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Leisure Concepts CoverMate

Leisure Concepts: Next Gen Lifters

Leisure Concepts makes cover lifter for raised back spas

Like most in the hot tub industry, Leisure Concepts saw a meteoric sales increase in 2020. Unlike most in the hot tub industry, the Spokane, Washington–based spa-side accessories manufacturer was poised to capitalize.

“The beauty of Leisure Concepts is that we do everything [in Spokane], and we source 95% of everything in the United States,” says Mike Genova, owner of Leisure Concepts. “We have virtually no backorders. The industry relied and depended on us heavily because of how we do things domestically. We were up 70% [in 2020] with almost no increase in personnel.”

Leisure Concepts typically keeps up to a year’s worth of raw materials on hand, so the company could manufacture product however quickly it chose — meaning lots of overtime for its employees in 2020. But even though its material stockpile is typically deep, the supply chain is still cause for concern.

“Because of the things like plastics and aluminum, commodity products, we’re getting nervous of the supply,” Genova says, though shortages haven’t hit Leisure Concepts yet.

Despite the sharp sales increase, Leisure Concepts was still able to create new products because the company makes most of its parts and had material on hand. 

“We are continuing to develop and innovate — it’s in our DNA,” Genova says. “Somebody needs to be going forward, and that needs to be us.”

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To that end, Leisure Concepts released the CoverMate Zero-R/RP and the CoverMate Vanish XLR/XLRP, two new products for spas with a raised back design like the Jacuzzi 400 series. The hydraulic CoverMate Zero is an upright lifter, but with the shock-driven CoverMate Vanish, the cover can actually be dropped out of sight.

“It gets the cover to go over the hump and then drop down behind the cabinet or behind the spa,” Genova says. “There’s never been a cover lifter that’s done it on those raised-back spas.”

It’s the next generation of lifters, Genova says: There’s no tubing and a bracket attaches to the cover with glue. “All you see is a bracket mounted to the cabinet and then the bracket mounted to the cover,” he says. “You’re not seeing tubing going across the center. It looks better; it’s more sophisticated.”

There are two versions of the Vanish out now, and a third Soft Touch version is coming soon. It was named Soft Touch because of the fluid motion going off the spa, slowly dropping it down behind the spa, Genova says, “much like your toilet lid slowly dropping down or your soft-close drawers.”

Whether its new cover lifters, steps or its Smartop hot tub cover, Genova and his team try to give retailers products that will differentiate them from the competition.

“We create products that are different, carry their own patents and install quicker,” Genova says. “They work better for the consumer, they look better and there’s no price disadvantage.”