Expanding distributor Spa Crest Europe is challenging for a greater share of the UK hot tub market after developing a new brand in partnership with Saratoga Spas that will be officially launched in January.
Exclusive to Spa Crest Europe, ‘Conquest Spas‘ by Saratoga Spas are the latest initiative by the Wigan-based distributor in the battle to increase its hot tub dealer network. They are currently being supplied to selective showrooms in the UK and, ahead of the official launch, more stock is becoming available to dealers who can choose from ten models that are the inaugural options within three dedicated lines. These are the Contender Series, the Challenger Series, and Victory Series.
Spa Crest Europe Managing Director Tony Welsby spent time at the Latham-based factory of Saratoga Spas in New York State, during the summer, as part of the development of the new brand title and hot tub selection process; before conducting a recent trial period in the UK involving four of the new Conquest Spas options.
As part of the collaboration with the team at Saratoga Spas, Tony has selected ten of the manufacturer’s best-sellers to create the new brand and its three dedicated series. Each of the Contender, Challenger and Victory Series ranges have differing features and many of the hot tub model options are produced with state-of-the-art hydrotherapy functionality and ‘industry-first’ features that are totally unique to Saratoga Spas, which has been manufacturing quality hot tubs since 1984 and is part of the Imperial Pools company that is one of America’s top liner pool manufacturers.
The Contender Series has been launched with the Grandeur, Valiant, Concourse and Celebration models. The Challenger Series includes the Majesty SE, and Conqueror SE; while the Victory Series includes the Realm, the Laurel, the Elation, and the Baroque.
As well as the domestic range of Conquest Spas, a range of four ‘Holiday Let’ hot tub models, that have been designed to be fully compliant with HSG282 guidance from the Health and Safety Executive in regard to those running hot tub holiday businesses, will also be available to cover the specific requirements of holiday parks that Spa Crest Europe dealers service. As part of its launch marketing campaign, the Conquest Spas Holiday Let range will have its own dedicated brochure and spec sheets.
In recent years Spa Crest Europe has gained additional distribution deals for top quality brands to build on the success it has achieved with WhatSpa? Best Buy Award-winning Spa Crest hot tubs. It now has WhatSpa? Best Buy Award-winning Tuff Spas and Premium Leisure swim spas, along with the new Conquest Spas models, in its growing stable of options for current and prospective dealers.
This is a bold move by the Lancashire-based distribution outfit that has developed its dealer network in the UK by utilising the SPATEX exhibition platform for many years, including successive annual appearances showcasing Spa Crest hot tubs when the wet leisure extravaganza was hosted in Brighton; before continuing the run after the exhibition relocated to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. Now Tony and his team are preparing to develop additional dealer relationships to compliment the distribution partnerships with USA brands.
As he has done with the previous undertakings to secure promotional success in the UK market for the Tuff Spas and Premium Leisure brands, Tony will be officially launching the new Conquest Spas brand and the ten models within the three series at SPATEX 2019, running from January 29 to 31, as part of the early New Year promotional and marketing activities to help attract retailers to build on the roll out to selective dealership showrooms.
Initially, as part of a trial period during the autumn, four Conquest Spas models from the Saratoga Spas production line were showcased at the Spa Crest Europe headquarters in Goose Green, Wigan, to allow consumers and existing retailers to view them and provide their feedback.
Following this successful trial period, three containers of hot tubs have now been delivered to the UK with models from the respective trio of series.
“Like everything we do at Spa Crest Europe, we wanted to try all aspects of the products out first in the UK,” explained Tony.
“Our first container arrived in the beginning of August. After a few weeks of trialling the product to our retail customers and inviting dealers to come and see four of the models at our UK HQ in Wigan, we were then fully satisfied with the product and what we wanted to achieve with the models.
“We are now onto our third container and a number of our dealers are already displaying and retailing Conquest Spas. Although we are open now for enquiries from potential new dealers with regards to taking the products, we will be having a full launch of Conquest Spas at SPATEX 2019.”
Visitors to SPATEX can gain further information about becoming a retailer of the Conquest Spas ranges of hot tubs on Stand C50, where a ‘Holiday Let’ hot tub will also be on display and details will also be available for this range for HSG282 compliance.
For stand bookings for SPATEX 2019, running at the Ricoh Arena from January 29 to 31, contact the SPATEX team via email: michele@spatex.co.uk or helen@spatex.co.uk or directly by telephone on: +44 (0) 1264 358558.
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