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On July 10, Spa Parts Vortex hosted the grand opening of its new office and warehouse in Hilsea, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.  The facility features a trade reception and product showcase area, an improved yard with enhanced parking and delivery facilities, a spacious warehouse with advanced storage solutions and dedicated areas for marketing, research and development and staff wellness. “This year is an important year for us as we prepare to relocate to larger facilities in Europe and have already established a base in the USA ready to open late this year,” says Darren Waters, managing director at Spa Parts Vortex. “With a more robust infrastructure now in place, we look forward to enhancing our service offerings and meeting the growing demands of our customers.”

The PHTA’s Q3 pulse report indicates revenue has remained the same or increased for more than 61% of respondents. A majority of the revenue increase took place in the service, maintenance and repair sector, where 81% of respondents said revenue was flat (6%) or increased (75%). Echoing this data is revenue for the retail sector, where more than 77% of respondents said revenue was the same (22%) or increased (55%). In terms of employment, the builder segment remained largely unchanged while the service, maintenance and repair sector grew substantially, with 54% of respondents reporting increases in headcount. And of those that increased headcount, 67% increased by 6% or more. The new build backlog has declined with 61% of respondents experiencing anywhere from a 1% to more than a 15% reduction. Backlogs for remodel jobs remain at the same level from Q2 to Q3. A majority of builders, service providers and retailers are optimistic and expecting steady or increased revenue for their companies over the next 12 months. Specifically: 87% of service, maintenance and/or repair respondents said revenue will be the same or better. 67% of builders, designers and remodelers said revenue will be the same or better. 71% of retailers said revenue will be the same or better. More than 135 companies participated across all sectors — retail, service, maintenance, hot tubs and builders. Respondents reiterated that the top two issues are the economy, including inflation and interest rates, and the ability to recruit and retain staff. PHTA offers access to this data to participants only. Upon filling out the survey, an access key will be sent to participants when the quarterly data is available. The Q4 quarterly pulse survey will open on Jan. 15, 2024, and close 15 days later. The opening dates for the 2024 quarterly pulse surveys are: Q1 2024: Apr. 15 Q2 2024: July 15 Q3 2024: Oct. 15 Q4 2024: Jan. 15, 2025 This survey is open to all industry professionals in the builder, retail, service, maintenance and hot tub sectors. PHTA plans to release Q4 results by Feb. 15, 2024. To participate and receive a customized benchmark report, go to phtainsights.com. For more information, please visit the PHTA Research Center or contact Amy Willer, PHTA’s associate director of marketing and communications, at awiller@phta.org or 703-838-0083, ext. 121.

U.K.-based Superior Wellness announced the appointment of Mathew Day as its new operations director. With over 15 years of experience across various sectors, Day brings operational expertise and strategic leadership to his new position. “I am very excited to join the team at Superior Wellness,” Day says. “The business is extremely well placed for further significant growth, building upon the strong foundations in place due to the quality of its partner relationships, product offerings and its people.”

Ice bath brand Chill Tubs has joined forces with Leeds Rhinos Rugby League team for the start of the 2024 Betfred Super League season. The partnership has seen two Chill Tubs installed at the Leeds Rhinos Bartercard Training Complex, which will be used by all players to help support their recovery. Chill Tubs, launched by Superior Wellness in 2023, are made from stainless steel and can be set as low as 3 degrees Celsius with no ice required. See also Chill Tubs will also donate 5% of every Chill Tubs sale directly to the Leeds Hospitals Charity Appeal for the Rob Burrow Centre for MND. To learn more about Chill Tubs, visit chilltubs.com Bella Sykes, left, and Evie Cousins Tom Holroyd, left, and Jack Sinfield

Core Covers has announced the acquisition of Prestige Spa Covers, allowing the company to provide a more comprehensive range of high-quality spa covers and related outdoor solutions. Key highlights of the acquisition include: See also Enhanced manufacturing and distribution capabilities: ensuring efficient production and timely delivery of products across North America and Europe Broadened product portfolio: delivering a range of spa covers and spa accessories across an array of diverse customer needs Combined expertise: bringing together a wealth of industry expertise, allowing the company to innovate and provide unparalleled service Product innovation: driving new ideas in spa cover design, materials and functionality Streamlined operations: teams are working diligently to combine operations, allowing for even greater responsiveness and operational flexibility Enhanced customer support: commitment to excellent customer support remains unwavering For more information, visit corecovers.com.