Home | Pool News | 3D Printed Pools Ready To Hit The Market
San Juan Pools is ready to usher in the era of 3D-printed pools. The fiberglass pool manufacturer were on Fox & Friends yesterday demonstrating the first-ever 3D printed fiberglass swimming pool.
The advent of 3D printing promises to lower the cost for building homes, and it would seem that the same holds true for swimming pools. With dealerships all over the United States, San Juan Pools has been operating its family-owned business for almost 65 years. As one of the largest manufacturers of fiberglass pools, the 3D printed pool is a first for the pioneers.
San Juan shipped their Baja Beach model up to midtown Manhattan where Bedell explained the technology behind 3d printing a swimming pool and allowed hosts to sample the product, so to speak.
The 3D printed pool features a hot tub for 8 people and a sloped beach entry that can be installed in or above ground. Features you’d find in a custom inground swimming pool Bedell explained the exciting aspect of 3D printing a swimming pool means “they can make it any shape they want.”
Home improvement expert Skip Bedell, explained that San Juans new 3d printed pools can be produced in a matter of days and are made from completely recyclable materials.
“So, when they’re done, they can put it through a plastic shredder and reuse those plastic pellets,” Bedell said, referencing the product’s end life and consumer disposal.
Bedell explained that San Juan Pools shift towards adapting massive printing technology stemmed from its partnership with an advanced manufacturing company called Alpha Additive. Bedell explained that no other pool manufacturer currently has the technology or machinery to create these pool products, which currently leaves them as the sole 3D printer of fiberglass pools in the industry.
Chlorine Prices Continue To Go Up This Summer
Coach Saves Swimmer Who Fainted At World Championships
Alise Everton has been working in the pool industry for the past decade and is an experienced press correspondent and contributor for numerous trade publications and web portals including PoolMagazine.com and PoolContractor.com among others. Contact her for guest posting opportunities, press releases, and pool equipment related news.
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With no relief in sight, chlorine prices continue to soar as costs keep rising for pool chemicals this summer. Since almost the very start of the pandemic prices for pool sanitizers like chlorine have nearly doubled and at the retail level consumers are paying nearly triple what they were before the end of 2020.
Soaring costs for fuel, rising inflation, and a litany of other factors such as logistical delays and workforce shortages have plagued the pool industry. A factory closure due to a fire at one of the nation’s largest producers of dried chlorine products certainly did not help matters.
BioLab, the manufacturer in question is spending $170 million dollars on rebuilding their plant after it burnt to the ground during Hurricane Laura. While many pool professionals were hoping that the plant would be back online in time to impact and offset summer chlorine prices, a series of delays related to a second hurricane has pushed back operations. Consequently, any impact BioLab’s production would have had on this year’s chlorine supply is now a moot point.
Industry pundits and analysts know what caused prices to spike. That’s never been the issue. The question that remains to be answered: When will chlorine prices go back down? The answer is, they won’t.
While chlorine prices are expected to stabilize somewhat within the next year, rising costs, inflation, and an increase in consumer demand will keep chlorine prices high well into next summer and the immediate, foreseeable future.
Chlorine like many other chemicals is a commodity. As such the prices for chemical commodities are clearly viewable from various credible sources. The price index for Alkalies and Chlorine, Including Natural Sodium Carbonate and Sulfate, reached a record high of 483.79600 in May of 2022. As we progress later into the summer and prices are predicted to continue to rise and blow away analysts’ forecasts.
In response to a changing market, many pool professionals began to switch to liquid chlorine and alternative sanitizing methods to help offset operational costs. Consequently, these materials have also increased in price over the last year and a half. Exactly how high have prices gone?
Well let’s put it this way, you can finance a 50-pound $449 bucket of Bromine tablets for just $41 bucks a month if you buy it from Leslie’s, on Amazon you’ll pay $498 if you can find them in stock. That we’re at a state that necessitates the need for consumers to be able to finance a bucket of tablets, is a pause for reflection on exactly how high prices have gone up.
‘Hero coach saves swimmer’ was the headline splashed all over the news today. After losing consciousness during the FINA World Aquatic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, American swimmer Anita Alvarez was rescued from drowning at the bottom of the pool by coach Andrea Fuentes.
On Wednesday, Fuentes dived into the water after seeing the 25-year-old artistic swimmer plummet to the bottom of the women’s solo free event.
Andrea Fuentes, coach to two-time Olympian Anita Alvarez, told Spanish newspaper Marca that she dived in to haul the 25-year-old to the surface because no one else lifted a finger to do so.
“I jumped into the water because I saw that no one, no lifeguard, was diving in,” she said.
The dramatic rescue unfolded when Ms Alvarez was participating in the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Wednesday night.
This wasn’t the first time that Fuentes has come to Alvarez’s rescue. During an Olympic qualification event last year, a similar incident occurred where Fuentes leaped into action to her and swim partner, Lindi Schroeder to safety.
Fuentes is a four-time Olympic medalist in synchronized swimming and the most decorated swimmer on the Spanish National Team. The world champion rescued Alvarez from the bottom of the pool and swam her to the surface before swimming her to safety at the edge of the pool.
“I got a little scared because she wasn’t breathing, but now she’s fine,” Fuentes told news sources.
Swimmers often hold their breath for long periods of time as a way to develop their lung capacity but never defy medical advice, according to their instructor, who explained that the occurrence was not out of the ordinary in the sport of swimming.
Fuentes became concerned when she observed Alvarez’s feet appeared paler than usual toward the end of her routine on Wednesday. While Alvarez was descending instead of ascending to take a breath, she dove in.
Fuentes remarked, “I was already paying attention, and then I saw her sliding down. In the end, “I didn’t even ask myself if I should go or not, I just thought that I was not going to wait.” “I know Anita very well and I know the sport very well.” Fuentes replied when asked if she thought lifeguards were too slow to respond to the incident.
Fuentes concluded by saying, “They did their job, I did mine,” The sport’s governing body, the International Swimming Federation (FINA), did not react to calls for comment on reaction speed of the rescue.
After what it called a “medical emergency.” FINA said in a statement on Thursday that it has been in contact with Alvarez, her teammates, and her medical personnel. In the words of the release, “Ms. Alvarez was immediately treated by a medical team in the venue and is in good health,”
Oli Scarff, the underwater photographer who used a remote robotic camera to capture the breathtaking images of the rescue, told reporters that he heard noise as he was looking at his computer toward the end of Alvarez’s routine. He observed the swimmer at the bottom of the pool on the screen of the robotic camera.
According to the photographer, it was “It was kind of a shocking thing to see because as soon as I looked back down at the robotic camera I had this kind of clear view of the scene while everyone in the arena was watching it through the surface of the water,” as he put it.
At first Scarff was capturing “beautiful” images of a “amazing” athlete in action, only to find himself “in a heartbeat” photographing “a near-death situation.” “Actually, I was rather rattled up by the whole thing.
“The doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal: heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc. All is fine,” Fuentes stated. Other high-endurance sports, such as running and cycling, also experience this.” Whether it’s a marathon, a bike race, or a cross-country race, we’ve all seen photographs of racers who didn’t make it to the finish line being helped by others. Swimming is just like any other activity in that we push ourselves to our limits and sometimes find them.”
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Adding a sauna to your backyard is becoming more and more popular. As far as outdoor home improvements go, it nears the top of the list for those that are health-conscious. It comes of no surprise, many of the same folks who purchase a pool are also in the market for a sauna.
With summer right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about backyard improvements. A sauna is one that make your home’s outdoor living area a more enjoyable experience. Most homeowners long for a place to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to unwind. A sauna provides the type of respite they are looking for; complete relaxation in a natural outdoor setting.
Folks who visit a sauna regularly, have most probably considered saving themselves the recurring cost. Its also inconvenient having to go to a steam room for a 15-45 minute session. It stands to reason that when evaluating what outdoor amenities provide the best value, more homeowners are considering a sauna.
There are many well-known benefits to owning a sauna. A 2018 Mayo Clinic Proceedings study states, “Sauna bathing may be linked to several health benefits, which include reduction in the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and neurocognitive diseases; nonvascular conditions such as pulmonary diseases; mortality; as well as amelioration of conditions such as arthritis, headache, and flu.”
While associated with improving conditions such as respiratory issues, bronchitis, and other breathing ailments, still there is a large percentage of consumers who purchase a sauna for other reasons. Many will purchase a sauna for the beauty that they add to their outdoor living environment. With many elegant and contemporary design options to choose from; these days, consumers have their choice when it comes to adding a sauna that compliments the aesthetic of their backyard.
This country loves its saunas. In fact, there are currently over 1 million saunas, representing an $8 billion market in the United States alone. Seems like a high number right? Well that’s nothing compared to Finland who really love their saunas. Finland has the highest percentage of saunas per capita than any other country on the planet. With a $20 billion market, there are over 3 million saunas in Finland today. We may be running behind them in terms of consumer demand, but we’re catching up fast.
To get a better understanding of why the demand for saunas has suddenly spiked, we spoke with Tina Adams, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Bathing Brands. We wanted to know how the market for saunas has grown in recent years.
“Sauna sales have doubled in the past two years, mirroring unprecedented interest in backyard leisure, personal wellness, and an improved quality of life.”, said Adams.
Perhaps highest on the list for consumers thinking of purchasing a sauna for their backyard are the health benefits that come from owning one. A fact that Adams acknowledged, “In addition to making people feel good, heat therapy has proven heart-health, pain-reduction, and immune systems benefits.”
“There is a sauna bathing revolution brewing,” said Adams, “we are culturally uncovering the value heat and cold can have on us physiologically. Experiencing a sauna outdoors, and even better, adjacent to a swimming pool, offers an experience only nature can provide. The addition of a sauna in a pool setting allows for an invigorating plunge or cool down which is so essential to the sauna experience. “
It stands to reason that as swimming pools have surged in popularity over the years, the sauna sector would see a new influx of consumers as well. Being a very cold country, we can understand why Finland is so popular for saunas. America however doesn’t have the culture for saunas that Finland does, nor the climate. Yet, the demand has skyrocketed. With double the sales, the question begs to ask, why are Americans developing such an appetite for adding saunas as an outdoor amenity?
There was a point in time where you where a sauna was an unlikely amenity to find in the backyard. These days, finding a sauna in an elegantly appointed outdoor setting is far more likely. The market penetration has been considerable in recent years. Sauanas are now on the list of top amenities one will find in the backyard along with pools and spas.
“One of the hottest trends in the backyard right now is the installation of outdoor saunas,” said Adams, “but it’s the pool and spa dealers who are really the ones facilitating this trend. Modular or barrel saunas are easy to display, simple to install, and can help grow their business.”
It’s a fact that as the gatekeepers of the backyard, pool builders and designers are the ones with the greatest influence on the homeowner. In terms of swaying buying decisions to particular outdoor living products and amenities, no one has more influence in this regard.
The ease of installation, small space requirements, and relatively low cost in comparison to other outdoor amenities such as pools and spas, make it an appealing value added service builders can add to the list of products they offer their customers.
The fact that stoking demand starts at the dealer level begins at the dealer level is not lost in Adams. “Local pool and spa dealers are the most viable resource for displaying, promoting, and satisfying consumer demand,” she explained.
During trade show season, saunas definitely had an enormous presence on the exhibition floor this year. “We have seen growth in all markets,” said Adams. “Where there is a pool, there is the highest potential of outside sales sauna growth,” she explained.
Adams is hoping for even higher adaptation in the near future, “Featuring an outdoor sauna kit into existing projects is a sure-fire way to grow sales. We’re excited to see our dealers leading the sauna revolution at the retail level.”
Featured Photo Credit: Thermory USA
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