Hot tub and spa manufacturer Master Spas is marking its 25th anniversary this year.
Master Spas was founded in 1996 when CEO Bob Lauter, along with a group of investors, acquired Fort Wayne Pools’ spa division and its 8361 m2 (90,000 sf) facility. Fort Wayne Pools began making acrylic spas in 1978.
“During my experience working in the spa industry, I had learned what I wanted to do and saw risks others were not willing to take,” Lauter said. “Three of our key executives, including president Terry Valmassoi, who was with me on day one, joined the company in 1996. We started with a small business, and we had the challenge—and opportunity—to convert it into a high-end hot tub manufacturer. And that’s what we did.”
Master Spas started with less than a dozen employees in 1996. Now, nearly 1000 employees work at the Fort Wayne, Ind., campus. About 400 positions and a second shift were added in the past year.
The facility occupies 14.5 ha (36 acres), which includes 49,329 m2 (530,000 sf) of production, warehousing, and office space. Tens of thousands of hot tubs and swim spas are built annually and shipped to dealers around the world.
The company had strong growth throughout its 25-year history, becoming one of the largest manufacturers of USA-made hot tubs, and one of the largest manufacturers of swim spas globally.
Major capital investments have helped the brand to continue its growth. Master Spas invested $15.3 million in 2019, building a new 15,422 m2 (166,000 sf) swim spa factory and expanding the acrylic spa factory. The company is continuing capital improvements in 2021 with an expansion to its warehousing and production facility.
Master Spas serves customers worldwide through their network of dealers throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Russia, Israel, and New Zealand.
