Relatively mild weather and an overall optimism about the upcoming year seemed to boost the 2017 edition of The Pool & Spa Show powered by Northeast Spa and Pool Association.
“It was very energetic this year,” said Show Manager Trish McCormick. “Everybody seemed positive and hopeful.”
Though heavy rains and winds welcomed attendees and exhibitors as they arrived in town, temperatures remained above freezing and the sun showed itself for the last two days.
Approximately 415 companies exhibited at the show. The education schedule included 78 sessions in the technical and business tracks, with several certification courses included. Attendee counts were not available, though McCormick characterized preregistration numbers as “hundreds and hundreds above this time last year.” International exhibitors and attendees also were on the rise, she added.
Stephen Markowitz, regional sales manager for Zodiac Pool Systems, in Vista, Calif., attested to the brisk attendance. “I thought the show was one of the best attended [Northeast] shows in years,” he said. “It was busy the whole way through.”
Commercial-grade equipment manufacturer Spectrum Aquatics had a similar experience. “We had a good stream of people coming through,” said Chase Taylor, marketing and customer service manager for the Missoula, Mont. firm. “At some points, we had people waiting to talk to us.”
Of the attendees, NESPA reported, the proportion who took education increased, with approximately three quarters sitting in on seminars. “[NESPA Education Manager Pat Cava] had more numbers than any other year in our history,” McCormick said. “They’re coming in early and taking education.” This has been partly prompted by the rise of required industry licensing in Connecticut and parts of New York.
Certification brought Pam Trickett to the show. The owner of DCL Spas & Hot Tub in Oakland, Md. attended APSP’s 20-hour Certified Hot Tub Technician course as a first-timer at the show. “I came for a lot of information, and I’m finding it,” she said. “The [course] was very useful — a wealth of information in a short time.”
For the second year, NESPA erected The Wall, a series of interactive displays on the show floor to demonstrate how various pool and spa circulation and safety systems work. This year’s Wall doubled in size, McCormick said. Among other changes, a section was added to show how electrical bonding and grounding systems — which are separate and distinct —work and why they are imperative.
“We’re going to keep expanding on [The Wall],” McCormick said. “There’s a need for interactive learning experiences.”
The Wall was one of the last major initiatives implemented by NESPA’s deputy executive director, Paulette Pitrak, who passed away in November. “It was a tribute to Paulette,” McCormick said.
In her honor, a small service was held during which professionals shared memories of the staffer, who worked for the organization for 24 years.
On the floor, attendees and exhibitors expressed an upbeat outlook for 2017, expecting continued growth. This even showed in the exhibits, McCormick said, as exhibitors invested in new booth structures. “As the industry is growing again, the show floor is, too,” she said.
