By Jason Cramp
The Canadian Pool & Spa Conference & Expo continues to put up some big numbers, and the 2013 expo, the third show held at the Scotiabank Convention Centre (SCC) in Niagara Falls, Ont., was another resounding success.
In each of the last three years, the show, which is organized by the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada, has seen the number of registered attendees increase. After a 1.5 per cent increase between 2011 (1,894) and 2012 (1,924), this year’s attendance grew by 2.6 per cent, with a total of 1,974 delegates registering for the event. The show welcomed people from all 10 provinces and 19 U.S. states.
“From a manufacturer’s perspective, the Canadian Pool & Spa Conference & Expo is extremely beneficial for our company,” said David Simek, sales and marketing manager for Lawrason’s Inc., in Oakville, Ont. “The event not only provides a chance for us to showcase our products, but also allows us to see many of our clients face-to-face under one roof, thereby easing our annual travel budget. Additionally, we meet many new prospective customers who visit the booth.”
Traditionally, one of the main attractions of the convention is the exhibition, which this year saw 142 companies display their wares, of which 26 were first-time exhibitors.
School of thought
Another big draw was the enhanced education and conference program. Once again, the two-day Certified Pool/Spa Operator® Certification course was offered, in addition to short courses on ‘Pool Installation 101 and 201,’ and ‘Best Management Practices for Water Discharge.’
Various business- and technical-themed seminars were also presented during the conference. Some of the business-related seminars included topics on customer defections, pricing for profits, specialty pool retail, and business organization, while some of the technical sessions discussed solving common pool problems, alternative sanitizers, spa pack troubleshooting, and energy-efficient pumps and hydraulic design.
“I make a point of attending as many technical and business sessions as I can each and every year,” said Rodney Taylor, manager of Sunshine Pool and Mechanical Contractors Ltd., in Edmonton, Alta. “As a business owner and manager, you can never stop learning and interacting with others within the industry. I always seem to learn new tricks of the trade when attending the seminars and courses.”
The ‘Hot Topics—Hot Breakfast’ activity, a successful program introduced at last year’s conference, was once again part of this year’s agenda. The roundtable discussion format provides an excellent opportunity for attendees to network and learn from their peers. Four topics were tabled for discussion, including creating more profit opportunities in the retail store and service department, technical issues for builders and service personnel, commercial/public pool issues, and how to compete in an Internet world. Each discussion was led by an assigned moderator, including Dave Warren (Total Tech Pools & Leisure); Brent Winnitoy (Aquafun Family Pools & Spas Ltd.); James W. (Bill) Carroll (Canada Pool Ltd.); and Doug Gillespie (Hydropool Inc.).
