Historic hot tub seminar debut
Andy Slater- 9 years ago
L.A Spas hot tub and swim spa dealers have been provided with a major boost for the second half of the year after attending the brand’s historic inaugural UK Seminar by the Aqua Warehouse Group.
The seminar was the first for over six years for the L.A. Spas dealership network and brought together all of the current UK-based retailers at the Grade II Listed Mansion Bosworth Hall Hotel & Spa in Market Bosworth, Warwickshire. They had been invited to the event to find out the direction the brand would be taking with the support from new UK distributor Aqua Warehouse Group and the manufacturing stewardship of MAAX Spas Industries Corporation.
Earlier this year MAAX Spas Industries Corporation Director of Business Development James McClure revealed that the wet leisure giant’s acquisition of southern California-based L.A Spas would prove to be a positive move for the international dealer network. These currently include Sheffield-based Aquafun, Tewkesbury-based Clear Natural Spa’s, Cornwall-based Cornish Hot Tubs, Northumberland-based Felmoor Leisure Ltd, Solihull-based GVS Swimming Pools, Lincoln-based Gray Fox Swimming Pools, Wanlip-based My Spa, Skipton-based Settle Hot Tubs, Southampton-based Swan Pools & Spa Centre, Aberystwyth-based Welsh Hot Tubs, and Northern Ireland-based The Hot Tub Centre.
“We’d previously looked at other options but when L.A Spas became stuck in difficult negotiations for their factory premises with their landlord it was a golden opportunity for MAAX Corporation to purchase a brand that had top quality products and was performing very well in the market,” reported James.
“Our intention now is to fully support the L.A Spas dealers and ensure the brand continues to be successful with our financial and manufacturing backing.”
James flew in from the USA manufacturing powerhouse’s Chandler headquarters in Arizona to attend the seminar event at the 17th century mansion, which was also co-hosted by Essex-based Aqua Warehouse chief Richard Hart and L.A Spas UK Representative Sean Aldred, who has continued his existing relationship with dealers during the transition period.
Richard reported that the seminar, hosted near to the Bosworth Battlefield Centre tourist attraction, had been successful in allowing his Aqua Warehouse Group to achieve one of its aims of gaining complete knowledge of the newly-acquired L.A Spas network of UK-based dealers.
“It was very important that we hit the ground running and get to know all the dealers and likewise for them to get to know us at Aqua Warehouse,” explained Richard Hart, who successfully distributes the Vita Spa range of hot tubs in the UK that have the pedigree assurance of also being manufactured in Arizona by MAAX Spas Industries Corporation.
The full-day L.A Spas Seminar commenced with an in-depth talk from James about MAAX Spas Industries Corporation and why they took advantage of the opportunity to purchase L.A.Spas, as well as plans for improving and moving the brand forward. The remainder of the day was spent covering a variety of important dealership subjects ranging from new product knowledge, the new online stocking system, to the various marketing ideas and pricing structure.
Once the seminar’s agenda of activities was completed, the day was rounded off with a meal and dealers then continued to exchange ideas and further get to know each other.
“All in all the day was a great success and the interaction from the dealers showed their passion for the L.A. Spas products,” divulged Richard.
“It was imperative that the L.A. Spas dealers got to tangibly view the newly arrived product from the factory and understand the difference in our manufacturing processes.”
Richard has also gained an additional boost for his newly-acquired L.A Spas distribution network in the UK with a WhatSpa? Best Buy Award in the £4,000 to £5,999 category price range for the six-seater Belmar LX; which comes in at 211 x 211 x 89cm and incorporates a lounge seat and the unique Aqua Klean washable filtration bags.
The WhatSpa? Verdict declares that the Belmar LX, which has a water capacity of 1,438 litres, is: ‘An excellent value for money two pump spa, worthy winner and a sure-fire bet to top the sales charts again this year for L.A Spas’.
Advertising in the UK’s leading hot tub buyer’s guide to promote L.A Spas has also been sanctioned by the Aqua Warehouse Group to enhance the marketing provision for dealers and awareness for the brand in the UK. The consumer advertising campaign is currently promoting a 2015 sales package for the San Juan model for £8,495 with free cover lifter, steps and standard delivery.
A similar advertising campaign in WhatSwimSpa? provides promotion for the L.A Spas range of In-Fit models and UK retailers by highlighting the ‘fantastic value’ of the In-Fit 13 SL, which comes in at 3.96 x 2.34 x 1.35m and retails at £13,999.
The In-Fit 13 SL has also received a WhatSwimSpa? Best Buy Award in the 2015 edition of the consumer magazine, which proclaims it as being a ‘very well designed package’.
In the WhatSwimSpa? Verdict it highlights that the In-Fit range has been the manufacturer’s first foray into the swim spa market having recently celebrated its 30th anniversary as one of the world’s best known hot tub brands, and includes the Aqua Klean filtration system that is found in its mid to high-end hot tub counterparts.
It goes on to state: ‘The 13-SL is the most compact model in the range, but offers fantastic value for money and flexibility as a swim trainer combined with underwater rowing gear and resistance bands for low-impact exercise’.
Following the success of the historic dealer seminar, Richard Hart has now pledged to continue to work closely with his UK-based L.A Spas retailers after reporting that they were clearly impressed with the positive strategy for the brand that was outlined during the day.
“It was very noticeable during the seminar that the dealers were impressed with where and how we would like to move forward with the brand,” divulged Richard.
“It’s now important that we implement what we have said and we continue to work closely with the dealers and move forward together.”
Along with his Aqua Warehouse Group team members, Richard will be promoting the L.A Spas and Vita Spa range of hot tubs and opportunities for dealers during the fourth trade and consumer UK Pool & Spa Expo exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham in November. It commences on November 22, and runs to the Consumer Day on November 24, and is being hosted for the second time in the NEC’s Pavilion Hall.
