromine Pod offers a number of key user benefits over using a floating dispenser or hand dosing chemicals. They include: • Does not require removal while bathers are using the hot tub • Adjustable, allowing steady, controllable release of bromine • Does not require the purchase of additional expensive chemical dosing equipment • Allows easy access to a technician or home

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owner for inspection and replacement • Compatible with the world’s most popular hot tub brands and models.

When it comes to hot tubs in a commercial setting, the Bromine Pod allows compliance with Sec. 76 of HSG282 for hot tubs installed in holiday lets, lodges etc.

HSG282 states hot tubs must be ‘disinfected using bromine or chlorine through the use of an inline disinfectant feeder’ and the AquaSPArkle Bromine Pod meets this and provides a simple, safe and cost-effective sanitisation solution for any hot tub and keeps chemicals away from bathers.

Complete Pool Controls 01242 662700 www.cpc-chemicals.co.uk

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WORLD NEWS

IN BRIEF GENERAL-TOWER AQUIRES FRANCE’S ALKOR DRAKA INDUSTRIES Canadian company GeneralTower Ltd (CGT), a leading global provider of coated fabric and film products and solutions, has announced the acquisition of France-based AlkorDraka Industries, specialists in the formulation of plastic films and producers of pool liner membranes. CGT has successfully acquired the assets and retained the employees of the company, serving as a further milestone in the company’s global growth strategy. Effective immediately, the new trade names for the European business will be CGT Alkor.

With 60 years of experience and expertise in calendering, printing and laminating, Alkor employs a team of highly skilled and dedicated employees and is recognised on a global scale for its commitment to quality, technology and innovation.

As a previous supplier of highquality pool liners to CGT Europe, AlkorDraka Industries now covers eight business sectors.

The acquisition will provide CGT with a highly strategic base of operations in Europe, adding to the company’s existing portfolio in North America and China.

TEAM HORNER™ CELEBRATES 50 YEARS! This year, the Team Horner Group, an integrated manufacturer, wholesale distributor and global exporter of swimming pool equipment and supplies, are celebrated worldwide in honour of 50 years in business. It all started back in 1969 by Earl Horner with three employees and one warehouse.

In 1972, Dr Bill Kent bought into the company and became sole owner a year later. Now, there are nearly 500 employees in 19 locations and customers in over 110 countries. This is quite an accomplishment for Dr Kent, current CEO of Team Horner Group, who sold the company to the employees in 2016.

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NIVEKO Pool Complements Architecture Of German Family Home A carefully thought out domestic pool installation should result in the perfect visual balance of the residence itself, the pool and any surrounding areas. A great example of this is shown here with the architectural style of this new German home in Lower Saxony being preserved in the adjacent garden, the main feature of which is a stunning NIVEKO Advance pool.

The home belongs to the young family and after consultation with their local pool supplier, the opted for a 10m x 3.5m NIVEKO OverflowAdvance (Whisper variant), chosen with a Grey finish.

Fitted with a slatted cover

and Binder counter-current unit, the pool is can be ready for action at a moment’s notice and whether it’s used during the day or at night, it always blends seamlessly into it’s minimalist surroundings.

Speaking about the pool, the owner said: “We got ourselves a pool mainly as a way to relax and cool off in the hot summer months. We contacted the firm which had previously delivered our jacuzzi, wanting a pool which would be exactly according to our requirements, and not a mass-produced pool.

They recommended NIVEKO, and we were very impressed with their range of overflow

pools. We opted for the amazing Advance overflow pool in combination with natural stone. We also very much liked the material the pool is made from, as well as the chance to order it in an individual design. We appreciated the 3D visualization we were shown after the pool specifications had been approved, too. If we had to decide again, we’d definitely choose another NIVEKO pool, except that we’d change the size – 2m longer and 1m wider!”

NIVEKO s.r.o. +420 572 693 246 www.niveko-pools.com

BIO-UV Group Acquires Suez’s Triogen Brand BIO-UV Group a specialist in UV water treatment systems, recently announced is the acquisition of 100% of Triogen Holdings Limited and its subsidiary Suez Purification and Disinfection Systems Ltd (together known as ‘Triogen’), a global specialist in the design and manufacturing of water treatment systems using ozone, UV and AOP (Advanced Oxidation Process) technologies.

The acquisition, with a price of £6,290,000, was partly financed through the company’s own funds, with the remainder financed by debt (bank loan, financing from Bpifrance Financement and a bond issue).

Triogen has designed, manufactured and sold water treatment solutions using ozone, ultraviolet (UV) and advanced oxidation processes (AOP) for over 30 years. Its solutions are used in the

leisure industry, aquariums and aquaculture.

Triogen is based in Scotland and employs 35 people.

In 2018, it generated revenues of €8m (30% in UV and 70% in ozone) and its EBITDA amounted to 10% of revenues.

The acquisition also marks a decisive step forward with the launch of a strategic partnership and sales agreement between BIO-UV Group and a company that is part of the SUEZ WTS division.

Alongside the acquisition of Triogen, sales and licencing agreements were signed. Under the sales agreement entered into for an initial term of four years, the company part of the SUEZ WTS division has undertaken to purchase a minimum amount of licenced products manufactured by the new entity from BIO-UV Group, for a period of three years.

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WORLD NEWS

Santorini Welcomes One Of The Island’s Largest Pools There are many reasons for guests to visit the OMMA Santorini luxury boutique hotel, but one will be for the new facility’s amazing swimming pool and it sure to feature on many bucket lists!

As well as being one of the largest pools on the island, the OMMA signature pool definitely gets a high entry within the ‘Santorini’s most impressive’ chart due to its multiple levels and infinity edge. What’s more, the exclusive luxury boutique hotel in Imerovigl is surrounded by lush greenery and sits high on Santorini’s Caldera. It has been designed to integrate with its unique geography, maximising space and views. Its prime position features stunning 360 degree views of the Aegean Sea from the back and

PHTA Announces New President And CEO

visible form, making it appear unsupported.

Only Splinter Works slides use this doubleskinned design.

Water is released in a series of outlets that cool the entire sliding surface in the sun, making it nice and slippy, and giving added whoosh to the ride for thrill seekers young and old! Water also flows through the handrails keeping them cool to the touch.

Made from marine-grade stainless steel, it will not corrode, and is built to last a lifetime.

Made from sheets of stainless steel, it was meticulously crafted by hand, and formed into the sculptural structure by the eye of skilled artisans.

Safety is engineered into all Splinter Works’ luxury water slides from the outset.

With grip underfoot and drain holes on the steps, and an easy-to-grab handrail that is incorporated seamlessly into the sculpture, the water slides are designed to comply with European or US safety standards (BS EN 1069-1 2010 or CPSC Code of Federal Regulations 16 part 1207).

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) announced the appointment of Sabeena Hickman, CAE as PHTA’s President and Chief Executive Officer and Staff Liaison to the Board of Directors. Hickman brings more than 20 years of relevant association experience to her new role, having previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

Hickman replaces PHTA President and CEO Lawrence Caniglia. Caniglia will continue in an advisory role to aid in the transition.

“We are delighted that Sabeena has accepted the position of President and CEO at PHTA,” said Chris Curcio, PHTA Chairman of the Board. “She has been a proven consensus builder in industries of similar size and scope to ours, and with her valuable professional background, she can take her pivotal role and energize and grow our industry. I believe that given the key changes over the past year with the unification process, Sabeena has the traction and vision to strengthen PHTA’s leadership role in a very positive and inclusive way.”

“PHTA is at the forefront of all issues affecting pools, spas and hot tubs. We work for the greater good of the stakeholders in our industry,” said Hickman. “I am excited to be a part of PHTA. We are positioned to continue to develop in demand and quality industry educational programming, protect and support the interests of our members, and promote the benefits of the safe enjoyment of water. The potential to effect positive change has never been as great as where we are now.”

“I congratulate Sabeena on her appointment and look forward to working with her on the transition,” said Caniglia.

“I am highly confident that under her leadership, PHTA will prosper long into the future.”

Splinter Works Ltd 01225 464957 www.splinterworks.co.uk

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance +1 703 838 0083 www.phta.org

Caldera views from the front and guests are able to take this all in from the comfort of a sleek double sun lounger with a cool cocktail in hand.

Thirty individually-styled suites and rooms (including villas), each with private terrace, welcome all types of travellers. If visitors ever manage to leave the poolside, a spa with many advanced signature treatments using pioneering products awaits them.

Named after the Ancient Greek word for vision, OMMA Santorini focuses on providing guests with the element of discovery through all senses and is more than a luxury stay. The hotel aims to provide guests with a new way of living.

New Reflex Water Slide Carves Out Some Family Downtime Splinter Works are delighted to share their latest outdoor pool slide commission for a family located in New York State. The Reflex water slide was designed to add hours of endless pool-side fun for all the family and to serve as a sculptural highlight to enhance its spectacular setting. The beguiling reflections of the mirror-polished stainless steel subtly echo the lush gardens, working in harmony with its surroundings.

The alluringly simple shape of the curving arc, looks like childs-play, but under the skin it has been intelligently engineered so it is free of visible structural armature, fixtures and fittings.

This is achieved using their pioneering double skinned technique, which allows them to create extraordinary shapes by hiding the structure of the slide inside its

26 October 2019 SPN 25+26_SPN_October_19_World_News.indd 26

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 04/10/2019 18:18

POOL

EQ

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Photo credit : shutterstock • jpe 2019

UI

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SCP Head Office & Distribution Centre 1 Church Road - Lowfield Heath Crawley - West Sussex - RH11 0PQ Tel : 01293 546 126 / 01268 273 040 Fax : 01293 528 442 / 01268 273 041 info.uk@scppool.com - www.scpeurope.com

HEAT PUMPS

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WORLD NEWS

First Ever Worldwide Hot-tub-athon Launches Circular Aquatic Centre Design Revealed After Year Of Secrecy

In Australia, City of Parramatta Council has revealed the concept design for a new aquatic and leisure centre, following an announcement by Minister for Sport John Sidoti that the State Government and Council will co-fund the project.

The winning design for the aquatic centre – by Andrew Burges Architects, Grimshaw Architects, and McGregor Coxall – was chosen from a shortlist of four exceptional entries following a high-calibre international Design Excellence Competition.

The contemporary aquatic centre will meet the current and future needs of a rapidly growing population. With more than a million visitors expected to use this facility each year, the new aquatic centre will be used for swimming carnivals, training and competition, and offer essential learn to swim programmes. The venue will be a place to relax and cool off in the summer months and provide a range of additional health and wellness offerings all year round.

The design of the aquatic leisure centre, which was informed by extensive community consultation, will feature a 10-lane 50m outdoor pool; 25m indoor pool; learn-to-swim facilities; café; fitness centre and parking facilities.

Unique features include sensitive integration with the site’s parkland surrounds, a generous use of space and light, as well as single-level accessible entry and pathways. The design also takes into account the heritage, topography and other constraints of the Mays Hill Precinct, Parramatta Park site.

Additional detailed design work will now commence with a view to lodging a Development Application in 2020.

Aquatics Empowered – a charitable organisation who helps the disabled, service members, children, elderly, and those in need of aquatic therapy from all non-profits – has launched the first ever worldwide hot-tub-athon!

The newly formed US-based charity has set the dates for its inaugural worldwide fundraising event, Hot Tubbing For Hope, for 15 and 16 November 2019.

Troy Derheim, founder and Executive Director, stated: “I couldn’t be more excited bringing people together worldwide to share a smile in a hot tub or pool.”

Hot Tubbing For Hope a first of its kind event asking people worldwide to gather friends, family, or co-workers find a hot tub or pool, plan a get together, then share photos or videos of the group participating.

Aquatics Empowered is a non-profit whose mission brings awareness to the value aquatic therapy provides. The charity helps communities establish aquatic facilities and maintain them profitably. The non-profit is the go-to resource for all other charities making sure all have access to aquatic therapy. Aquatics Empowered helps elderly, veterans, children, disabled, and even animals find resources for aquatic therapy.

The Charity is challenging all groups or teams participating to submit photos or short videos for event awards. Awards will be judged on fun and creativity of the photo or video. Each category will win an award for the ‘best of class submission’.

The event will be broadcast live via the internet and the charity will be broadcasting participants around the world from established local event hub hosts.

Aquatics Empowered +1 888 923 2782 www.aquaticsempowered.org

US Utility Patent Granted For World’s First Beach Entry Fibreglass Pool Designs Indiana fibreglass pool manufacturer Thursday Pools, a leader in innovation and design in the fibreglass pool industry, has received US Utility Patent No. 10,358,837 for their Beach Entry Fibreglass Pool designs. (The design is patent-pending.)

“It’s immensely rewarding to receive the utility patent for the beach entry fibreglass pool because it’s the result of years of work from our product and design team,” said COO Ed Vondell.

“Fibreglass pool owners have been asking for this feature, and we’re excited to be the first and only manufacturer to offer the option of a true beach entry, or zeroentry, fibreglass pool design.”

Thursday Pools is offering this innovation in two beach entry designs: • Grace: a rectangular beach entry design, available in three sizes.

• Sandal: a freeform beach entry design, available in two sizes.

28 October 2019 SPN 28_SPN_October_19_World_News.indd 28

Benefits of the beach entry design include: • A gently sloping, non-skid pool entry that eliminates the need for stairs, allowing for easy entrance and exit • A shallow spot for small children to play and for sunbathers to sit and enjoy both the sun’s rays and the cooling water • The luxury feel of a high-end resort in the privacy of your own garden.

“This season, several Thursday Pools dealers have installed one of our two new beach entry fibreglass pool designs. Their customers love the many features and having a day at the beach in their own backyards,” Vondell concluded.

Thursday Pools +1 877 929 7665 www.thursdaypools.com

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FAIRLOCKS FLOLUX FP APR19.qxp_Layout 1 11/03/2019 10:10 Page 1

An incomparable stainless steel finish for luxury pools and spas

The Flolux finish ensures every aspect of a luxury pool or spa is visually and functionally of the highest calibre. With a focus on innovative design, aesthetic excellence and quality craftsmanship, the uncompromising Flolux range is a revolution in safety, elegance and incomparable finishing for concrete pools and spas.

Flolux facias: are designed and sculpted from marine grade stainless steel; are polished for a superior, first-class finish; and are safely secured to the high-grade PVC backing through the FloLock System.

Fairlocks Pool Products are proud to have been supplying Flolux since 2012.

EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, QUALITY PRODUCTS 14 Hanborough Business Park, Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire, OX29 8LH, UK T: 01865 988346 | E: info@fairlocks.co.uk | W: www.fairlocks.co.uk

POOL & SPA INDUSTRY

Key Dates For Autumnal Diaries In this penultimate issue of the year, BSPF Managing Director Chris Hayes highlights a number of key industry events taking place through October and November

T

he deadline for entries into the 2020 British Pool & Hot Tub Awards (hosted by BISHTA and SPATA at the Industry Gala Evening at SPATEX) is fast approaching (Friday 25 October) with entries able to be submitted online. Members should ensure that they enter, to give themselves an opportunity to win an award and thereby also be in with a chance of being shortlisted for the EUSA Awards in 2020. The Industry Gala Evening is open to the whole industry and seats (or tables) can be booked via the BSPF office, seats are priced at just £71.95 + VAT per person (the Cut-Off Booking Date is Friday 10 January 2020).

I am very grateful for the generous sponsorship from a number of companies in the industry, and their logos appear below.

Previous winners of the British Pool & Hot Tub Awards were shortlisted earlier this year and entered into the European Pool and Spa Awards for 2019. The award-winners are due to be announced at aquanale, in Cologne on Thursday 7 November. There is a total of seven categories for domestic pools, spas and hot tubs and so good luck to all of the UK nominated companies which will be announced in a future issue of SPN. This time of year sees many industry events, including the annual Information and Networking Days for both BISHTA and SPATA which are being held in Andover and Doncaster. The respective dates for BISHTA are Wednesday 2 October (Andover) and Wednesday 23 October (Doncaster). For

SPATA, the dates (and venues) are Thursday 3 October (Andover) and Thursday 24 October (Doncaster). A wide range of industry and external speakers are being assembled for these days, and BISHTA members can expect updates on industry standards, workforce education, consumer credit finance, CE marking and dealing with rogue traders. Meanwhile, SPATA members will hear more about key items from the inspection process, learning lessons from some of the recent disputes, and how to deal with difficult customers. Our friends at Nsure will be giving an update on some key insurance matters (especially regarding PI insurance) and Leisure Energy (a relatively new member) will be explaining how they have extended the services that SPATA members can offer the industry. There will be updates on industry standards, guidance, regulations and there will also be a session on how members can make the most of their membership.

SPATA will also be arranging a Regional meeting in East Anglia on Tuesday 26 November and subject to demand; there may be at least one other Regional meeting organised, so look out for details in SPATA News.

Both BISHTA and SPATA members are also members of the BSPF, and the AGMs for all three of these companies will be held on Thursday 28 November in Andover. Feedback on the BSPF will be sought at both the BISHTA and SPATA annual Information and Networking Days to be shared at the BSPF AGM, overseen

by BSPF President, Will Dando.

As we may now be nearing the time when BREXIT is due to take place, there will be various updates to provide to the industry when it is clear what changes will be required in the way that we all work. Irrespective of this outcome, the UK pool and hot tub

This time of year, sees many industry events, including the annual Information and Networking Days for both BISHTA and SPATA which are being held in Andover and Doncaster”

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industry will continue to have a strong representation at both a European and world level through EUSA and WAPSA, respectively.

It is very important to continue to invest time and resources in working with our colleagues to ensure good communication is maintained and enhanced.

In terms of working to British and European Standards, these should continue to operate as usual, as they are industry standards (rather than legislation generated by the European Union). Standards currently being developed include public spas and public saunas (CEN TC 136 WG16) and a domestic pool standard focusing on their environmental impact. These standards are not expected to be ready for at least 18 months to two years, but when they are, they will be added to SPATA’s BSOL online package, at the service renewal deadline in April.

DIARY DATES 2019 11 Oct

STA Conference, Stratford Upon Avon 14 Oct WAPSA Meeting, Barcelona, Spain 22-24 Oct BISHTA & NICEIC Electrical Course, Walsall 23 Oct BISHTA Annual Info & Networking Day – North, Doncaster 24 Oct SPATA Annual Info & Networking Day – North, Doncaster 5 Nov PIP Committee, WebEx 7 Nov EUSA Awards 2019 Cologne, Germany 12 Nov SPATA Technical Committee, WebEx 14 Nov Sauna & Steam Course, Barnstaple 26 Nov East Anglia Regional Meeting, Maldon 28 Nov SPATA National Council and AGM 28 Nov BSPF AGM 28 Nov BISHTA Committee and AGM, Andover

SPN October 2019 31 04/10/2019 17:40

POOL & SPA INDUSTRY

Design And Construct Professional Indemnity – Warning Of A Market In Turmoil If you are not already aware, the professional indemnity market for the construction sector has changed, and not for the better, with many firms facing increased premiums and restrictions in cover. Specialist insurance broker Nsure highlight the reasons for the change, and if you offer advice, design or specification as part of your service to customers, why you need professional indemnity cover WHY ARE PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY PREMIUMS INCREASING? Many professional indemnity insurers are losing money. Lloyds, who have the biggest market share, lost £2billion in 2017 and £1billion in 2018 and a subsequent strategic review placed professional indemnity in the ‘top’ three worstperforming classes. Professional indemnity had lost £435m over six years, and Financial Services and Construction (Design and Construct) were identified this as the worst sectors. Syndicates have been told to clean up their act or stop writing business (some have), and other non-Lloyd insurers have followed suit.

Expecting significant losses from the Grenfell tragedy, insurers had already reacted with increased premiums and restricted cover, not only for the cladding industry but also those involved in high-rise buildings or fire protection. Following the Lloyds review, this has now spread to other construction risks, including the wet leisure industry.

Expect your professional indemnity premium to increase, and you may also face cover restrictions. For example, one insurer has increased minimum premiums from £1,500 to £10,000 and is changing indemnity limits from ‘any one claim’ to an aggregate limit for the year, a change which may affect contractual agreements.

The renewal process may take longer with insurers needing detailed information about your activities and these, along with your claims record, will dictate the extent your premium increases or cover is restricted.

Underwriters are less worried about smaller external, residential contracts; it is the luxury multi-million-pound projects in highrise properties or larger commercial projects that are their concern. The more expensive and complex the project, the more the likelihood of an intricate and therefore expensive claim in rectifying a problem.

This is hard on policyholders with a clean claims record, although not all insurers are reacting so severely (see later) but first,

32 October 2019 SPN 36_SPN_October_19_NSURE.indd 32

some information about why firms need professional indemnity insurance.

WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE? Known as Design and Construct in the construction industry, the cover is provided for your ‘Professional Activities’. If you provide advice, design or specification to your customers, by law, you owe them a duty of care. If you breach that duty of care, you may face a claim for compensation. Professional Indemnity policies cover the costs of defending claims and pay the compensation if the defence is unsuccessful.

ISN’T THAT COVERED BY PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE? Public Liability covers your legal liability should someone be injured, or their property damaged resulting from your negligence.

There can be some cross overs with professional indemnity, but public liability does not cover pure financial loss claims arising from your ‘professional’ wrongdoing or omissions, including rectification of what went wrong and associated delays.

Even if you are blameless, defending accusations of wrongdoing can be expensive.

Customers demand high standards and will complain if things go wrong, with many having legal expenses insurance to fund the pursuit of claims against you.

The cover is not just for companies with specialist design departments, increasingly professional indemnity insurance is a contractual requirement, even for contractors with little involvement in or who subcontract the design element of the project.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG? Common issues are with the design or specification of materials or equipment, particularly waterproofing, and when the pool is a subcontracted element of a larger project, there is the added complication of other contractors and who was at fault?

The notification of ‘circumstances’ that

could lead to claims can be contentious.

Insurers take a hard line when there is late notification, but some policyholders are reluctant to notify issues until they are sure a claim will emerge, worried the notification may increase their premium.

While understandable, this is usually unfounded as insurers expect some notifications, especially from larger companies, and generally only react to actual claims. However, when to notify can depend on the exact wording of your policy which will usually either be ‘may’ or ‘likely’ to give rise to a claim, although the safest course is always to notify your insurers.

AND FINALLY, SOMETHING MORE POSITIVE With over 20 years’ experience of arranging professional indemnity insurance for the wet leisure industry, Nsure has developed relationships with insurers and are working exclusively with a Lloyds insurer (one of the profitable ones) who offer competitive premiums and cover to meet contractual requirements. There are still deals to be done for well-run companies, and we can help you highlight favourable risk information to underwriters. However, it is worth noting that due to some idiosyncrasies of the market, whether insurers offer terms may depend on their relationship with the broker and may not quote at all if the ‘wrong’ route to market is taken. In short, it is best to contact us early, not as a last resort.

Professional Indemnity insurance can be complicated and for further information see our factsheet www.nsureinsurance.co.uk/ factsheets/professional-indemnity Nsure 01903 520200 www.nsureinsurance.co.uk

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POOL & SPA INDUSTRY

How To Reduce The Risk Of Non-payment Unfortunately, securing full payment for completed projects isn’t always a given, but there are ways to minimise their problems as Paul Slinger, a Partner and member of Wright Hassall LLP’s Construction & Engineering Department explains

G

etting paid is, in most cases, the most important aim of a business.

All too often it proves to be a frustratingly difficult goal, and any organisation will have a tipping point which, if surpassed, will lead to insolvency.

Most organisations choose not to give credit (often because it is such a fight to obtain it themselves), but in circumstances where some customers seem keen to take it anyway, how can you minimise the risk of late or non-payment and take control of the payment process?

To achieve the greatest certainty of obtaining payment, a clearly identifiable contract with terms and conditions should apply to each sale or transaction, and it should deal with both the amount and time for payment. That is only ‘one side of the coin’ however because it should also be clearly recorded exactly what is to be provided in return for payment and when.

Many non-payment or reduced-payment scenarios arise because the paying party disputes that it has received what was expected, so allowing any grey areas in terms of scope of deliverables opens the door to time-consuming and potentially costly disputes. It goes without saying that to secure full payment, the contract must have been complied with. If you cannot meet your promises, including the requirement to meet any third-party standard or specification, then not only might you not get paid, but you could end up being liable for damages to somebody too.

If the full contract price cannot realistically be paid at the point of agreeing on the contract (or indeed if it is not even known), then an initial payment on account can minimise the initial risk and also quickly establishes if the customer does indeed have

the financial wherewithal to proceed. It is worth a discussion with your insurance broker about whether credit insurance could offer your business some protection too.

If debts do start to arise, establish why as quickly as possible. If somebody alleges that there has been a breach of contract, that can and should be addressed before it becomes a larger problem. If no reasons are given, then it makes any later attempt to argue such a breach look more tenuous.

If you are unable to contract on your terms and conditions, which is often the case with larger purchases, then make sure that you understand all of the terms and conditions that the other party wants to impose.

Beware in particular of ‘condition precedent’ clauses which, if not strictly complied with, will prevent you from being paid; and retention clauses that allow them to retain a percentage of your money unless and until particular conditions are met.

Beware also of what lawyers like to call “the battle of the forms” where the parties to a contract fire salvos of terms and conditions at each other in the hope that theirs will prevail.

The outcome of this is always fact-dependent, so it is a high-risk strategy for anyone to assume that they have already ‘won’.

The above points for consideration are

Many non-payment or reduced-payment scenarios arise because the paying party disputes that it has received what was expected, so allowing any grey areas in terms of scope of deliverables opens the door to time-consuming and potentially costly disputes” 34 October 2019 SPN 34_SPN_October_19_Wright_Hassall.indd 34

true of any contract for the supply of goods and services, but if you are carrying out a construction project, then there is further legislation in the form of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (as amended). This act contains mechanisms to assist you in receiving regular interim or stage payments (including a right to suspend your work until paid); securing a final payment; and also contains an adjudication regime which is a quick and relatively inexpensive way of securing payment for the works done. This legislation exists because the UK government has realised that cashflow is the lifeblood of the construction industry and contractors / sub-contractors often have to front-load investment in work and materials and then wait for payment.

If a true impasse does arise, then experience dictates that it is better to grasp the nettle sooner rather than later, when there is less at stake and when firm positions have not yet been taken. The early threat of court proceedings, statutory demands or winding-up petitions, despite being muchused, can often be highly counter-productive.

Establishing some key points and principles for discussion instead can give a relatively consensual route to resolution. Working with lawyers and relevant experts can identify strengths to make the most of, and weaknesses to avoid.

Adjudication, arbitration and court proceedings will ultimately determine who is right and can give an enforceable judgment leading to payment, but will always constitute a gamble, so should usually be a route of last resort.

Wright Hassall 01926 883049 www.wrighthassall.co.uk

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 04/10/2019 17:41

POOL & SPA INDUSTRY

Does SEO Matter? Only If You Value Your Business With a small but powerful team working across the UK and Europe, Webkick are a boutique agency who help to build brands and in this issue, they highlight the importance of Search Engine Optimisation

A

way of creating, collating and curating your online presence specifically for search engines, Search Engine Optimisation (or ‘SEO’) is one of the most valuable activities you could invest in online; often making the difference between a great looking website with high amounts of traffic and a great looking website with almost no traffic at all.

GET YOUR WEBSITE FOUND Yes, creating a great looking website is important, but if no-one finds it, there’s almost no point in having it; rendering it arguably as meaningful as forging a new service and not letting anyone know that you’re offering it!

And what happens if no-one knows about it? No-one will buy into it.

SEO makes sure everything on your website is ‘search engine friendly’ and created in the best way for search engines like the almighty Google to understand and index each page appropriately; ensuring that your online presence appears in Search Engine Page Results (known as ‘SERPs’) for terms and words relevant to you and your audience.

CREATE MEANINGFUL, HELPFUL CONTENT But it’s this – the idea of relevance – that’s most prominent in SEO, and is arguably what the entire practice hinges on; ensuring your content is relevant to your audience.

As the world’s largest search engine, Google is forever learning from its users

and putting its discoveries into practice to create the most meaningful user experience it possibly can – constantly amending and shifting its practices to ensure that, at all times, it’s serving up content that’s both relevant and helpful to its users.

And, as Google learns from its users and develops its practices, so too does it develop an ever-deeper understanding of online content; almost single-handedly creating the bible of online experiences – AKA Google Webmaster.

INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH RELEVANT KEYWORDS Much of this quest for meaningful, helpful content rests on the use of keywords and keyphrases.

Keywords and keyphrases are simply specific words and terms users search for on search engines, like ‘private swimming pool’ or ‘pool’ and, depending on how often or how prominently these specific words and phrases are used on different pages of your site, depends on what keywords and keyphrases you’ll appear for in SERPs. For example, if you use the term ‘swim spas’ in the URL, headline, first paragraph, and the body of the text on one of your pages, the said page will likely appear prominently in search engines for the term ‘swim spas’.

SEO ISN’T JUST CONTENT However, SEO isn’t just about content.

Although content naturally plays a large part in SEO, the practice also takes technical

ranking signals into account which, if you don’t get right, could counteract the work you do on your content.

While we won’t go into too much detail on the technical side of things, we will say that factors like slow-loading pages and large images which weigh your site down are key technical elements you’ll want to look out for.

THE DOS AND DON’TS OF SEO FOR BEGINNERS DO:

Pay attention to your Analytics – it provides you with valuable data on how users are engaging with your website.

Compress your images – multiple heavy images can slow your site down and impact your rankings (there are lots of free image compression tools out there!).

Blog! – search engines love fresh, relevant content, and users love informative content; blogging is a ‘win-win’!

DON’T:

Overuse keywords and phrases – there is a very specific way to use keywords and phrases on your pages; overuse them, and search engines will see it as ‘keyword stuffing’ which could end up in your site being penalised.

Create a bank of blog posts and publish them all on one day – space them out to keep them relevant and fresh.

Forget to link to your site – the vast majority of your online activity, like your social media posts, should always link back to specific pages of your website; allowing users to click through and learn more about your business.

And for more about SEO; the dos, the don’ts, and what’s involved, we’ve created an easy to follow A-Z guide, available at www.webkick. co.uk/seoaz Webkick 01264 300008 www.webkick.co.uk

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 35_SPN_October_19_SEO.indd 35

SPN October 2019 35 04/10/2019 17:41

POOL & SPA INDUSTRY

SPATEX’S 2020 Vision

With four months still to go, and with exhibition space being snapped up fast, forecasters predict an early sell-out for SPATEX 2020 – the industry’s only dedicated water leisure expo – as it goes ‘green’ and ‘big’!

T

aking place Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 January, SPATEX returns to the Ericsson Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry in 2020 and there will be an obvious environmental edge to the three-day show.

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE WORD! Pool water turning green is, of course, a poolie’s worst nightmare but, in these desperate ‘Save the Planet’ times, a pool that goes green, in the eco-friendly sense, is ticking all the right boxes. Always looking to move with the times, the industry’s 2020 Show is adopting and promoting an ecofriendly approach.

Organiser, Michele Bridle, said: “Conscious of climate change, the depletion of the world’s natural resources and the need to reduce the Industry’s dependency on plastic, the SPATEX team feel that we should be doing ‘our bit’ to promote a greater awareness of the environment. After all, we can all make a difference. We have taken a long hard look at our operation and come up with ways in which we can take a more sustainable direction for 2020.

The regular SPATEX exhibitor and visitor should see quite a number of changes, both in the exhibition hall and at SPATEX’s traditional networking party which this year

will be appropriately ‘Green Themed’. From supplying recyclable lanyards, compostable containers and cutlery, minimal food packaging, the provision of recycling bins in the exhibition hall through to the ‘SPATEX Goes Green’ networking event on Wednesday 29 January… we will be endeavouring, wherever possible, to have sustainability at the forefront of all we do and will be encouraging our visitors and exhibitors to follow suit.”

With the double seminar programme playing such an integral part in SPATEX’s visitor experience, it is of course only natural that the 2020 ‘Green Theme’ is extended to the free-to-attend ISPE workshops in Arena 1 and the parallel seminar programme in Arena 2. Alongside a raft of many other important and relevant topics, there will be technical and inspirational talks on how we can all play our part in becoming more eco-aware. Take for instance: • Arena 1, Weds 29 Jan 11.00-11.30: Energy Savings for your Pool by Will Dando – the use of pool covers and other technology to lower running costs.

• Arena 1, Weds 29 Jan 1.30-1.50: Energy Savings via the use of automatic valves by Jimmy Lamb.

• Arena 1, Thurs 30 Jan 11.15-11.45: Water Conservation for your Pool by Will Dando.

Conscious of climate change, the depletion of the world’s natural resources and the need to reduce the Industry’s dependency on plastic, the SPATEX team feel that we should be doing ‘our bit’ to promote a greater awareness of the environment” 36 October 2019 SPN 36_SPN_October_19_SPATEX.indd 36

ISPE General Secretary, Ross Alcock, said: “The ISPE SPATEX 2020 programme features 16 new titles and at least six sessions with an environment-friendly theme. Once again it will offer visitors the chance to gather information, pick up new tips and advice and/ or find something interesting or new that’s useful for their business. For ‘seasoned’ SPATEX visitors, with its ever-changing dynamics and themes, the 2020 edition will offer a multitude of things that will be new, and for those who have been pondering whether to attend SPATEX or not, 2020 has surely got to be the year to give it a go!”

SPATEX is, of course, the ideal hunting ground to source new products and innovations.

New ways to save energy will of course be high on the hundred plus international and domestic exhibitors’ agenda, so expect lots of new products and special offers that support a low energy, low carbon footprint.

EARLY SELL-OUT Michele is delighted with how much space has so far been sold and said: “It’s heartening to see so many companies returning and requesting larger stands, for example Aqua Warehouse Group, AstralPool, SCP, Spa Solutions, Dryden Aqua, Paramount Pools, Lighthouse, Ardex, Blue Whale Spas, Ocea, Passion Spas, Spa Parts Vortex have all requested more space. This is coupled with a significant number of new companies entering the fray for the first time. The ingredients are all coming together for what promises to be a very dynamic, exciting exhibition.”

SPATEX 01264 358558 www.spatex.co.uk

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STA POOL PLANT – HARD WATER

How Hard Is Your Water?

Ensuring the correct levels of chemicals and minerals in a swimming pool is vital to keeping a pool and bathers healthy. Luke Griffiths, Qualification Development Manager (Pool Plant) at STA’s awarding organisation’ Safety Training Awards, discusses the potential issues of swimming pool water being too hard or soft here with James Dyer from Aqua Cure, who recently launched a hard water postcode check.

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o, what do we mean by these terms, too hard or too soft, and how can each be prevented?

HARD, SOFT OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN? Ideally swimming pool water should contain sufficient hardness. Soft water can be more of an issue to swimming pools but excessively hard water can also pose problems.

Hard water has a high presence of dissolved minerals in the water supply, predominately magnesium and calcium. These minerals are the major contributors to scale, and excessive levels can cause damage to swimming pools, blocking pipework and injectors, as well as developing unsightly white residue or ‘scale’ left in and around pool surfaces.

Water that is too soft can also create issues with the water needing to have some calcium content to avoid it becoming corrosive.

If swimming pool water is too soft, the water will have corrosive tendencies and may seek to balance itself by absorbing calcium directly from the pool walls and other surfaces that contain calcium, including metal components such as heaters and railings.

In the UK and Republic of Ireland, the South East of both countries generally have harder water than the West, although there are exceptions to this rule and mains water can vary not only in terms of location, but day to day in some areas depending on the water sources used by the water companies. Most water companies will provide detailed information on the characteristics of the water.

Mains water should be tested prior to designing a swimming pool plant and selecting which chemicals to use; and at least monthly afterwards to ensure operators know what the properties are and allow them to adapt to any changes in characteristics. For an idea of the level of water hardness in your area, take a look online at Aqua Cure’s Water Hardness Postcode Checker and map of water hardness.

HOW DO YOU TREAT HARD WATER? Understanding the properties of the mains water allows swimming pool operators to select chemicals that complement their particular type of water. For example, once pool operators know whether their pool is supplied with hard or soft water they can make an informed decision on which disinfectant is most suitable. For pools supplied with soft water, choosing calcium hypochlorite for disinfection will increase the levels of hardness in the water and reduce the risk of corrosion. For pools supplied with very hard water, they may prefer to use sodium hypochlorite as using calcium hypochlorite can result in increased scaling of pipework. However, calcium hypochlorite can still provide excellent water quality in areas supplied with lower levels of hard water.

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Hard to very hard

Medium to hard

Soft to moderately hard

In addition to understanding if mains water is hard or soft, other properties to test mains water for include free chlorine, total chlorine, combined chlorine, pH, total alkalinity and total dissolved solids (TDS). It is clear that the characteristics of mains water does have a huge impact on the chemical choices for swimming pools.

Understanding the properties from the start and ongoing monitoring go a long way towards continued safe and efficient operation. As well as cost savings on chemicals, maintenance and repairs.

The STA Level 3 Award in Pool Plant Operations covers in more details the various considerations and options for pools supplied with different water characteristics. The qualification has CIMSPA professional endorsement for meeting the employer-led pool plant operative professional standard, and covers all that operators need to ensure safe, clear and hygienic water practices in pools, spas and interactive water features.

Aqua Cure 01704 516916 www.aquacure.co.uk Safety Training Awards 01922 645097 www.safetytrainingawards.co.uk

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R&D TAX CREDIT SCHEME

Could You Reclaim A Quarter Of Your Costs On Bespoke Projects?

In this issue, funding specialists Leyton take a closer look at R&D Tax Credits, something many companies across the wet leisure sector are missing out on due to a lack of understanding on what activities qualify

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usinesses in the pool and spa sector carrying out bespoke, innovative and challenging work on a daily basis could be eligible for financial rewards from government schemes. Companies who take advantage of this funding are able to reinvest the money back into their business and embark on more challenging projects.

However, many companies are not taking advantage of what has the potential to be one of the most lucrative funding streams for the industry, and despite the sector being rife with unique design and construction activity, currently just 20% of companies in the swimming pool sector are claiming through the R&D Tax Scheme.

Perhaps excessive red tape is preventing many growing SMEs from unlocking this benefit? Or complex claim processes are deterring businesses from completing the necessary technical reports? In reality, analysis from Leyton indicates that many companies in the sector could be underclaiming due to a lack of understanding about what work legitimately qualifies for this benefit.

ABOUT THE SCHEME Designed to reward financially innovative businesses for carrying out technically challenging work, the Government is looking to inject an additional £2.8 billion into the R&D Tax Credit scheme over the next three years. Regardless what happens with Brexit, businesses who successfully claim through the scheme can expect to recover between 25% and 33% of their R&D costs.

“If a business is undertaking technical challenges in their projects, a significant proportion of their development costs can be reclaimed. The scope for qualifying companies should not be underestimated and many businesses are unaware that the work they do qualifies for the scheme,” explained Dr Peter Clark, Technical Consultant at Leyton. Additionally, if a company’s innovation can be attributed from one project and the same development is applied to other work, then it is also worth exploring the costs

across the entirety of the work.

For the wet leisure industry, the scheme means companies can increase their price competitiveness. For example, if Company X is tendering for a project worth £400,000, they would be in a position to make an offer of £300,000 because they are able to take into consideration that they can claim back some of the money invested in the project.

This example can be extrapolated to extremes of £30,000 to £40,000 and £3m to £4m.

This allows these companies to be more financially competitive moving forwards.

CHALLENGES WITHIN THE SECTOR We all know that balancing cash flow is often a headache within the wet leisure industry, so another benefit of the scheme is that it can be used retrospectively, with businesses able to claim back on two years of expenditure. In this case, the cash injection can be a timely benefit for companies in the industry looking to free up much-needed capital, or simply provide a financial boost for growing businesses.

To put this into context, Leyton work with a 12-man swimming pool contractor, the client was able to obtain the equivalent of three working salaries in the form of a cash injection as a result of their claim. This helped them to relieve a lingering cash-flow problem and compete for larger and often more bespoke projects by budgeting a ¼ of their costs from the scheme. It also provides

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a buffer to realign their business strategy and help achieve their wider business goals.

In terms of the pool and spa construction market, no two projects are the same and the bespoke nature of the market aids a perfect fit for this scheme in particular.

For example, if a pool is being built on an unusual gradient, has complex surrounding infrastructure such as a basement or listed building, or there is a unique aspect to the job, it is likely to qualify for the scheme.

NEXT STEPS Leyton are looking to raise awareness of their work across the wet leisure industry and partner with businesses to help fund their innovation more efficiently. Additionally, we are acutely aware of the specific challenges faced in the industry, for example subcontractor employment, and maintaining the same high standards in order to prevent tarnishing employer reputations. We work on a percentage success fee, so you aren’t liable for any upfront costs. Through an initial conversation with one of our expert team, we can assess the likelihood of your business qualifying for the scheme.

Leyton would love to hear from businesses who are looking to grow in staff size, market share or international presence. We pride ourselves in finding openings in businesses that others can’t see and exploiting these to create value efficiently. In an industry overflowing with innovation, businesses in the swimming pool and spa sector should act now to ensure they don’t miss out on the tax benefits available to them.

Leyton 020 7043 2300 www.leyton.com

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MOSAIC TILED SPA MANUFACTURERS |

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l Marine quality materials l 3D design imagery l Stress analysis calculation l Attention to detail and excellent customer relations l Dedicated manufacturer – Trade only l We don’t install – no conflict of interest l Excellent after sales service l Graduate design team l Domestic and commercial l NEW website coming soon!

COME AND VISIT US AND SEE OUR AMAZING SHOW SPA AT SPATEX 2020 STAND D33

Tel: 01244 629252 E-mail: sales@gmtspas.com Web: www.gmtspas.com

MANUFACTURED IN THE UK

GMT Celebrates 10 Years Of Unique Tiled Solutions In this issue, we take a closer look at Chester-based GMT Spas International, who are celebrating 10 years of producing bespoke and luxurious tiled spas, swim spas and hydrotherapy pools for the UK and international trade

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orn out of the concept to manufacture superior quality spas, using the best materials available GMT Spas International was set up by Managing Director Darren Tillyer in 2009. Based in Chester, GMT are a dynamic mosaic tiled spa manufacturing company. The company has brought together one of the most experienced teams of spa builders and designers to create what they believe is the finest range of mosaic tiled spas, swim spas and hydrotherapy pools on the international market. The GMT team draws from a combined total of over a century of extensive experience within the spa industry and has been involved with many innovative and award winning projects.

THE TEAM Darren Tillyer comes from an engineering background and has a vast knowledge of every aspect of the business, gained from many years’ experience in the spa industry.

After he founded the company, he was swiftly joined by Financial Director Vincent Dyas who has a background in both computer programming and accountancy, giving the advantage of being able to write bespoke software to complement GMT’s Management systems. Iain Green BSc(Hons) ComputerAided Design (CAD) and Jordan Barnes BSc(Hons) Product Design Engineering (PDE) run the drawing office. Their role is to model bespoke projects in 3D and provide visual and technical information through drawings and rendered imagery. Using 3D models ensures streamlining of all aspects of the manufacture process from access and interference issues to the structural integrity of the company’s products through FEA Simulation Analysis. They work closely with architects, designers and clients to ensure the desired outcome. Gaynor Welsh works as an accounts assistant and administrator. She is responsible for the day to day running of the office, invoicing and purchasing and is usually the first point of contact for clients and suppliers. The conscientious and highly

talented factory workforce is second to none, hard working and diligent they have a wealth of experience in the spa industry.

THE ETHOS GMT’s ethos is quality first, from design to delivery. Design is of paramount importance but the finish is what’s seen – aesthetics are everything. With this in mind and after careful and precise manufacture of the shell, the company’s superb tilers go to work paying meticulous attention to detail. GMT work closely with designers, architects and pool installers merging their extensive knowledge and flair to produce bespoke luxurious spas, swim spas and hydrotherapy pools to fulfil the needs of the most exacting clients. The company have been involved in many award winning and elaborate projects and the graduate run drawing office uses the latest 3-D design and stress testing technology to produce working drawings and 3D renders for clients. This enables GMT to produce precise manufacture plans. For example modelling pipe work and equipment in tight spaces can easily highlight any problems before any factory or site work begins which dramatically cuts installation costs. As each project is unique and GMT firmly believe that excellent communication and customer service are the key to a successful project.

Their highly qualified and experienced individuals will also ensure that emphasis

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is placed on outstanding delivery every time. GMT Spas International are uniquely placed within the spa industry, as they are the only UK spa manufacturer not to install.

This unique business model of supplying to the trade only and not installing, enables them to concentrate on, and remain true to their ethos of manufacturing superb high end products. It also gives assurance to customers that they will never compete for contracts. Using the finest marine quality materials and the expertise of GMT’s experienced workforce, the company are able to produce a range of pools that are as unique and individual as their clients, who include international footballers, film directors, film stars, music legends and even royalty.

THE ANNIVERSARY To celebrate 10 years in business this year, in 2018 GMT decided to implement three new initiatives. The first was to join trade body SPATA. The second was to become ISO 9001: 2015 quality management systems compliant and the third was to launch a brand new website. All three of these elements are in place and demonstrate the serious approach to quality by the company and reflect GMT’s desire to provide the best solutions to their customers.

THE FUTURE GMT are committed to manufacture a quality product for each and every customer, be that a spa from their standard range or an exclusive design. Whatever the scenario, the aim is the same – to leave a “legacy of excellence and a heritage of trust”. The desire for bespoke, out of the ordinary and something different continues to grow. Add to this the endless tile design and colour, jet configuration, lighting and water features that are now available, the finish of any project can be truly unique, GMT’s aim is to capture the essence of the customer’s dream and translate it into a stunning reality. Going forward the company intend to keep abreast of new products and technologies which will enhance their products and keep them ahead of the game.

GMT Spas International 01244 629252 www.gmtspas.com

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SHOW PREVIEWS

It’s Show Season!

With the domestic and international show season just weeks away, we preview three industry exhibitions taking place this autumn – Piscina & Wellness Barcelona, aquanale in Cologne and the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show at Birmingham’s NEC By Jon Wadeson

PISCINA & WELLNESS BARCELONA 2019 BRINGS TOGETHER INDUSTRY LEADERS Piscina & Wellness Barcelona celebrates its 25th anniversary with a renewed commitment to innovation, sustainability and internationalisation, the three values that have guided it from the beginning. In its next edition, it will be showing off the latest technological solutions and services of the ‘smart, connected and eco-efficient swimming pool’, as well as offering a global vision of residential and public swimming pools, aquatic facilities, and a large display of wellness, spa and fitness equipment.

Organised by Fira de Barcelona in collaboration with the Spanish Association of Pool Professionals, Piscina & Wellness Barcelona will bring together more than 350 exhibitors from 25 countries and more than 500 brands in 35,000m2 of raw exhibition

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space from 15 to 18 October at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue. This represents a 12% increase in the number of stands and surface area it occupied with respect to the previous edition, held in 2017.

The trade show places more emphasis than ever on innovation and will be demonstrating the latest product innovations, technologies and eco-efficient solutions that improve sustainability, control and automation of remote maintenance and, above all, the pool user experience.

The Chairman of the fair’s organising committee and Executive Chairman of Fluidra, Eloi Planes, explained: “Concepts such as health, sport, wellness, connectivity and caring for the environment are revolutionising the world of swimming pools.

“Market growth depends on the incorporation of innovative and high quality products, as well as high added value services in aquatic facilities”. In this respect, Piscina & Wellness Barcelona is the best

showcase to find out about the coming trends and how to apply them both in new facilities and in existing ones.

In order to share experiences and information and to show the innovation that drives the sector, the trade show will feature the ‘Innovation Zone’, a space where the most innovative products in the trade fair will be exhibited as well as the winners of the 2019 Pool & Wellness Awards. There will also be the exhibition ‘IoT Smart Water’ with digital solutions applied to pool controls and maintenance, a consulting area on internationalisation and financing for companies, and the Startup.font, where a dozen technology-based companies will present their projects and business concepts related to water and wellness and participate in meetings with investors from the Keiretsu Forum network.

The fair brings together the entire value chain of swimming pool products for residential and public use, as well as

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SHOW PREVIEWS facilities, equipment and accessories related to wellness, spa and fitness.

The equipment, products and services designed especially for tourist establishments such as hotels and camp-sites, health and wellness centres, leisure and sports facilities, will once again be an important part of the overall offering of the fair, with special emphasis on wellness and spa and in aquatic facilities for recreational use.

In addition, for the third consecutive edition, the Wellness Experience space will be re-created once more. It’s a complete wellness centre that will allow visitors to see the technical systems required for its operation, consult experts and learn about the latest trends in design, equipment and technology, as well as services and treatments that can be offered. The event will also be the setting for the Wellness

Experience Professional Conference, in which more than 20 experts will participate as speakers, and several micro-workshops and demonstrations of aquatic therapies such as H2O Mindfulness, Thermal Yoga, Aqua Elastic, Ai-Chi or Bahiku.

Piscina & Wellness Barcelona will also be hosting various conferences, including the 4th Aquatic Leisure Symposium, which will debate issues related to the safety and management of swimming pools and recreational facilities at hotels, camp-sites and holiday resorts. There will also be a series of conferences dedicated to public swimming pools and sports centres, a seminar organised by the Fitness Management School focusing on the search for a balance between humanisation and technology, and several conferences related to digitalisation, sustainability and hotel

UK MANUFACTURED KEY THEME FOR PLASTICA IN BARCELONA Plastica will be exhibiting at this year’s Piscina & Wellness Pool Show in Barcelona in Hall 2 of the British Pavillion. They will be focusing on their strengths, which are UK manufacturing, high quality products and vast employee experience for the benefit of their customers.

The Plastica stand will include: • Argonaut Pump and AG Pump – Sales are on the increase since manufacturing these in-house.

• The AG and AV pumps are the best choice for small and medium sized pools with their superior build quality and performance.

• Slidelock Reel System – One of Plastica’s best sellers and widely regarded as the best domestic reel system available. Manufactured from polished stainless steel and anodised aluminium. The Slidelock T-model has been designed to flat-pack, specifically for their export market, helping to save on costs.

• Solar Covers – Plastica manufacture a range of heat retention covers designed to minimise heat loss. In fact, over 90% of a pool’s heat is lost through its water surface, so the need to apply this makes financial sense.

• Pool Liners – Plastica have been an established liner manufacturer since 1976 – no other UK liner producer has their wealth of experience. They individually tailor every liner to the customer’s dimensions, no matter what shape or size of pool. An embossed serial number on every liner produced, refers to a record of all the dimensions for ease of ordering future replacements.

See them on stand D486

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management, with the participation of the International Circle of Hotel Directors (IACHR), among other topics.

Piscina & Wellness +34 93 233 2000 www.salonpiscina.com

SEE THREE NEW PRODUCTS FROM HYDRO-FLUX IN BARCELONA It’s been a great year for Hydro-Flux and the company has gone from strength to strength. The last 12 months have been extremely busy, but productive with the staff attending three tradeshows, signing up numerous distributors around the world, and improving their original FlowBright product. Time has also been spent designing three new and exciting versions of their revolutionary water-powered swimming pool light. In the coming months HydroFlux will be proud to introduce FlowBright Plus, FlowBright RGB, and FlowBright Slimline. These new products will enable the company to offer the complete lighting solution for any situation, whether for new builds or retrofitting into an existing pool.

Hydro-Flux loved the trade shows they attended last year and the response they received was overwhelmingly positive and insightful about their products.

Therefore, the company are happy to announce that they will be back on the road, exhibiting at the International Pool, Spa, and Patio expo in New Orleans, and Piscina & Wellness in Barcelona.

Visitors to Barcelona will be able to see these new products on display and the company can be found in Hall 2.

Not only can attendess see the new, innovative products, but they will also be able to enter a Hydro-flux competition – to see who can remove a standard eyeball and install a FlowBright the fastest – with the flow running and lucky winners will receive a cash prize!

See them on stand 552

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SHOW PREVIEWS

AQUANALE 2019 UNITES PRIVATE AND PUBLIC POOLS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA The next edition of aquanale – the International Trade Fair Sauna, Pool and Ambience – takes place in Cologne from 5 to 8 November 2019 and with just under a month before the fair kicks off, all signs indicate they are going to be a success. Around 320 companies from 25

NIVEKO JOIN PPG AND AQUADECK AT AQUANALE

For 2019, Czech one-piece pool manufacturer NIVEKO will exhibit in Cologne together with the multinational Pollet Pool Group and Aquadeck, a Dutch manufacturer of slatted pool covers belonging to the PPG production division.

The combined stand, with consistent design and an area of 270m2, will be equipped with one of the company’s fully functional overflow pools.

In its portfolio, NIVEKO primarily relies on the wide choice of overflow troughs; however, neither are classic skimmer solutions. There are numerous possibilities and combinations of optional design and functional elements – from the location and shape of stairs to the number and material of nozzles used. NIVEKO

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countries are heading to the German city to showcase their innovations and latest product updates. Increased interest has been recorded especially in the private swimming pool sector, particularly from suppliers in the pool technology, pools and water treatment sectors. For the first time, aquanale is bringing together the full range of products and services for the pool, sauna and wellness sectors under one roof. The ‘public pools’ segment, which was previously part of the co-located FSB, will be integrated into aquanale, thereby uniting

also offers interesting accessories that simplify ownership, all controlled via their nPooL control application. These include combining filtration technology, pre-installed automatic refilling options and slatted covers. For customers who wish to have salt water in their pools, there are no issues either, as the material from which NIVEKO pools are manufactured is of a uniform, fully coloured type, produced in Germany exclusively for the purpose of pools’ manufacture.

While the European market is competing in turnover and number of pools sold, NIVEKO views the customer as a visionary and commits to the fulfilment of all their bespoke wishes

the private and public pools segments under one ‘brand umbrella’. “By further developing the concept, we’re creating the ideal conditions for the formation of business networks at national and international level, because market developments in recent years clearly demonstrate that it no longer makes sense to separate the private and public pool sectors. Exhibitors can now address their various visitor target groups in the respective segments much better than before,” said Matthias Pollmann, Vice President at Koelnmesse. aquanale

and needs. So regardless of the various equipment options chosen, the key to the success of NIVEKO’s custom-built monopools is their ability to accommodate customer requests for non-standard solutions where the shape of the pool, a complex logistic solution or simply insufficient space in the garden exist – nothing is impossible with a NIVEKO pool!

See them on stands B-040 / C-041

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SHOW PREVIEWS DRIVE DOWN COSTS WITH COVREX® IN COLOGNE

now showcases trends for private pool and wellness facilities with sauna, whirlpool and spa, along with innovations, swimming pool technology and equipment as well as management concepts for operators of public pools, water parks, leisure pools and thermal baths.

The event takes place in Halls 6 and 7 and is clearly structured into the six familiar theme worlds: public pool facilities, swimming pool technology, private swimming pools, saunas and spas, private spas, and green living. Thanks to the new structure and the comprehensive presentation of the different sectors at aquanale, national and international trade fair can maxmise their time by seeing a comprehensive, innovative and broad spectrum of products, simply and with shortest routes possible. In addition, this year’s broad event programme is guaranteed to provide international trade visitors and experts with added value and the edge when it comes to industry knowledge once more.

As in previous events, the International Swimming Pool and Wellness Forum delivers the content framework between the questions and topics from the private and public pool sectors. Economic sustainability is therefore also on the agenda of the International Swimming Pool and Wellness Forum, the trade fair’s congress programme. The focus here is on the selection of suitable operator models for public facilities. However, future industry trends will also play an important role, as well as the challenges brought about

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by an ageing society, growing urbanisation, increasing individualisation and the effects of climate change. The subject matter and contents of the forum, which will be of equal relevance to all industry target groups, will be overseen by the German Association for Swimming Pools and Wellness (bsw) and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS).

The European Waterpark Association (EWA) together with Koelnmesse GmbH will be presenting a special exhibition entitled 96º, which will focus on new attractions for sauna and wellness landscapes in leisure pools and thermal baths. The special exhibition will present innovations in sauna construction as well as the application of cold therapies and how they are featured in wellness worlds. ‘96º’ is at the centre of the EWA Village, where the Quality Association of European Leisure Pools and Spas will present the performance of its member companies for the aquanale event.

The international significance of aquanale for the industry is also reflected in the fact that associations and institutions use the event as a perfect venue for presenting prestigious awards. Presented this year at aquanale will be the EUSA Award (European Union of Swimming Pool and Spa Associations), the EWA Marketing Award, the IAKS Award (sports, exercise and swimming pool) and the Golden Wave (Schwimmbad & Sauna magazine).

The special aqua fitness event area in Hall 7 will present the latest developments in

Visitors to the Belgium manufacturers stand will be able to see the Covrex® Solar automatic swimming pool cover which boasts new and improved technology to drive down associated costs of swimming pool ownership and drive up energy efficiencies. The new polycarbonate slats are extremely durable due to a special structure, have a topclass performance and come in a sleek design.

Installing a Covrex® Solar on a newly built or existing pool leads to substantial savings in terms of heating costs, use of chemical products and maintenance. The thermal specifications of the Covrex® Solar covers increases the heat conductivity from the sun to the water, decreases the pool water evaporation, allows important heat savings and diminishes the use of chemicals. All in all, the Covrex® Solar guarantees a durable and economic heating solution for the pool.

The Covrex® Solar+ is a polycarbonate slat with a Silver finish. Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic polymer with remarkable characteristics which are very important for use with a pool. The Silver finishing touch is directly added during the extrusion process, which ensures that the Covrex® Solar+ slats won’t lose their colour over the years.

The anti-algae structure of the slats directly integrated in the slat profile will make sure the cover stays clean for a longer period too. Its specific structure will prevent UV sun rays to enter the hollow chambers, and hence reduce the speed of algae creation. A simple blast with a highpressure jet hose will ensure any algae or dirt are washed away quickly and easily.

See them on stands A028/B029

different forms of the sport, including sports activities that are offered in public swimming pools but are seeing rising demand from private swimming pool owners who want to use their own pool for a targeted fitness and endurance training programmes. aquanale +49 180 660 3 500 www.aquanale.com

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SHOW PREVIEWS HOT TUBS AND MUCH MORE AT HOLIDAY PARK & RESORT INNOVATION SHOW The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show is the UK’s leading marketplace for owners, managers and entrepreneurs to source the very best advice, services, information and products needed to transform their business into the perfect holiday getaway for both UK residents and tourists from further afield.

Taking place on 6 and 7 November, the industry’s leading experts and most innovative suppliers will come under one roof at Birmingham’s NEC to provide forwardthinking holiday businesses with everything needed to enthrall and entertain their guests all year round… and keep them coming back for more.

With 300 exhibitors and 150 seminars dedicated to the resort sector, visitors are able to learn the latest industry knowledge and gain insight into the newest innovations and technology currently available.

Each year, the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation team pulls out all the stops to provide visitors with the finest lineup of industry speakers. A comprehensive schedule offers unrivalled insight into every aspect of the holiday business sector – helping owners and operators to put, and keep, their holiday parks or resorts firmly on the map. A number of speakers from the wet leisure sector have already confirmed their attendance at this year’s show and they will cover a number of subjects based primarily around owning and running hot tubs within the holiday sector.

Unsurprisingly, many of the wet leisure

exhibitors also come from the hot tub and spa sector, but there’s also a broad range of companies from right across the industry and visitors will be able to see representatives from pool, sauna, wellness and water play companies too. For a full and up to date list of list of exhibitors, visit the exhibition’s website.

Holiday Park & Resort Innovation aims to attract thousands of key decision makers in the industry. With the help of established partners, the organisers have been able to make this exhibition one of the leading holiday park shows in Europe.

The entrance ticket to Holiday Park & Resort Innovation also gives visitors access to the biggest expo in Europe, Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality World! This includes The Family Attraction Show, The Leisure Food and Beverage Show, The Farm Business Innovation Show, The Country House Show and HomeStay Expo. Attending the biggest expo in Europe gives visitors the opportunity to network with over 18,000 attendees, 1,000 exhibitors and a chance to learn from industry leaders with over 500 Seminars!

Holiday Park & Resort Innovation 0117 929 6087 www.holidayparkshow.co.uk

SEE ZODIAC PRODUCTS AND MORE ON LIGHTHOUSE’S NEC STAND Visitors to the Lighthouse stand at the NEC will be able to immerse themselves in HeatForm®, the company’s new insulated pool panel system that doesn’t cost the earth.

HeatForm has transformed the swimming pool construction process, with the added value of insulation that keeps heating bills to a minimum, helping owners to reduce the amount of energy required to keep pools at a comfortable temperature.

Not only does this reduce the amount of energy being wasted through heat loss, but HeatForm also helps the environment by using empty plastic (PET) bottles to form the insulated section of the pool wall. HeatForm pool panels comply to building regulations Part-L U-Values, providing you with assurance that the pool is adhering to the latest regulations.

In addition, visitors can also find out about the benefits of the Zodiac MagnaPool® magnesium-based water treatment solution and our Zodiac® robotic swimming pool cleaners.

MagnaPool is an exclusive chlorinator solution that combines the natural properties of the patented magnesium-based MagnaPool minerals with an exceptionally fine filtration system, providing water without a chlorine smell or eye and skin irritation.

Zodiac Electric robotic cleaners are precise. Whatever the shape and dimensions of the pool, Zodiac robots can reach every corner, climb the walls and clean the water line. These robotic cleaners are truly all-terrain: they adapt to all kinds of surfaces, perfectly grip the walls and get over obstacles easily.

See them on stand H661

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SEE BOWMAN’S HEAT EXCHANGERS IN BIRMINGHAM Bowman heat exchangers, used with an external boiler, can heat hot tubs in around 1 hour, using pre-heated water, or 3 hours with ambient temperature water, significantly reducing heat up time and reducing energy costs substantially compared to traditional electric heaters.

Hot tubs are one of the most important visitor attractions any holiday park can offer.

However, they can create a serious issue at guest change over times as the 3kW electric heater traditionally fitted many hot tubs only raises water temperature by around 1-2 degrees C per hour. Even where a holiday park re-fills its tubs with pre-heated water at 25 degrees C after cleaning, it can still take several hours to get the tubs up to full operating temperature.

Bowman heat exchangers enable hot tubs to be heated from an external heat source, such as gas, LPG or biomass boilers.

They are highly efficient, raising water temperature by around 10-12 degrees C per hour, so when using pre-heated 25 degree C water, it takes only 1 hour to heat the tubs up to full temperature.

Additionally, by switching to a lower cost energy source, substantial savings can be made in energy costs compared with electric heating, which has the worst environmental performance of any energy source when used for heating.

Bowman heat exchangers are being used by some of the leading holiday parks, who are benefiting from much faster heating and significantly reduced energy costs.

Using a Bowman heat exchanger can also enable ‘off grid’ holiday destinations to offer hot tubs to their guests using hybrid heat pump/LPG type boilers.

See them on stand H1404

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SAFETY FLOORING

As well as offering a wide range of anti-slip tiles and mosaics, Waxman also offers bespoke copings, edging and gratings to ensure a seamless finish across pool projects

Flooring That Protects What’s Important For the spaces that surround swimming pools and spas, there’s literally no room for any slip-ups when it comes to safety flooring, especially if you are a commercial operator. With flooring materials assessed for how slippery they are when wet and under foot, there’s extra pressure to ensure floors provide a safe level of grip regardless of the conditions. Thankfully, there’s a wide choice of materials available to suit any application and budget. In this issue, we examine the options that are enhancing safety in wet leisure environments By Andrea Hartshorne

W

hether you’re responsible for a huge wet leisure facility or a small hot tub at home, the safety of the people using products that involve water will always be a prime concern. Many traditional surfaces used around swimming pools and in changing rooms can be very slippery in wet conditions and accidents often occur. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to reduce accidents in both domestic and commercial environments.

The good news is that there are so many options now available, in so many styles and colours, themes can be incorporated into the safety flooring and pool surround and more so that everything flows and is seamless and we take a look at a range of options that are available this season.

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SLIPPROTECT SLATTED WET ROOM MATS INCLUDE A UNIQUE CROSSRIBBED DESIGN Specialist provider of industrial health and safety matting, First Mats recently announced the release of a new breed of wet room safety mat that increases comfort and safety when used in areas where bare feet are common and the risk of slips are high.

The new SlipProtect mats have been developed using high-quality PVC material with a focus on decreasing the risk of slips and falls in swimming pool areas. By raising users above the flat surface of the floor, where water can collect and increase the risk of slips, these mats ensure user safety across the board.

“The SlipProtect mat provides the best in

First Mats recently announced the release of a new breed of wet room safety mat that increases comfort and safety when used in areas where bare feet are common

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SAFETY FLOORING quality and comfort, which I think will be of great benefit to our customers. With superb quality and fantastic service at the heart of what we do at First Mats, the SlipProtect mat represents an excellent addition to our growing range,” said Richard O’Connor, Marketing & Strategy Director at First Mats.

Anti-slip matting designed specifically for use in swimming pool areas is commonly known to cause discomfort for users, with their bare feet being subjected to a high amount of pressure when applied to narrow slats.

The new SlipProtect matting from First Mats tackles this issue head-on. By introducing a unique cross-ribbed design and wider slats, the mats provide a more comfortable surface than duckboard matting without any loss in safety.

The First Mats SlipProtect matting offers important anti-bacterial properties to prevent fungal growth. It is also resistant to commercial cleaning products, increasing longevity and decreasing the cost of replacement.

A truly customisable matting option, the SlipProtect mat comes in several colours including blue, grey, white and beige. First Mats cut to length from rolls of 60cm, 80cm or 100cm in width, with standard roll lengths coming in at 10 metres.

BEAUTY AND SLIP-RESISTANCE COMBINED IN SANDSTONE When it comes to swimming pool flooring, safety has to be the number one priority, but what if you can achieve this without compromising on style? Cranbourne Stone understands the importance of design and has selected natural stone solutions that combine both slip-resistance and beauty.

Having specialised in swimming pool surrounds for 15 years, Cranbourne Stone has built up a portfolio of the very best natural stone and slip-resistant porcelain. One product consistently drawing attention for its safety criteria and elegance is Leckford Sandstone.

As well as meeting style goals, the sawn Spanish sandstone has a light sandblast finish with the appearance of English Yorkstone, but without the high price tag. Importantly it stands up to all safety

Polysafe Quattro in an innovative safety flooring range which offers barefoot and shod sustainable wet slip resistance with a studfree finish for enhanced comfort underfoot

standards required for swimming pools and can be used on everything from internal and external flooring, pool surrounds, copings as well as wall cladding to give any design a uniform finish.

“All of our natural stone are tested for slip resistance by using the recommended pendulum test in wet and dry conditions,’’ explained Jo Standfield, Director at Cranbourne Stone.

“Our Natural stone surrounds are above the minimum rating for low slip potential, making them perfect for swimming pool and wet areas. What makes us stand out from the crowd is that we apply grip finishes to stone like Leckford Sandstone making our products safe as well as stylish,” added Jo. “With such a wide selection of products in natural stone and porcelain, all above slip resistance ratings, there are no restrictions for picking the perfect pool surround from our range.”

POLYFLOR’S NEXT GENERATION SAFETY FLOORING Polyflor, the UK’s vinyl flooring specialist, launched their Polysafe Quattro collection last year. This innovative safety flooring range offers barefoot and shod sustainable

wet slip resistance with a stud-free finish for enhanced comfort underfoot.

The range has been specifically designed to provide a high degree of slip resistance in continually wet areas such as changing rooms, walk-in showers, wet rooms, adapted bathrooms, spas and pool surrounds.

Polysafe Quattro has been engineered to offer enhanced slip resistance for bare feet and footwear, achieving 50+ on the Pendulum Test (Slider 96) plus Class B to DIN 51097 for barefoot use and also conforming to the EN 13845 European safety flooring standard.

It is available as a 2mm gauge flexible sheet which allows it to be thermally welded, coved up walls and easily installed around drains and awkward corners for a hygienic and watertight wall to floor finish.

Polysafe Quattro is available in a carefully developed colour palette of 12 shades, including warm neutrals, fresh blues and soothing greys that will complement any interior design scheme in any setting. Six shades feature a subtle tonal chip design, whilst the other six are a solid colour with complementary aggregate.

Tom Rollo, Polyflor’s Marketing Manager, commented at the launch: “Polysafe Quattro has been designed to enhance both commercial and residential interiors and encourage a sense of wellbeing. This range is an exciting addition to our safety flooring portfolio offering an aesthetically pleasing yet practical solution for areas where there is a high slip risk, so users can feel comfortable and safe.”

Manufactured in the UK, Polysafe Quattro is 100% recyclable through the Recofloor vinyl take back scheme and contains recycled material. The collection has also achieved a generic BRE A+ rating (ENP 415) in major use areas.

WAXMAN CERAMICS COMBINE STYLE AND SAFETY Cranbourne Stone has built up a portfolio of the very best natural stone and slip-resistant porcelain and their range includes Leckford Sandstone

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Safety in flooring is one of the most important factors for any pool and spa project, and a consideration not taken

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SAFETY FLOORING

Managing Slip Risk in Wet Areas – Ensuring You Don’t Slip Up! Assessing and dealing with slip risk in wet areas is frequently at the top of managers’ minds when it comes to safety in the leisure industry. It’s no surprise that slips remain the largest cause of accidents what with various wet environments to manage, from changing rooms to poolsides to entrances.

To assist managers, a ‘Best Practice Guide to Managing Slip Risk in Wet Areas’ was developed by the Leisure Expert Panel with the aim specifically to help the leisure industry prevent slips in wet areas. Derived from research undertaken by members of the LEP Slips Working Group, the Guide explains how to understand slip risks in wet environments. Focusing on each of the factors that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identify as contributors to slip potential, the Guide provides practical advice on mitigating this risk. A copy of the Guide can be downloaded as a PDF free of charge from www.leisureexpertpanel.co.uk

lightly by Waxman Ceramics – one of the UK’s largest distributors of swimming pool tiles and mosaics.

For over 30 years, Waxman has held a strong commitment to its customers, providing only the highest quality tiles tested to the highest levels of safety using industry recognised testing methods. These include; ramp testing to assess barefoot and shod traffic, as well as Pendulum Testing to assess the slip resistance value (SRV) of each tile.

With so many choices available, Waxman knows that choosing the right flooring for a pool can be a daunting task, which is why they employ a team of dedicated pool representatives covering the breadth of the UK, alongside an experienced in-house sales team on hand to answer any questions on style and safety.

As well as offering a wide range of anti-slip tiles and mosaics, Waxman also offers bespoke copings, edging and gratings to ensure a seamless finish across pool projects. There are also a number of special pieces available that can be customised to be used with any tiles from their Pool and Spa Collection.

The 45x45cm format Sahara tile from Waxman Cermics provides safety underfoot and recreates the authentic look and feel of natural stone with a glazed porcelain finish

A great example of this is the 45x45cm format Sahara, which has proved itself to be a customer classic, recreating the authentic look and feel of natural stone with a glazed porcelain finish. Utilising ink-jet technology, stone effect tiles are continuously increasing in popularity due to their durability which in turn offers the added benefit of being of lower maintenance than natural products.

Suitable for both indoor and outdoor walls and floors, in natural and anti-slip finish, Sahara is available in three colour options; Bianco, Gris and Crema, which together offer abundant options in its application.

NON-SLIP RESIN FLOORING FROM POLY ADVISORY Poly Advisory Ltd was founded in 1971 as a consultancy that would advise the relatively new plastics industry. Their innovative PASBead Flooring is an attractive, hard wearing and decorative flooring system made up of colour stable quartz granules encapsulated in a clear resin. The company have been developing and applying their flooring system for over 35 years and all works undertaken are certificated with a Slip Resistance Test Certificate.

As an alternative to conventional tiles or mosaics, the system provides an excellent non-slip and durable floor finish suited to virtually any environment in need of performance industrial flooring. The PASBead

Flooring System can be used in a wide range of leisure and industrial applications, including: • Swimming pool surrounds and steps • Changing areas • Showers • Steps • Wet and dry process areas With a wide selection of standard colours to choose from plus custom colours available on request, the PASBead Flooring System with many benefits over traditional flooring products and methods. These include a slip resistant, hardwearing, textured floor finish which is also decorative. The size of beads used can also be altered to suit different applications. In addition, the product is highly scratch and abrasion resistant. It is easy to clean and maintain and is wear and impact resistant. Adding to this long list of benefits, it is also UV stable, chemical resistant and is seamless and therefore hygienic.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS: Cranbourne 01264 810813 www.cranbournestone.co.uk First Mats 0121 702 1659 www.firstmats.co.uk Poly Advisory 0115 989 4167 www.polyadvisory.com Polyflor Ltd 0161 767 1111 www.polyflor.com

Poly Advisory’s PASBead Flooring is an attractive, hard wearing and decorative flooring system made up of colour stable quartz granules encapsulated in a clear resin

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Waxman Ceramics 01422 311331 www.waxmanceramics.co.uk

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SPN Advert - SEP 2019 - MARBLES.pdf

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HIGH-END HOT TUBS

Affording A Premium Hot Tub Experience

With a variety of massage experiences, the Ecstatic Wave a unique and highly therapeutic spa from Passion Spas

There’s no stopping hot tubs and as with many lifestyle products, that applies to the premium end of the market too. Promising a setting which will provide users with the ultimate hot tub for relaxation, recuperation and more, the luxury end of the market is a key and lucrative sector for both manufacturers and retailers.

Featuring models that retail for over the key £10,000 mark and which boast the sector’s latest innovations and technology, in this issue we look at some of the high-end models which are tempting buyers this year By Jon Wadeson

T

he premium end of any market sector is always a key battleground for manufacturers and retailers alike, and in the world of high-end hot tubs, competition to secure sales has been challenging this year, especially with a number of lower priced brands attempting to lure less savvy consumers with the promise of savings hundreds of pounds.

Range-topping products are a chance to fully showcase each brand’s design capabilities, imagination, quality and more to potential customers. They are the sectors equivalent to F1 – performance models and brand flag-bearers – which makes them important for reputations. With budgets often well into five-figure territory for these models, they really need to perform as they areimportant in providing healthy returns too!

Customers looking to invest in this sector quite rightly demand the latest features and innovations combined with a sense of style and exclusivity. They also expect that their premium investment will be enjoyed with

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the minimum amount of effort and for many years to come.

That’s a view which is shared by many of the manufacturers supplying products in this price category, and looking to stay one-step ahead of the competition, brands have been quick to see the benefit of offering something different to affluent UK customers. The result, is the design of some truly stunning models which are packed with the latest technology to satisfy the needs of these higher spending clients.

With premium being the name of the game, we take a look at just some of the competing models that are available.

EXCLUSIVE THERAPY FROM PASSION’S ECSTATIC WAVE The Ecstatic Wave from Passion Spas is a seven-person oasis that incorporates all the standard features from Passion Spas’ Exclusive Collection, and a variety of massage experiences that makes the Ecstatic Wave a unique and highly therapeutic spa.

The various massages include Aqua Rolling Massage™, which is proprietary to Passion Spas and was designed in close cooperation with physiotherapists. The function of Aqua Rolling Massage™ is similar to the powerful strokes of a massage therapist, starting at the lower back and working its way up to your neck.

The Levitation Bed™ is the most innovative spa therapy feature available on the market today. This massage feature creates a floating sensation, and bathers almost feel as though they are lying on a cload. The Levitation Bed™ provides soothing, head-to-toe therapy, and the bather may choose to lie either face up of face down.

The Ecstatic also now boasts our Therapy Wave Zone™, a massage feature that uses jets to work the muscles in the back, as well as a Waterfall Massage™ that concentrates on the neck. Additional features include an audio system, our Aqua Rolling Massage™, aromatherapy, Synergy Water Maintenance System™, and over 150 therapeutic

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HIGH-END HOT TUBS massage jets. In short, this model is packed with many cutting-edge features designed to provide the most relaxing, renewing hydrotherapy experience imaginable.

Of course, the Ecstatic Wave spa incorporates all of the quality construction features Passion Spas is known for, including molded base, synthetic frame, and thick fibreglass laminate backing the acrylic surface; everything needed to ensure a lifetime of enjoyment.

ARTESIAN ELITE RANGE – HIGHSPECIFICATION THROUGHOUT The Artesian Elite range is the brand’s newest line of luxury, hydrotherapy spas.

Designed with the utmost precision and care, the Artesian Elite line has taken years to conceive, construct and perfect. The range is the perfect convergence of luxury, technology and power and replaced the popular Platinum Elite line. All the moulds have been completely redesigned to give a sleek and futuristic look and the company are also excited to be able to introduce a 7ft spa into the range – the Eagle Crest.

From largest to smallest, the new line consists of: the Pelican Bay, the Piper Glen, the Dove Canyon, the Eagle Crest and the Quail Ridge. Seating capacity ranges from nine people to four / five.

The contemporary design for each spa features a high back (42”) with integrated 24” adjustable waterfall. A number of popular features were taken from the Island and Platinum Elite range enabling Artesian to offer some of the best performing spas on the market. Included are items such as neck collar jets, footblasters and the company’s patented Direct Flow Control technology as standard. So too are an Advanced Topside Digital Control System, a 24 inch AllegroFall, BellagioFalls, DynaBrite lighting and Diamond AOP. It’s an impressive list of features and there are also further options such as a Midnight Glow and new Polk stereo system that can be added too.

The Dove Canyon sits in the middle of the Artesian Elite range which is the brand’s newest line of luxury, hydrotherapy spas

The new sleek design system combines Variable Flow Control™ (VFC) and patented H2O Helix Jets for the ability to customize the power per seat. The innovative DIRECTFLOW™ system makes use of highly energy efficient, long-lasting pumps and motors, located approximately under each individual hydrotherapy seat. Each seat is controlled by a DIRECTFLOW™ personal control panel consisting of an on/ off switch, as well as an air control for the jets and a VFC located in easy reach. VFC is an integral part of the DIRECTFLOW™ system. This patented valve gives users the ultimate in personalised control over the spa hydrotherapy environment.

EXPERIENCE GENEVA FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME The high-end Utopia series from Caldera Spas offers an exclusive combination of high-performance details making each Utopia spa a hydrotherapy powerhouse that’s easy to use with low operating costs. Each spa provides the most ideal personal care experience, and a visually-stunning focal

point. The luxurious Caldera Geneva is a spa which perfectly showcases the brand’s message – comfort, style and performance – and it, along with other Utopia series spas, are supplied exclusively in the UK by Certikin International.

There is no skimping on space, it’s a large spa, measuring 226cm x 226cm, featuring uniquely contoured ergonomic seats to provide the benefits of buoyancy to realign your body.

Two 2.5hp pumps and 55 powerful jets deliver true Hot Tub Circuit Therapy.

Additionally, this feature-heavy spa is loaded with the Atlas Neck Massage System™, UltraMassage™ Lounger and Dual Euphoria™ lower leg massage jets to home in on those areas that benefit most from hydromassage.

The spa offers stunning, contemporary looks and lighting which combine to provide a real centre piece to any outdoor setting.

Using FiberCor, its insulation is second to none so, when coupled with Caldera’s EnergyPro™ Circulation pump, heating costs are kept to a minimum.

All Utopia Series spas can be paired with the Freshwater Salt System as well as the option of adding a Bluetooth music system.

The spa shell is available in White Pearl, Platinum, Tuscan Sun, Arctic White and Midnight Canyon.

PEAKLINE RANGE DEMONSTRATES THE LATEST FROM WELLIS

The luxurious Caldera Geneva is a spa which perfectly showcases the brand’s message – comfort, style and performance

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In the space of just a few short years, Wellis has become one of the world’s influential manufacturers of hot tubs and spas.

Wellis produce products that are certified to meet or exceed German TUV quality standards using the most modern robot technology. The process takes place at their factory which boats an impressive production area of more than 16,000m2. Thanks to the company’s own development and production, Wellis has full manufacturing control and the maximum amount of product knowledge necessary to ensure that each product is

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HIGH-END HOT TUBS precision made.

One of the company’s success stories is the premium EveRest spa which has been produced since 2013, and which has become a crucial product for the company since its launch.

The EveRest spa sits within the company’s new high-end ‘PeakLine’ range which contains all of the company’s latest developments.

The EveRest spa makes relaxation simply unforgettable, thanks to a number of comfort features. One of the two reclining places is especially well-equipped – it includes two 2hp massage pumps, the Pulsar™ system.

The additional control panels and the Wi-Fi SmartPhone application provide a comfort level that has never before been experienced.

Oxygen Therapy is also added as standard equipment for renewing skin.

Another premium quality model within the PeakLine range is the Discovery spa. With its four seats and one recliner combined with the brand’s latest technologies, it’s ideal for effortless entertainment. Its exclusive design and improvements which include a new, modern diverter and air inlet regulator, which ensures smoother, more precise massage settings, make it such an amazing spa that any owner’s guests will surely be impressed by it.

FUTURISTIC IKON OFFERS DESIGN EXCLUSIVITY Although the health, restorative and relaxation benefits of spa pools are welldocumented, some spa-goers aren’t huge fans of their conventional ‘big, square plastic box’ looks.

The launch of Vortex Spas’ IKON design is set to change that.

From the outset, the spa’s designer New Zealand born Alain Brideson was determined to come up with something ‘undeniably beautiful’.

“It is inspired by modern architecture, that special feeling when stepping onto a yacht and ultimate relaxation. Using these

The EveRest spa sits within the Wellis’s new high-end ‘PeakLine’ range which contains all of the companies latest developments

Customers looking to invest in this sector quite rightly demand the latest features and innovations combined with a sense of style and exclusivity” key concepts, it quickly manifested into a clean faceted exterior, grand entrance and simplified interior landscape,” said the 36-year-old global product designer.

Alain was approached by Vortex Spas CEO Andrew Pullen who was looking to create something the spa world hadn’t seen before – something architects didn’t try to hide or bury in a deck.

“Spas bring true joy to people’s lives.

They bring families together, they improve relaxation, they reduce pain, they improve health, wellbeing and happiness. Why can’t they look beautiful as well?” said Andrew.

Aside from the obvious sculptural and architectural differences, the materials used

in the construction are from the marine and architectural industries and, subsequently designed to withstand the elements a lot longer than more traditional materials.

Most spas have dedicated positions which is fine for the first few minutes, but after a while, spa users want to move around, maybe spend some time sitting on the edge with their feet in the water. The IKON has been designed for this. There are various seating positions and seating heights. Users can sit or lie on the deck. It really does enhance lifestyles.

With sculptural good looks and an update on how they’re able to be used, the IKON is set to become a star in the spa firmament.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS: Artesian Spas 01302 730295 www.artesianspas.co.uk Certikin International 01993 778855 www.calderaspas.co.uk Passion Spas +31 57 745 6040 www.passionspas.com Vortex Spas +61 130 078 5349 www.vortexspas.com.au With sculptural good looks and an update on how they’re able to be used, the IKON is set to become a star in the spa firmament

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Wellis +36 2956 4380 www.wellis.com

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TILED SPAS & SWIM SPAS

A Unique Spa? We Can Do Unique!

GMT work closely with designers, architects and installers merging their extensive knowledge and their flair to produce bespoke luxurious spas, swim spas and hydrotherapy pools

Thanks to providing a combination of unique finishes, installation flexibility and durability that’s hard to beat, it’s no wonder tiled spas and swim spas are enjoying a lot of success, especially within the commercial sector. Their bespoke nature has also made them a hit for high-end domestic installations and designers love them too, thanks to the variety of choices on offer. With options expanding year-on-year, this issue, we take a look at some of the robust solutions that are offering a compact luxury water experience By Andrea Hartshorne

F

irst impressions are important and do last, whether we like the idea or not, and for some, appearance is everything in today’s world.

Who wouldn’t want to be a proud owner of a beautiful, bespoke spa or swim spa? A perfect way to create a unique and stunning installation is through the use of tiling and The Mosaic Spa Company offer a full design service and can work with clients to provide truly individual and imaginative designs

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mosaics. The result? A one of a kind addition to the home, gym or commercial property that can reflect the owner’s taste and choices.

Whether for an everyday, special place to relax or for a spa at a top luxury hotel, tiling provides the perfect solution and can provide something with ‘the power to impress, something a little bit different,! who wouldn’t want that?!

BESPOKE MODELS FROM THE MOSAIC SPA COMPANY The Mosaic Spa Company specialise in design and construction of GRP mosaic tiled spas and they can manufacture bespoke models or customers can choose from their standard range of sizes and shapes.

Whilst most customers have a pretty good idea of what they want when it comes to purchasing their desired spa, this might not always be the case. So The Mosaic Spa Company offer a full design service and can work with clients to provide truly individual and imaginative designs which can all be tailored using computer generated images.

The company use Solidworks 3D design and Autocad software, meaning both installers and their clients can see exactly how the finished spa will look before it goes into manufacture. All their spas are constructed using the latest GRP construction methods from their factory based in York and the company offers fast turnaround from design to delivery.

They can offer both one-piece shells and split shells for sites which have restricted or difficult access. They can also offer clients a large range of tile choices to make their spa truly original.

All their spas feature Waterways jets and filtration equipment, and whilst spas are

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TILED SPAS & SWIM SPAS normally provided with an optimised layout of water and air jets, these can also be positioned to any preferred practical layout with suitable lighting as required or specified to match a client’s individual requirements.

The Mosaic Spa Company are also able to produce swim spas and hydrotherapy pools, and again these can be designed to individual specification and can feature items such as automatic pool covers and walk in steps etc.

The Certikin tiled spa is the perfect solution for new build or refurbishment projects where access is a problem as it comes with the option of being delivered in two halves

GMT… 10 YEARS OF PRODUCING TRULY UNIQUE SOLUTIONS Now into their tenth year, GMT Spas International have had another busy year supplying many varied designs to their customers; increasingly popular are free standing sectional swimming spas in all shapes and sizes which they have then incorporated spa features in to, such as tiled or steel loungers, spa jet stations, water cannons and volcanoes.

Over the past few years GMT Spas International has established itself as a leading manufacturer of mosaic tiled spas, and the company are uniquely placed within the spa industry as they are the only UK spa manufacturer not to install. Their distinctive business model of supplying to the trade only and not installing, enables them to concentrate on, and remain true to their ethos of manufacturing superb high-end products. It also gives assurance to their customers that they will never compete for their contracts.

They work closely with designers, architects and installers merging their extensive knowledge and their flair to produce bespoke luxurious spas, swim spas and hydrotherapy pools to fulfil the needs of the most exacting clients. They have been involved in many award winning and elaborate projects. Having their own graduate run drawing office is a huge asset when designing a bespoke product too, as they are able to supply detailed drawings and renders to clients, designers and architects. This not only gives a clear representation of what the finished pool will look like, but enables changes to be made before production commences. On

all bespoke projects the design is stress tested using advanced computer technology software.

Using the finest marine quality materials and the expertise of their experienced workforce they are able to produce a range of solutions that are as unique and individual as their clients, who include international footballers, film directors, film stars, music legends and even royalty.

WHEN TWO BECOME ONE… The Certikin tiled spa is the perfect solution for new build or refurbishment projects where access is a problem as it comes with the option of being delivered in two halves. Fully tiled from the factory in eye-catching glass mosaics, the spa is rejoined on site and the joint hidden by tiling over with the matching tile strips provided.

Available in any size, shape or design, they vary from a two-person spa to one capable of holding a football team. On site installation is quick as there are no stoppages for curing etc and the design allows access to all fittings after installation. Their high spec includes water hydrotherapy jets, air tracks,

Having their own graduate run drawing office is a huge asset for GMT Spas International when designing a bespoke product

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an underwater light, a floating heat retention cover and full support leg kit.

The tiled spa comes under the auspices of the Commercial division and is one of their best-selling products.

Highly versatile, the spas come in attractive round, square and octagon shapes.

All the spas come fully tiled from the factory and in a choice of attractive glass mosaics.

Alternatively, customers can supply their own choice of tiles.

Certikin’s Commercial Manager, Steve Nelson said: “Everything can be tailored to suit a specification and décor, from the size, shape, number and type of jets and the choice of tiles and this goes for domestic, light commercial and heavy-use overflow applications. The possibilities are endless.”

SMALL SPAS, BIG BENEFITS When a full-size pool isn’t an option, a spa could be the answer. Golden Coast provides a range of tiled spas and swim spas for customers looking for a great leisure experience at a fraction of the size and price of a conventional pool.

“Larger pools are great, but nowadays

Golden Coast provides a range of tiled spas and swim spas for customers looking for a great leisure experience at a fraction of the size and price of a conventional pool

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TILED SPAS & SWIM SPAS it’s possible to achieve many of the same aspects and benefits with a swim spa,” said Adam Clark, Sales Director at Golden Coast.

“Whether a customer is looking for a spa to relax in, or something to extend their fitness regime, we can custom configure any model so that it fits their lifestyle and meets requirements on space and budget.”

For domestic and light commercial use, Golden Coast offers the skimmer tiled spa, available in nine different shapes and sizes.

These models have a freeboard above the waterline which incorporates the skimmer.

Customers wanting to integrate swimming into their activities may prefer a tiled swim spa. These slightly larger alternatives contain three powerful swim jets at one end of the pool to help customers improve strength and conditioning. In the seating area opposite, a full range of hydrotherapy jets are available for a relaxing massage.

For commercial applications, Golden Coast provides a tiled overflow spa that is designed for a higher capacity of bathers and is fitted with a surrounding overflow channel to catch displaced water.

All Golden Coast spas offer a high-end look and feel thanks to features such as stainless steel and chrome fittings. While units are equipped with a white LED underwater light as standard, colour changing lighting can be specified, allowing customers to transform the mood at the touch of a button.

Adam concluded: “A spa can be a great investment, and we want to help customers maximise their enjoyment with products that allow them to personalise their spa and enhance their experience.”

EXPERTISE AND SKILL FROM CHESHIRE WELLNESS Cheshire Wellness have been partners to the trade for over 25 years and work with some of the most innovative contractors in the UK and across Europe. With a dedicated 30,000 square foot factory they are one of Europe’s largest spa shell and pool manufacturers.

By listening to their customers’ needs and introducing a longterm policy for continuous improvement they have been supplying the same loyal trade customers for over 20 years.

Only the highest quality marine grade products are used and all quoted delivery times are met or improved upon.

Cheshire Wellness are one of only a handful of ISO 2015 registered tiled pool and spa manufacturers in Europe with an in-house design team that can offer all valued trade partners, AutoCAD drawings, 3D photo realistic rendered models and designs to incorporate into a project, enabling customers to present to clients. They have the largest range of moulds available with 40 to choose from and their ability to design and manufacture to clients’ specific needs and requirements means that the resulting product is one that all parties will be delighted with.

They have the ability to supply spas

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With their expert and highly skilled designers, Cheshire Wellness are able to design a pool, spa or swim spa that is completely unique to any customer

Who wouldn’t want to be a proud owner of a beautiful, bespoke spa or swim spa?

A perfect way to create a unique and stunning installation is through the use of tiling and mosaics” and pools in multiple sections with their experienced engineers available to assist or carry out the re-join works on site making for complication-free installations.

With their expert and highly skilled designers, they are able to design a pool, spa or swim spa that is completely unique to any customer, enhancing their home or venue in the most creative way that can be valued by them and others for years to come.

Other options are available to purchase through AstralPool UK if preferred, one of the largest pool product suppliers in the UK and Europe.

Many companies work closely with designers, architects and pool installers to offer their extensive knowledge and expertise to produce bespoke luxurious spas, swim spas and hydrotherapy pools to fulfil the needs of the most exacting and demanding clients.

Using a wide variety of materials, tiles and mosaics are produced to create a range of pools that are as unique and individual as their clients. The desire for bespoke, out of the ordinary and extra special results continues to grow and due to the endless tile design and colour, jet configuration, lighting

and water features that are now available, the finish of any project can be truly unique.

Once the client has had the imagination, whether with professional guidance or alone, these dreams can become a beautiful reality.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS: Certikin International 01993 777200 www.certikin.co.uk Cheshire Wellness 0151 336 3417 www.cheshirewellness.co.uk GMT Spas International 01244 629252 www.gmtspas.com Golden Coast 01271 378100 www.goldenc.com The Mosaic Spa Company 01759 321135 www.mosaicspa.co.uk

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ENCLOSURES

Seasonal Shelters For Year-round Water Fun

Arch’s wooden enclosures are based on a glued laminated timber frame. This material has been used in construction for decades, especially by local authorities

Providing all year round swimming, regardless of the unpredictable UK weather, pool enclosures reduce both maintenance and running costs for both commercial and domestic owners, plus they build in safety too. There’s no doubt that choosing an enclosure is an investment, but having one means owners can maximise the full potential of their swimming pool. From the big to the small and to suit any size and shape of pool, we take a look at the options that are available to cover up swimming pools across the UK By Jon Wadeson

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antastic looking, well made, versatile and definitely a prudent investment, pool enclosures offer more than just an extension to the UK swimming season. When the pool’s not in use they provide security so that it can’t be accessed by unauthorised visitors and at the same time, it will prevent dirt and windblown debris from entering the water and surround. Maintenance is reduced as is the cost of water treatment products. In commercial facilities an enclosure is an absolute must for outdoor pools. Many are telescopic so can be totally opened up when the sun shines or partially opened to act as a windbreak on breezy days. During a downturn in weather conditions during the season, the enclosure can be kept closed, allowing swimming to continue therefore ensuring a consistent revenue stream. Whether installed over a small private pool, a large commercial facility or even a hot tub or swim spa, an enclosure will prove the ideal all season add-on that really is a must-have option.

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A HAVEN OF PEACE FROM ARCH Arch Enclosures offers highly engineered structures that will ensure the ability to choose when to swim free from the vagaries of weather – allowing clients to have unhindered swimming in a pleasant controlled environment, and liberating the choice of when to swim.

The full height enclosure from Arch is a haven of peace in the garden. It combines the attractiveness of a conservatory with the flexibility of a pool enclosure to create a living area in its own right. The internal dimensions allow users to stay poolside even when not in the water. To make the most of it, imagine it housing the garden furniture, table and loungers. Also a suitable solution for people who want to create a relaxation, sport and fitness area or even an outdoor lounge (terrace enclosure). Adding real value to the home!

The lean-to enclosure from Arch can be attached directly to the house at its end or parallel to it. This configuration is perfect

for pools which are located very close to a building. This enclosure’s mobile vaults can be stored at the end of the pool or against the house to free up poolside space. It is also a solution for those who want direct access to the pool from the home. The vault modules move effortlessly and without any risk of jamming by gently pushing the enclosure’s uprights along its patented runner.

The Arch rotunda shows off the elegance of the pool enclosure, giving it real character.

The harmonius rotunda gives unrivalled flexibility thanks to its wide openings.

Open partially or completely, the rotunda seamlessly links the pool area to the garden.

It can be opened through any module – they all move independently of each other.

Arch’s wooden enclosures are based on a glued laminated timber frame. This material has been used in construction for decades, especially by local authorities. All the wooden arches used are certified to the highest standards in terms of mechanical strength and damp treatment: standard NF P 50-100.

SPN October 2019 65 04/10/2019 17:57

ENCLOSURES THE LOWEST POSSIBLE ENCLOSURES FROM ALUKOV Alukov have been helping and satisfying customer needs with their products and services for more than 20 years and offer a huge range of enclosure products.

The TERRA and TERRA PRIME models are the lowest pool enclosures from Alukov’s range. These super low enclosures are ideal for customers who wish to enclose their swimming pool with a modern, premium quality product and who want easy, comfortable use. Unlike standard roller covers, when sliding off the pool none of the debris (leaves, dust etc) falls into the water. When closed, the enclosure provides protection against debris falling into the pool, helping with water temperature regulation and makes the pool safe by protecting against accidents.

The TERRA enclosure works on one rail.

The railing system is on one side only in the whole length of the enclosure with wheels on the other. The rail ensures an easy operation, smooth gliding and guidance for each segment.

TERRA PRIME builds on the proven and very popular TERRA and has a unique gliding system where two short rails are placed just underneath the smallest segment and the remaining segments are rail free. For even easier manipulation the company can offer a motorised version.

With both models effectively being flat, they are suitable for the architecturally clean style of any home and are ideal in smaller gardens where the view is a priority.

As all Alukov products these enclosures are fully bespoke, available in a range of colours and modifications. Alukov offer first class service from site survey, technical drawings, manufacturing, transport and installation.

The TERRA (inset) and TERRA PRIME (main) models are the lowest pool enclosures from Alukov’s range

ENCLOSURES ARE SOKOOL WITH SCP With an experience of more than 35 years, Sokool manufactures one of the most complete ranges of swimming pool, terrace/ patio and spa enclosures on the market, integrating everything from the design conception and manufacture, right through to the installation if required. Sokool is established throughout the whole of France, Switzerland and now has partners in Germany and here in the UK through SCP. Sokool joined the 02 Group in January 2016 to complement the existing portfolio of Abirblue and Albiges Pool Covers and other leading products / equipment for swimming pools and outdoors environments.

The Cassiopée enclosure from SCP boasts a built in antilock self guidance system for ease of movement

Sokool manufacture every type of enclosure to cater for all the needs of any pool owner.

Whether it be extra low, low, medium high or full height enclosures, Sokool has it covered!

Sokool enclosures do not need rails or tracks to function, which means the pool surround isn’t unsightly and there’s no trip hazard.

The enclosures feature a built in anti-lock self-guidance system making it very easy to move when required allowing a flexible linear movement, plus there is the option of motorised removal if the enclosure is large.

There are five standard colours of coating for the enclosures but for a small additional charge any RAL colour can be reproduced.

The aluminium powder coated structure comes with a ten year warranty and all enclosures are manufactured in accordance with the French standard NF P 90-309 SCP is ready to quote for all enclosure requirements including ones for spa’s with their unique Mai and Rotonde units. The Rotonde is a unique 5.5m diameter round enclosure that has double doors that open up the entire front aspect. It is possible to adapt this enclosure so it’s semi-circular as well. The Mai is ideal for swim spas and spas that have been partially or fully sunk into a surround such as decking, creating an all year round environment.

PIONEERS OF TELESCOPIC POOL ENCLOSURES Telescopic Pool Enclosures are one of the UK’s original pioneers of bespoke and standard pool enclosures, having been in business since 1991 – when the first telescopic enclosures were being imported from Europe.

Their industry pedigree lies in planning and constructing large span buildings made from timber, aluminium and PVC. Prior to pool enclosures, they worked on conservatories,

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ENCLOSURES

This low enclosure from Telescopic Pool Enclosures makes for an unobtrusive functional pool cover

orangeries and glass extensions as well as the swimming pools, which they specialise in today. Over the years they have built up vast knowledge and experience in assisting clients with planning and building regulations.

With UK exclusivity on products from leading European brand Azenco, as well as access to a wide range of ROLAL products, they cater for builds of all sizes. Choose from single or double-glazed safety glass and/or polycarbonate options to the ends and sides of their enclosures, all made-to-measure.

From mid to high and low enclosures, their portfolio is versatile and available in both fixed and retractable options.

What sets Telescopic Pool Enclosures out from a lot of others in the market is the much greater level of insulation that features in their gap-free buildings. This benefit is

often preferred by schools and businesses, as many boards and local authorities will decline plastic enclosures based on the associated maintenance and running costs, especially in colder seasons.

Other pool products available include easy to install kits, which can be supply only or fitted if required to the trade. There are also hot tub and spa enclosures, retractable garden rooms and fixed or retractable buildings for the hospitality and restaurant trade. Telescopic Pool Enclosures also offer more economic options, including refurbishment and patio extensions.

SWIMEX OFFER A HASSLE FREE SERVICE Swimex UK Pool Enclosures are one of the UK’s leading swimming pool enclosure

suppliers, with over 1,000 buildings installed throughout the country. The company is an established industry renowned supplier and have been providing pool enclosures for over 20 years to homes, schools, hotels, leisure centres and holiday parks.

Their team have extensive experience and whatever the shape, size and location of the pool, they have a pool building to suit customers’ requirements. The pool enclosures are of the highest quality and are built to withstand the British weather. Each comes with a ten or 15-year factory guarantee.

The company’s comprehensive hassle-free service includes design, planning coordination, installation and after care to give a one-stop service. They can supply both fixed and telescopic enclosures of any length, width, height or colour to suit any requirement.

CASE STUDY: AQUACOMET: FOR A VERY UNPREDICTABLE BRITISH SUMMER! Devon undeniably gets more hours of sunshine than much of the British Isles but it is still subject to the whims of an unpredictable climate. So, for this Tiverton pool owner, looking to get the most out of the family’s new swimming pool, installing a Certikin Aquacomet enclosure, with all its flexible options, was a no-brainer.

Somerset based pool builders, Purepools, were given the brief to create a good family-sized indoor pool at a farm overlooking the stunning Lowman valley. Located on the hillside, it affords breath taking views of the surrounding countryside but the downside is its exposure to the elements. Installing an enclosure to maximise the pool’s use was a decision made at the outset.

Manager of Purepools, Stewart Skinner says: “The site is subject to

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strong winds so swimming without some sort of enclosure would, on most days, be unpleasant. I had no hesitation in recommending Certikin’s Aquacomet enclosures as I have fitted them in the past using their team of installers and it has been a very straight-forward process. They look good, are robust and are highly versatile. They have a superior build quality when compared to others in the marketplace. I like Certikin products because you know you’re buying quality and everyone is very supportive should you need some advice or back-up. This support and technical back-up is so important to a busy pool builder.”

Purepools 01278 732993 www.purepools.co.uk

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ENCLOSURES The company has been particularly happy with a full turnkey hydrotherapy project that they undertook on behalf of a customer from Cambridgeshire over the winter months. In partnership with a local pool builder, Swimex designed and installed a new swimming pool (including salt chlorination), air heater, hoist, enclosure and rubber safety flooring, to provide an alternative to three weekly visits to a hotel pool for physiotherapy. The pool is heated daily to 33°C and is the perfect environment to help rehabilitation.

The customer has been non-weight bearing for five years and the pool enables him to swim around freely and provide him with independence. The pool and enclosure is contributing to his recovery, as he can access the pool every day at home.

Whatever the reason for needing a pool with enclosure, Swimex can provide free, no obligation site visits and are happy to quote for all types of pool buildings. The company aims to deliver on all fronts to ensure customer satisfaction and provide a personal and professional service.

EXTENSIVE ENCLOSURE OPTIONS FROM CERTIKIN Certikin offer an extensive range of pool and spa enclosures, thanks to its partnership with leading enclosure designer and manufacturer, Aquacomet. They offer a variety of options in full height and low level models.

The range is comprised fixed models (with opening side windows) and various telescopic options. In fact, every possible permutation is catered for including low level, high level, lean to, fixed and sliding options.

The Endless Summer aluminium structure, their most popular design, can be ordered in anthracite grey (RAL7016), white (RAL 9010) or moss green (RAL 6005), which are the standard design colours. A wood effect pattern or other RAL coded surface treatments are available as other options. The roof surface of the Endless Summer enclosure is made of double wall polycarbonate while the side doors and wall endings are made

Swimex can supply both fixed and telescopic enclosures of any length, width, height or colour to suit requirements

Fantastic looking, well made, versatile and definitely a prudent investment, pool enclosures offer more than just an extension to the UK swimming season” of transparent polycarbonate sheet. The enclosures are suitable for many applications (both commercial and domestic) and not just swimming pools and spas.

The range includes the ORION, a stunning full height model from Aquacomet that offers telescopic opening and closing without railings through the use of an extremely strong yet visually light-appearing structure.

The lowest level moving Aquacomet enclosure is the sleek Horizontal, which is super flat and elegant. Custom made in widths from 4 to 6.4m and height from 0.4 to 0.8m, the Horizontal can be supplied and installed by Certikin with installation taking just half a day.

One of the most popular is Certikin’s flagship enclosure, the Endless Summer, which is fixed with sliding windows and comes in three different designs. A unique feature is the so-called ‘Iris’ end – an optional extra that is rounded in shape and has wide opening doors.

Certikin offers a free site survey.

Installation is optional to give full peace of mind, or supply only and guidance provided should it be preferred.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS: Alukov 0118 909 9844 www.alukov.co.uk Arch Enclosures 01444 411411 www.archenclosures.co.uk Certikin International 01993 777200 www.certikin.co.uk SCP UK 01293 546126 www.scpeurope.com

Certikin offer an extensive range of pool and spa enclosures, thanks to its partnership with leading enclosure designer and manufacturer, Aquacomet

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Swimex 0800 804 8025 www.swimex.co.uk.

Telescopic Pool Enclosures 01722 444590 www.telescopicpoolenclosures.com

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SPATEX2020 A4 TRADEv2.qxp_Layout 1 01/03/2019 09:35 Page 4

SPATEX represents all sectors of the wet leisure industry from pools, spas, saunas to hydrotherapy, steam rooms and play equipment, in both the domestic and commercial arena.

More than just an exhibition, SPATEX is also the venue for a free to attend and unrivalled double seminar and workshop programme, hosted by industry associations ISPE, STA, PWTAG and more!

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK YOUR STAND VISIT:

WWW.SPATEX.CO.UK OR CALL +44 1264 358558

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BUYERS GUIDE ANTI-ENTRAPMENT

DIVING – REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE

HEAT EXCHANGERS

BOWMAN

HOT TUB & SPAS

®

Manufacturers of swimming pool heat exchangers for chlorine, saline and spa pools.

EJ Bowman (Birmingham) Ltd Chester Street, B’ham B6 4AP, UK Tel: +44 (0) 121 359 5401 Fax: +44 (0) 121 359 7495 Email: info@ejbowman.co.uk

CEILING SYSTEMS AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £395!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FOR JUST OVER £1 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433

E.TONY@AQUA-PUBLISHING.CO.UK

CONTROL PANELS

AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £395!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FOR JUST OVER £1 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433 E. TONY@AQUAPUBLISHING.CO.UK

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk

DUCTWORK

AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £395!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FORJUST OVER £1 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433 E. TONY@AQUAPUBLISHING.CO.UK

HEAT EXCHANGERS

ON-SITE LINING

UK DISTRIBUTOR • In depth technical back up • Quick delivery • Complete heat exchangers in stock

sales@gvsswimmingpools.co.uk www.gvsswimmingpoolsonline.co.uk

SPN October 2019 71

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BUYERS GUIDE ON-SITE LINING

PLAY EQUIPMENT

POOL COVERS

POOL COVERS – LIQUID

PLAY EQUIPMENT

POOL BUILDERS

POOL COVERS

POOL ENCLOSURES

AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £495!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FOR LESS THAN £1.50 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433 E. TONY@AQUAPUBLISHING.CO.UK

72 October 2019 SPN

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BUYERS GUIDE POOL ENCLOSURES

POOL ENGINEERS

POOL ENGINEERS

POOL EQUIPMENT

POOL EQUIPMENT

POOL EQUIPMENT

AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £395!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FOR JUST OVER £1 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433

E.TONY@AQUA-PUBLISHING.CO.UK

POOL ENCLOSURES

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk

POOL ENGINEERS

SPN October 2019 73

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BUYERS GUIDE POOL EQUIPMENT

POOL FLOORS – LIFTING/MOVING

POOL LIFTS & SPA HOISTS

PRESSURE TESTING & LEAK DETECTION EQUIP

AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £395!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FOR JUST OVER £1 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433

E.TONY@AQUA-PUBLISHING.CO.UK

POOL EQUIPMENT

POOL HEATERS

POOL LIFTS & SPA HOISTS

SPRAYED CONCRETE

AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £495!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FOR LESS THAN £1.50 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433 E. TONY@AQUAPUBLISHING.CO.UK

74 October 2019 SPN

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BUYERS GUIDE SPRAYED CONCRETE

TILED SPAS

WATER MONITORING & CONTROL

ADVERTISERS INDEX

Alukov

IBC

Aquaflex

24

aquanale

29

Arch Enclosures

69

Artesian Spas

OBC

Bowman Certikin Int’l

47 19, 29, 63 & 64

Cranbourne Stone Fairlocks Pool Products

51 IFC & 30

Gaffey

13

GMT Spas International

42

Golden Coast

SWIM SPAS

TILING & TILING REPAIRS

AN ADVERT THIS SIZE IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE IS JUST £395!

THAT’S 6 ISSUES OR 12 MONTHS COVERAGE FOR JUST OVER £1 PER DAY! TO ADVERTISE CALL TONY WESTON ON 01474 813433 E. TONY@AQUAPUBLISHING.CO.UK

www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk

WATER TREATMENT

13 & 21

Heatstar Europe

37

Humidity Solutions

21

Hydro-flux

44

IBD Water Treatment

16

ISPE

14

Kal-tech

19

Leyton

41

Lighthouse

11

NIVEKO

24

Ocea UK

08

On-site Pool Linings Ltd

19

Passion Spas

56

Plastica Pools

11

PoolLock

38

Relevant Marketing

16

Raywood Graphic Design

16

SCP UK

06 & 27

SPATEX

70

STA

38

Stoneworld

51

Suntrap Systems

51

T&A

44

Telescopic Pool Enclosures

64

The Mosaic Spa Company

63

Water i.d.

47

Waterco/Certikin International 05 Waxman Ceramics

55

Wellis UK

22

SPN October 2019 75

OPINION

Unexpected Item In The Bagging Area “The rise of the machines. Skynet and The Matrix aside, is the real threat that selfservice checkout in Tesco?” Jamie Adams, Managing Director at Golden Coast, offers some thoughts on the subject of automation

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‘PLEASE SCAN AN ITEM, OR TOUCH THE SCREEN TO START’

rom time to time there are articles in the media that warn us that we are about to lose our jobs to automation, to robots, to the machines.

Quite often these articles suggest a list of jobs that they think will be safe from this threat. The list often includes gardener and hairdresser. Interestingly, and perhaps slightly worryingly, one of my neighbours has a robot lawnmower. It spends all day bumbling across his lawn, kept from straying by a few GPS coordinates and cutting the grass super smooth with its electric shears.

I’m sure that last week I caught him looking at it wondering what sort of a job it made?

Perhaps no jobs are safe?

CONTACTLESS When it comes to petrol stations and the pumps that offer us ‘Pay at kiosk’ or ‘Pay at pump’ it’s about giving us a choice, I get that. But I wonder how long we’ll be offered that choice and how long it will be before driverless cars are driving into unmanned petrol stations up and down the country.

And it’s not just about choosing your payment method. Those micro-interactions that happen over a till receipt and a chip and PIN device are important.

‘Mornin’. Pump number three please,’ says I. ‘That’ll be twenty pounds and a penny.’

(Why can I never get it to stop dead on the round sum no matter how hard I try?)

‘It’s a lovely day,’ I say, smiling and tapping my card on the machine.

‘It is lovely, isn’t it. You enjoy the rest of your day and drive safe, eh. See you again.’

There you are. Not so much in itself but these points of contact are important. They reassure us that we are part of society, part of a group, they stop us from feeling lonely and they make us happier. It’s a scientific fact, they do. We’ll miss them when they are gone.

LABOUR SAVING DEVICES From the Veg-O-Matic or the Sunbeam Mixmaster of the 60s kitchen to the latest App, bit of software or gizmo saving time and saving effort has been the benefit most loudly shouted about. (So it makes me wonder why I’m still tired by Friday and I don’t seem to have vast amounts of spare time on my hands.)

Certainly these self-service opportunities at the garage, in the bank or increasingly at the supermarket checkout offer an opportunity to save labour but the labour that is being saved isn’t mine. I am doing more work, not less.

I’m happy to pump my own petrol at the garage, although I can just about remember petrol pump attendants, but now I’m effectively running the till as well. In the bank, the ATM lets me do what the cashier used to do only I’m not being paid to do it and increasingly, as banks cut staff numbers, neither are they.

In the supermarket I’m scanning my own shopping and ringing up my own till and judging by the increasing number of self service checkouts and the decreasing number of cashiers, it’s a job that I better get used to.

… people look to lower costs and increase profits and that is fair enough, it’s called ‘business’ but increasingly business impacts on society, how we live our lives and the quality of them” 76 October 2019 SPN 76_SPN_October_19_Opinion.indd 76

For the banks, the supermarkets and the others, this is obviously a long-term plan because at the moment, the person whose job has been taken by the machine is now employed to explain to befuddled customers how the machine works.

That won’t last forever.

In time we will all be trained up and those jobs will go and people will say, the machines took those jobs. But they didn’t, did they? The accountants did.

Machines don’t think evil thoughts and plan for global domination, at least not unless they are programmed to, but people look to lower costs and increase profits and that is fair enough, it’s called ‘business’ but increasingly business impacts on society, how we live our lives and the quality of them.

I suspect very few of us would look forward to a time when we can fill up with petrol, put money in the bank and do the weekly shop all without interacting with a single human being.

QUEUE HERE And having said all that, perhaps we needn’t worry too much about our future. These machines are generally there to offer an alternative to the queue but the British are the best at queuing in the whole world. We are famous for it. There are jokes about it.

At every bank and in every supermarket you will find a long line of people patiently avoiding the opportunity to use a self-service machine, even if a helpful member of staff tries to steer them towards it.

The nice thing about queuing is that it gives you a chance to have a little break and perhaps chat to someone, and that’s always nice, isn’t it?

Golden Coast 01271 378100 www.goldenc.com

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RETRACTABLE SWIMMING POOL ENCLOSURES

www.alukov.co.uk

OLYMPIC™

CERTIFIED EN 1090 C

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Full service – we manufacture, transport and install all enclosures (no third party involved) Modern design – leader of innovation and development Low, medium, high, free standing or lean-to enclosure Over 23,000 installations world-wide Incredibly easy gliding (open and close under 1 minute) 3D design service available Up to 15 years warrantee Free site visits NEW! Bespoke budget range AZURE - call for details

ELEGANT NEO™

BUDGET RANGE AZURE

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Office: 0118 909 98 44 Mobile: 07955 522 502 E-mail: info@alukov.co.uk www.alukov.co.uk

WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO...

Artesian Spas provide exciting, cutting edge, American built spas with the highest quality backed by great service and support, for which our company is world-renowned. With FIVE unique spa lines, designed with a variety of features, in a range of sizes, the needs and desires of every p otential hot tub customer are met.

Award winning spas and swim spas Large and extensive stock of spas and parts Continuous product innovation Service, sales and technical support Prices retailing from ÂŁ3,795 to ÂŁ20,000+

...IT HAS TO BE ARTESIAN For more information about becoming an Artesian Spas dealer, contact us today: