Jacuzzi Continues on its Acquisition Track

CHINO, CA–(Marketwire – May 31, 2012) – Jacuzzi Group Worldwide, parent company to both Jacuzzi^® Hot Tubs and Sundance^® Spas, announces today that an affiliated company has acquired the assets of ThermoSpas^®. ThermoSpas is a manufacturer and seller of hot tubs, which began operations in 1983.

“We are very pleased to welcome ThermoSpas’ employees, suppliers and spa owners to the Jacuzzi Group family,” said Bob Rowan, president of Jacuzzi North America. “ThermoSpas’ ability to generate interest in the hot tub category combined with a cutting-edge system of managing leads will prove to be a significant benefit to our network of Jacuzzi and Sundance dealers and our corporation. Additionally, ThermoSpas’ reputation for innovative, great quality products makes them a great fit with our current business.”

President Andy Tournas in 1983 founded ThermoSpas, based in Wallingford, Conn. The company will continue operating independently of the Jacuzzi and Sundance organizations, with Tournas serving as president.

“I am personally thrilled to enter this new chapter for ThermoSpas under the ownership of Jacuzzi Group Worldwide,” said Tournas. “Their expertise and resources will enable ThermoSpas to provide outstanding service to our customer base, and I’m certain that ThermoSpas will provide some significant enhancements to the Jacuzzi and Sundance businesses.”

About Jacuzzi Group Worldwide

Jacuzzi Group Worldwide is a leading global producer of branded hot tub and bath products for residential, commercial and institutional markets. Its products include hot tubs, whirlpool baths, air baths, soaking baths, showers, sink and toilet suites and are marketed under a widely recognized portfolio of famous brand names, including JACUZZI^® and SUNDANCE^®. For more information, visit jacuzzi.com.

Bullfrog Spas wins Best of State award – for the 9th time!

Bullfrog Spas, manufacturer of quality portable hot tubs, was recently awarded the 2012 Best of State Award for the Pool and Spa category. This is the 9th time Bullfrog Spas has won the award since 2003.

The Best of State Organization has a goal of recognizing the best organizations, individuals and companies in Utah based on the following criteria*:

• The overall excellence, superiority and quality of a nominee’s products, services or performance.
• The creativity which nominees display to differentiate themselves from their competition.
• The nominee’s accomplishments to improve the quality of life in their community and state, and their efforts to make the world a better place.

Bullfrog Spas continues to lead the hot tub and spa industry in quality and innovation as reflected in these accomplishments:

• 100% wood-free composite spa support structure, no rot or warping
• Made in the USA with non-polluting, green methods, using 25% recycled materials
• Best energy efficiency in their class according to data compiled by the California Energy Commission
• Lowest failure rate shown by warranty claim data and verified by technicians

Bullfrog’s innovations include the patented JetPak System, which uses modular jetted hot tub seats, or JetPaks, that allow spa owners to customize the massages in their spa and interchange them at any time.

Bullfrog’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters is located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. Bullfrog Spas are sold through Authorized Retailers across the US and Canada and in several other international markets, including Brazil and Europe.

Hottubworks.com sells hot tub covers, hot tub filters, and hot tub chemicals for all Bullfrog Spas Models.

Hot Spring Spas Resin Vats Explode!

An explosion took place at Watkins Manufacturing home for the brands Hot Spring Spas, Caldera Spas, and  Freeflow Spas.  No injuries were reported. The explosion was on the exterior of the plant but the container that exploded did puncture the roof and cause the sprinkler system to break, causing flooding.

Watkins is known for known for being a very responsible company and most would speculate this was from isolated human error, and not poor processes on the part of the company.

VISTA, CA. — An 8,000-gallon container of chemicals exploded and launched through the roof at a hot-tub factory in south Vista late Thursday night, fire officials said.

No one was injured. A security guard was the only person around at 10:30 p.m. when the container exploded outside the main building of Watkins Manufacturing Corp., Vista Fire Department Capt. Robert Ford said Friday.

Hazardous materials crews from San Diego, the county, and Camp Pendleton were called in about 11 p.m. With company officials they spent the next nearly five hours dealing with the mess, Ford said. He said the cause of the blast was still under investigation.

The company makes Hot Spring and Caldera spas and hot tubs at an industrial park on Park Center Drive, west of Business Park Drive.

The container, 10 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter, held a resin-type of chemical and stood with similar containers on a raised platform behind a wall and beneath a metal roof adjacent to the factory building, Ford said.

The flying container dropped through the factory roof and ruptured the sprinkler system. When water from the sprinklers mixed with the chemical, it created a kind of slurry that did not spread beyond the immediate area or get into any waterways, Ford said.

He said when firefighters got to the factory, they could see light smoke, running water, and debris. There was no fire.

Firefighters called for additional engines and the hazardous materials crews. Ford said further clean-up duties were handed over to company officials early Friday.

Manufacturing any product can be hazardous,
And if we learn from the history of our industry,
We can avoid repeating the same mistakes.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Mar 27, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — USA Swimming today announced a partnership with Master Spas, one of the largest portable spas, hot tubs and swim spa manufacturers in the country. Master Spas will become an Official Supplier of USA Swimming.

As part of the partnership, Master Spas will provide a hot tub and a swim spa for swimmers competing in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Swimming, which will take place June 25 to July 2 in Omaha, Nebraska; Master Spas will also be a part of the USA Swimming Aqua Zone fan experience in Omaha, which offers its attendees the ultimate swim-fan experience. Master Spas will hold the “Michael Phelps Swim Spa Challenge,” which will enable fans to see how they measure up against the training speed of Michael Phelps in a Michael Phelps Signature Swim Spa by Master Spas.

Every Michael Phelps Signature Swim Spa by Master Spas contains proprietary wave propulsion technology that provides a wider, deeper and smoother current for swimmers to train in. Resistance in the swim spa is adjustable through a Swim Number System™ that lets swimmers adjust the flow of the current as they practice.

“The partnership with Master Spas allows us to provide a great service to the athletes competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials, as well as a one-of-a-kind fan experience to gain an appreciation for Michael Phelps’ training in a swim spa,” said Matt Farrell, USA Swimming Chief Marketing Officer. “It also allows the coaches and athletes participating in the U.S. Olympic Trials to use the swim spa system to better prepare for their own performances.”

“Master Spas is honored to be working so closely with USA Swimming to support the hopes and dreams of swimmers,” said Bob Lauter, Master Spas, CEO. “We worked with Michael and his coach, Bob Bowman, to develop a swim spa that would benefit swimmers of all levels and we’re looking forward to sharing it with the swimming community in Omaha and across the country.”

About USA Swimming

As the National Governing Body for competitive swimming in the United States, USA Swimming formulates the rules, implements policies and procedures, conducts national championships, disseminates safety and sports medicine information and selects athletes to represent the United States in international competition. USA Swimming has more than 300,000 members nationwide and sanctions more than 7,000 events each year. For more information, visit USAswimming.org   .

About Master Spas

Master Spas is one of the largest portable spas, hot tubs, and swim spa manufacturers in the country, operating out of a state-of-the-art 250,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility on 27 acres, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Master Spas’ management team has over 80 years of spa manufacturing success, and one of the strongest track records in the industry. For more information, visit masterspas.com .