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Artesian Tackles its Flagship Swim Spa

Growing sales means more factory space and updated look for TidalFits

Artesian Spas’ TidalFit swim spa line is growing. The company unveiled its first model in 2008 and has added three to its lineup since then. At the International Pool | Spa | Patio in November it revealed the remodel of its flagship EP-14 that first tub it introduced in ‘08. Artesian also has expanded its factory to make room for swim spa growth: Seven new offices were built overlooking the factory floor, and it is adding onto the back of the factory to add a new manufacturing line to accommodate the swim spa group.

“The swim spa market, as far as percentages go, is a very large growth for us,” says Jordon Silon, vice president of North American sales at Artesian. “The 14-foot TidalFit was the first one out of the door,” Silon says. “That was our first stab into the swim spa industry.”

The three therapy seats available on the 12-foot model were really popular; customers who wanted that feature were sometimes disappointed they couldn’t get it on the larger 14-foot model. So when Artesian set out to retool the EP-14, it made sure to include the extra hydrotherapy room.

Dave Garretson, general manager of Flint Hills Spas & Billiards in Wichita, Kansas, says people are going to be happy with the additional bench seating the EP-14 now has.

“They’ve brought the bench seating out a little bit further than it was,” Garretson says. “They added the neck and shoulder collar seat, which is a very popular seat, in the hydrotherapy end. So that’s a good thing.” It hasn’t sold one of the new EP-14s yet, but Flint Hills had already sold six swim spas in 2016.

Artesian also improved access safety by adding steps. Now instead of stepping on and off seats to get in and out of the swim spa, there are dedicated, level steps.

It was also time to give the old model a fresh look. “My wife laughs at me when I call them the sexy lines,” Silon says, “but the lines evolve and they’re not as boxy. They’re sleeker looking. We build our tools by hand and sand by hand. When we say that they’re handcrafted, they really are. If you look down the lines of that spa, you’ll see the artistry in that.”

To add to the look and relaxing environment of the swim spa, Artesian included its Bellagio Fall water feature. Three waterspouts arch into the swim spa with changing colors.

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Another feature included on the EP-14 is a Quad Swim Jet System. That alone is not necessarily unique, but Artesian’s DirectFlow technology allows for variable-flow control. “The variable-flow control is tied into the two pumps so you can actually turn the two jets on at the top and control the flow of the water and the two at the bottom and control the flow of the water,” Silon says.

For sanitation the EP-14 uses Crystal AOP, an advanced oxidation process that combines ozone and ultraviolet. Artesian takes that a step further by adding an additional mixing chamber.
“All our TidalFits carry a lifetime warranty on structure,”

Silon says. “We built it and we stand behind it for a lifetime.”

Flint Hills moved to a bigger location in September, giving it room to put a swim spa on the sales floor, which Garretson says is vital if you want to increase sales.

“There’s more of an awareness [of swim spas] these days than there was five years ago,” Garretson says. In a climate where pool season is relatively short, he says customers are finding a swim spa can be a better use of their money. “People come in who have gotten a pool quote and then realize they can use the swim spa year round. I think that’s going to do nothing but increase sales, particularly now having one on the floor.”

Garretson, who has worked in the hot tub industry for 40 years in all facets, says he likes dealing with Artesian because its product line is deep. “In terms of price points, features, options and designs, it’s one of those lines where you don’t need anything else; we don’t need to be multiline,” he says. “They’re great to work with; they’re very customer oriented; they’ve taken great care of us over the years.”

As Flint Hills continues to establish itself in its new location, Garretson sees swim spa sales continuing to climb. “It’s a good profit center,” he says. “I think they’ll do nothing but increase and grow.”