The major show on the American East Coast dedicated to swimming pools and spas
From 28th to 30th January 2020, the 39th Pool & Spa Show organised by the Northeast Spa & Pool Association was held at the Atlantic City Convention Center (USA). For this annual edition, particularly intended for professionals from the East Coast of the United States, the professional fair brought together more than 400 exhibitors from the Pool and Spa industry.
As every year, our collaborator Michele RAVIZZA visited the fair and gives us her impressions:
"Thanks to the very mild weather and excellent organisation, the Atlantic City Pool & Spa Show 2020 drew a huge number of visitors, most of whom were pool constructors. The first two days saw a significant number of visitors. The offer is still very strong with more than 400 exhibitors exclusively from the swimming pool sector."
Six large companies from the swimming pool industry were present
Fluidra made a media push, in particular by sponsoring the cords of the entry badges and a large stall displaying pool and spa products. The group's brands thus gained very good visibility. This year, the Zodiac® brand was an integral part of the group's stand.
Fluidra stand with from left to right: Eloi Planes, Executive Chairman of the Fluidra Board of Directors, Scott Frost, Vice-President of Fluidra Sales and Services in North America
and Bruce Brooks, General Manager of Fluidra
Also noteworthy was the strong presence of Hayward, Pentair, BWT / Procopi, Latham, AquaCal AutoPilot and all their satellite companies. The companies PoolCorp, Watertech, Loop-Loc were also exhibitors, as in every edition of the Pool & Spa Show.
The BWT Group, a specialist in water treatment, as well as Aquatron, a manufacturer of pool cleaning robots from Israel, had a stand for the first time. They presented the Aquabot brand, well known in the American swimming pool market, and BWT, a newcomer in this overseas market.
Christophe DURAND, Marketing Director, said:
It was important for BWT and Aquatron to participate in this national fair, in order to reassure professionals in the American market on the sustainability of the brand's commercial follow-up and after-sales service by the brand's new Aquatron sales team.
On site, the commercial team benefits from the support of a sales agent, present in America with his 20 employees.
They have the responsibility, with the help of Marina Lipnack, of representing the various brands of the group in the USA in order to build strong and lasting commercial links with local distributors. Naty Lopez, the Global Sales Director of Aquatron, as well as Marina Lipnack, International Sales Manager North America, were both at the show to meet professionals.
BWT / Aquabot stand
The Aquatron sales team, with from left to right: Naty Lopez, two hostesses, Ronen Lalush (Technical Manager), Johanna Egger, Christophe Durand (Marketing Manager - BWT) and Reuven Leiviav (behind)
The Aquatron team with: Reuven Leiviav, Johanna Egger, Marina Lipnack, Wolfgang Stangassinger (Head of Pool Division - BWT), Eyal Barel (General Manager - Aquatron) and Christophe Durand
Around 15 spa companies were exhibitors
Listed under the name 'Hot Tubs' in the United States, several spa companies had set up a beautiful exhibition area: Bullfrog Spas by Viking Spas; Tuff Spas (brand established in Europe and distributed in France by Europe Spa); Balboa Water Group, reputed manufacturer of parts for electronic control equipment for spas; Pleatco, manufacturer of filter cartridges and filter grids for high-end spas, was also very well represented; Waterway Plastics, manufacturer of injection-moulded plastic products; Jacuzzi Brands, Hydropool Hot Tubs & Swim Spas, among others.
Stuff Spas stand
Waterway stand
Pleatco stand with CEO Howard Smith at the center
Jacuzzi brands stand
The HydroQuip stand exhibiting among others the Balboa and Gecko products
An increasing number of European companies were at the Pool & Spa Show
The first participation of the Hungarian manufacturer of European spas, Wellis, in an American pool and spa show was a great success. Its CEO, Ako CZAFIK, told us that he was delighted with its performance and the potential of the American spa market. Its designer spas with European lines attracted many visitors.
Wellis stand with the CEO Ako Czafik
CCEI, the French manufacturer of electrical and lighting equipment for the swimming pool, already has a strong presence on the American continent, with two factories (in Canada and in Los Angeles). After 4 years in Montreal, CCEI decided to pursue its expansion by opening a new subsidiary in North America in 2018. The latter is managed from Los Angeles by Clara BARET, General Manager, and Pierre Flattot, Chairman of the subsidiary.
The CCEI stand with Clara BARET and her husband Pierre Flattot
IMPACT exhibited for the second time at the Pool & Spa Show. It presented its range of IMPACT chemical products for the treatment of swimming pool and spa water.
Its director, Serge COORNAERT, told us: "(...) With our very long knowledge of the American market and fairs, we chose Atlantic City to exhibit. We work mainly in the northeast of the United States with an agent on site. We are also referenced at PoolCorp (Ed: SCP in Europe). It was an excellent show with plenty of exhibitors, good quality visitors, especially during the first two days.
The concept that we are offering, little known in the USA, seemed to be well appreciated by the American market: pre-dosed pellets, coloured according to their action and a product that is concentrated.
We know it will take some time, but we are persevering."
The IMPACT stand and its director Serge Coornaert
It was also a first for HEXAGONE and its CEO Yoann CHOURAQUI, who presented their robots. The bestseller for public swimming pools in Europe Chrono, sold under the name Enduro TurboClean in the United states and the new SPOT, a world first this year for semi-collective swimming pools, were exhibited on the Commercial Energy Specialists stand, an importing company in the USA.
Left, Gary Leblanc, Hexagone Manager USA,
right Yoann Chouraqui President of Hexagone Manufacture
Yoann CHOURAQUI said: "(...) very surprised at the quality of the exhibition, for me the most beautiful American exhibition, very interesting, visited only by pool and spa professionals from the East Coast (the other being the Las Vegas exhibition for the West Coast).
We were swamped during the entire show and we have confirmed partnerships with other distributors.
As every year, at the Pool & Spa Show we were able to meet the Czech manufacturer of pool shelters and patio covers, IPC Alukov, representatives of the German company specialising in filtration pumps for pools SPECK Pumpen, and the Italian swimming pool brand Biodesign.
Biodesign stand
The following products, from companies on the American continent, were also represented at the show: Endless Pool, Fix A Leak, Genesis (training programmes), Artesian Spas, Aqua Comb, Aladdin, S.R. Smith, Stenner Pump, etc.