Countdown to bigger SPATEX showcase
Andy Slater- 5 hours ago
Enhancing SPATEX with a bigger showcase is the key aim for organisers of the 2025 water leisure and wellness extravaganza as the final countdown begins before new innovations and seminars are unveiled to visitors.
Event organiser Michele Bridle and her team have been pulling out all the stops to ensure the 29th edition of SPATEX, running from February 4 February 6, is a ‘must visit’ event by being bigger on multiple fronts than its record-breaking predecessors. Rather than resting on their past achievements, the team has announced that extra space is being exploited at the award-winning Coventry Building Society Arena to ensure exhibitors have even more opportunities than ever to promote their products and services.
A bumper list of water leisure and wellness product groups for both the commercial and domestic sectors is ensuring that the 11th outing of SPATEX at the CBS Arena will be overflowing with the latest innovations to increase sales opportunities in 2025; including hot tubs, spas, ice baths, saunas, steam rooms, swimming pools, wellness facilities, garden buildings, children’s play features, enclosures, plus a wide range of ancillary equipment.
Organisers have reported that eleven of the displays, including hot tubs, cold water treatment products, and pools, will be filled with water to provide visitors with an accurate representation of their capabilities whilst in use.
Among over a hundred exhibiting companies at SPATEX 2025, drawn from eleven countries, will be leading hydrotherapy and wellness product specialists including: 1 Stop Spas, Aqua Warehouse Group, Aquafinesse BV, Aquatherapy UK, Astralpool UK Ltd, Balboa Group, Bellagio Spas, Brenntag UK Group, British Swimming Pool Federation, Bullfrog Spas, Certikin Ltd, Darlly Europe, EMEC, GMT Spas International Ltd, Golden Coast Ltd, Hydrospares, ITS Europe Ltd, Johnson Analytica Ltd, Kuntze Instruments UK, Lamotte Europe, Lo-Chlor Chemicals, Lovibond Tintometer, MySpa Distribution, O-Care, Passion Spas, Plastica Ltd, Poolstar Ltd, SCP UK Ltd, Spa Care UK Ltd, SPA Parts Vortex, Oasis Outdoor Living, Suntrap Systems, Superior Wellness, Valerium Canopy by Shade Zone, and Water Treatment Products Ltd.
“This is set to be our biggest show yet and we have expanded the event in response to demand from the industry,” divulged Michele.
“We’ve added more space and for the first time since moving to Coventry eleven years ago we’ll be filling the floorspace of its large exhibition hall.”
SPATEX has become famed for its free workshop information, seminars and tuition organised by the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers (ISPE). In Arena 1 and Arena 2, leading experts will be bringing their individual insights and knowledge to create a varied programme of seminars, which combine hands-on practical advice with technical know-how plus, essential health and safety guidance and compliance.
Arena 1 is dedicated to ISPE and its 20 CPD accredited technical workshops, covering topics such as an annual health and safety update on legislation and cases over the past year and details of forthcoming changes; with a strong focus on Legionella and the importance of microbiological testing in a business setting; commercial spa maintenance; energy savings with the correct pipe and pipework configuration; the planning, design and layout of plant rooms, the importance of microbiological testing in a business setting.
Dr Geertje Van Keulen is scheduled to discuss ‘The Biofilm Alliance – a Network for Regulatory Sciences, Academic Research and Industry Collaboration’ during the second day of SPATEX, February 5, from 3pm to 3:30pm.
The Associate Professor in Microbial Biochemistry at Swansea University Medical School’s Institute for Life Science, leads interdisciplinary research and innovation teams with microbiology at its core, and is currently developing sustainable novel antimicrobial surface coatings for wet and dry biofilms and improving and efficacy testing eco-friendly products for hot tubs and swim spas.
Along with being a member of the Advisory Council of the Microbiology Society, Dr Van Keulen is an active member of the BSI Committee CH/216/-/3 ‘Products and Biofilms’ focussing on the wet leisure sector and is the ‘Water’ remit Lead in the UK’s Biofilm Alliance, an Innovate-UK funded Network for Regulatory Science.
Almost immediately following on in the afternoon, 1 Stop Spas and SpaTech Training chief Chris Brady; who is a senior tutor for the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and BISHTA as well as a subject matter expert to the British Standards Institution (BSI); will be speaking on the subject of ‘Driving More Spa Sales Through Development and Innovation’, February 5, from 3:45pm to 4:05pm.
Chris, who is distributor for the 2025 WhatSpa? Holiday Park Best Buy Award-winning Tuff Spas range, is featured as one of several online promotional interviews filmed by Taya Media that also includes Richard Hart from Vita Spa and Covana distributor Aqua Warehouse Group that includes Aqua Spa Supplies, and award-winning hot tub and pool specialist retailer Jane Veysey from All Swim extoling the virtues of visiting SPATEX, which can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/QanfRYl1g4g
Also on the seminar schedule is SPATEX regular David Ramsden from Complete Pool Controls (CPC), who will be speaking on the subject of ‘The Importance of microbiological testing in a business setting’ on the first day of SPATEX, February 4, from 2:25pm to 2:45pm
On the following day, Matt Morse from the Legionella Control Association will be covering the topic of ‘Legionella in Your Spa Pool’, February 5, from 11am to 11:30am.
Full details of the seminars can be found at www.spatex.co.uk/programme/workshops-seminars
Making a splash for the first time during this edition will be the launch of a Pool Plant Theatre. The Institute of Swimming (IOS), in collaboration with the Swimming Teachers Association (STA), ISPE, and Royal Lifesaving Society (RLSS) have scheduled a series of hands-on workshops, speaker panels, and forum, catering for the specific needs of the commercial pool operator. There will be four sessions during the first afternoon of SPATEX and four on the second morning.
Energy-efficiency has been a main product innovation focus at SPATEX in recent years and that trend is set to continue for this latest outing, which will see air source heat pump promotion running alongside advanced energy-saving hot tubs, heat retention covers, LED lighting, and the latest cold water therapy technology.
Visitors are being assured that their time at SPATEX will provide an insight into the next generation of product technology to help them navigate difficult trading currents by tapping into the booming wellness trend. As always, the New Product Zone will be highlighting a selection of the latest innovations that are being rolled out to dealers to entice new customers in the year ahead.
“The last few years have seen a focus on sustainable and energy efficient products and we are expecting that to continue,” revealed Michele Bridle.
“With the increased profile and popularity of cold water and hot water therapies, we are set to discuss those benefits in detail at the event.”
Once again visitors to SPATEX will be extending their networking opportunities at the CBS Arena during the pre-booked Annual Wet Leisure Industry Gala Evening on February 4, which is being combined with the 2025 British Pool & Hot Tub Awards with prestigious trade accolades and acclaim for the latest BISHTA Awards and SPATA Awards recipients, and the re-presentation of the ISPE Awards.
After the second day of the SPATEX concludes on February 5, all exhibitors and visitors are being encouraged to gain a very collectible gift by diving into the Networking Party in the Arena’s Clubhouse, with free canapes and drinks. This will be followed, from 7pm. with the SPATEX Casino and Mexican Chilli Evening in the on-site Grosvenor Casino.
Along with registering for SPATEX at www.spatex.co.uk visitors can take advantage of 2,000 free car parking spaces, which have to be pre-booked with a unique code as part of a new free discount initiative to ensure there is no charge for parking ahead of visiting the bigger than ever free showcase of innovative water leisure and wellness products and services.
“We’re looking forward to a great 11th year at Coventry Building Society Arena; highlighting more innovations from across the water leisure sector than ever before,” declared Michele Bridle.
For more information email: helen@spatex.co.uk or telephone: +44 (0) 1264 358558.
