Hello,

I am seeking surveys done on companies that produce thermal spa and
hot tub covers.  I am interested in information such as, names and
addresses of companies through out the United States, their annual
revenues, prospect for growth within that particular industry, and any
other pertinent information that can be gathered to examine the
feasibility of such a venture.

Also, if one can find a case study, a sample business or marketing
plan regarding a startup company of the like that has ventured into
producing thermal spa, hot tub, or pool covers, it would be greatly
appreciated.

Let me know if you need more specifics. 

Thanks in advance.

<Spa and hot tub covers.

The market.
According to an article on Homeownernet.com there are 6 million hot
tub owners in the US (Source: NSPI).
http://www.homeownernet.com/articles/hottubtrends.html

Spa covers have a limited life span and need to be replaced after a
number of years.

According to Sonshine Spa Covers, on average a spa cover lasts between
four and six years.
http://www.soncov.com/html/faq.cfm

According to Poolandspa.com a properly maintained cover can last for
between 5 and 7 years. However most people do not maintain their
covers correctly and they last for only 2 to 3 years.
http://www.poolandspa.com/page846.htm

------------------------------------------------------------
Growth prospects.
According to an article in Pool & Spa News, there is amazing potential
for sales of pool and spa covers. Sales of spa covers are up 30%.
http://www.poolspanews.com/2003/081/081covers.html

?Safety product sales are up tremendously,? confirms Phil Del Negro,
general manager of retailer Specialty Pool Products Inc. in Broad
Brook, Conn. ?In the last five years, they?ve gone up 200 percent.
According to Randy Beard, co-owner of Pure Water Pools, spa safety
covers have seen a similar increase in sales in the last five years.
(A Safe Bet. Growing public awareness and regulations have combined to
make sales of safety products soar. By Rhonda J. Wilson. Pool & Spa
News. August 2002.).
http://www.poolspanews.com/2002/081/081safebet.html

According to a study by the National Spa & Pool Institute?s Hot Tub
Council, the North American hot tub industry showed modest growth in
2003. An estimated 387,000 hot tubs were sold in the US and Canada in
2003 compared with 375,000 units in 2002. The market is predicted to
grow in 2004 with Vita International in Miami predicting sales
increases of 12 to 15%. NSPI predicts growth of 8 to 10 percent.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NTB/is_2_43/ai_113140162

Hot tub sales soaring.
An NSPI survey put hot tub ownership at 3.4 million in 2002. A study
by the American Society of Interior Designers found 15% of respondents
want to add a hot tub to their residence.
http://www.casualliving.com/news022403.html

Spa sales up down South. (Pool & Spa News, July 25, 2003 by Rhonda J. Wilson).
Unit sales in the South have increased nearly 40% since 1999.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NTB/is_15_42/ai_105917158

Historical sales figures for the 90?s (Pool and Spa News).
http://www.poolspanews.com/2001/031/pdf/031spastats.pdf

According to a survey of pool builders in 2002, obstacles to selling
pool/spa automation equipment are:
Price 71%
Perceived lack of need 28%
Concerns about durability 19%
Lack of consumer awareness 14%
Perceived difficulty to use 12%
(Source: Hanley-Wood, Inc. Gale Group.)
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NTB/is_5_42/ai_98250587

Survey of the pool cover sector.
http://www.poolspanews.com/2002/survey/pdf/2002covers.pdf
---------------------------------------------
Market reports.
PK Data produces a number of market reports on the spa and hot tub industry.
U.S. Residential Spa Market includes annual sales and installed base
from 1992-2002 plus a five year forecast. It costs $1,500.
Residential Spas by Market Area illustrates the geographical
distributions of all residential spas/hot tubs by metropolitan area
for 205 market areas. This costs $250.
http://www.pkdata.net/PKData/ReportsMaps.htm#U.S.%20Residential%20Spa%20Market
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Demograhics of Spa owners.
According to Dan Harrison of poolandspa.com, spa owners are typically
over 35 and earning a minimum of $66,500 a year.
http://www.poolandspa.com/page773.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------
Manufacturers of covers.
Pool and Spa News has a directory of cover manufacturers divided into
the types of covers. For each manufacturer it give the name, address
and website (where applicable):

Manufacturers of pool and spa safety covers.
http://www.poolspanews.com/directory/Manufacturer.asp?Action=ByName&PROD_ID=3130&PRODNAME=COVERS%2C+SAFETY%2C+POOL+%26+SPA

Manufacturers of covers for spas and hot tubs.
42 manufacturers are listed.
http://www.poolspanews.com/directory/Manufacturer.asp?Action=ByName&PROD_ID=3150&PRODNAME=COVERS%2C+SPA+%26+HOT+TUB

Manufacturers of solar covers.
http://www.poolspanews.com/directory/Manufacturer.asp?Action=ByName&PROD_ID=3140&PRODNAME=COVERS%2C+SOLAR

Manufacturers of reel systems covers.
http://www.poolspanews.com/directory/Manufacturer.asp?Action=ByName&PROD_ID=3100&PRODNAME=COVERS%2C+REEL+SYSTEMS

---------------------------------------------------------------
Company profiles. 
Spa and hot tub covers.

1. Cal Cover Products Inc.
4475 Eucalyptus Avenue, Chino, California, 91710-9703.
Established 1986.
Manufactures vinyl spa covers.
Revenues: $5 million - $9.9 million.
(Source : Peter K.Studner Associates).
http://www.jamenair.com/html/RTCOMPANIES.html

2. Pool Covers Inc
Sells pool and spa covers. Largest dealer of automatic pool covers in
the country. Sells, installs and services 2,000 pool covers a year.
$7 million.
Established 1997
Employees: 40 
(Source: Company partners with its employees. Kay Lieber. American
City Business Journals Inc.)
http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2004/09/27/smallb2.html

3.Poolsandspa.com
This site sells pool and spa accessories online. The links to the
articles describes the evolution of the company from 1997 when gross
revenues were $10,000 a week. The third link is an update to 2002 when
revenues grew to $7 million.
It also looks at the various marketing techniques that were used to
sell the products including a newsletter which proved successful.
Advertising in offline pool magazines and local cable tv advertising
were proved to be ineffective and abandoned. Link exchanges gave
dismal results. The company found better result from effective use of
its email list. Search engine optimisation has also given good
results. Its huge library of articles gives the site most of its
traffic. Pay per click advertising has also given good results.The
company also has an in-house call center to answer technical
questions.
According to the article, spa products give high profit margins with
mark-ups of 100-400%.
Page 1
http://www.poolandspa.com/page773.htm
Page 2
http://www.poolandspa.com/page775.htm
In 2002 revenues were $7 million. (Case study : Poolandspa.com by
James Maguire May 12, 2003)
http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/news/trends/article.php/10417_2204601

4. Sunstar Enterprises is the world?s largest manufacturer of spa and
hot tub covers.
http://www.spatop.com/

Sunstar Enterprises.
San Marcos, California.
A company profile costing $14.95 is available from Thomson Gale.
http://gale.ecnext.com/coms2/dbcomp_0000574286


5. Sun Systems Inc.
This company recently bought PoolSaver, a company manufacturing pool
covers with gross revenues of between $4.5 million and $5 million in
2001.  (Pool & Spa News. April 25, 2003, by Rebecca Robledo).
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NTB/is_9_42/ai_100808365
Sun Systems Inc.
2030 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd, Phoenix, Arizona 85027
http://www.poolsaver.com/contact.htm

6. All Seasons Pool Covers
Indianapolis.
Revenues in 2001 $5 million. Growth of 20% predicted for 2002.
http://peerspectives.org/index.peer?page=main&storyid=5320

7. Meyco Products Inc. Company profile costs $14.95 from Thomson Gale.
http://gale.ecnext.com/free-scripts/comsite2.pl

8. The Olympic Hot Tub Company started out making wood hut tubs in
1997. After five years as a manufacturer they moved into retailing.
http://www.olympichottub.com/doc/aboutus.htm
In 1996 the company had revenues of $4 million from sales of 700 hot
tubs a year. Part of its product range in SunStar covers.
http://www.olympichottub.com/doc/aboutus_smallbiz.htm>


<Additional links:>

<National Spa & Pool Institute.(NSPI).
Founded in 1956, the National Spa and Pool Institute (NSPI) is an
international trade association of more than 5,300 manufacturers,
distributors, retailers, service companies and builders in the
pool/spa and hot tub industry.>
<http://www.nspi.org/about_nspi/>

<The Spa Cover Perspective.>
<http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NTB/is_13_42/ai_104211229>

<Industry resources.>
<http://www.nspi.org/about_nspi/industry_resources/>

<Bizminer ? marketing research profiles ? Hot tub and spa covers. Costs $99.>
<http://www.bizminer.com/3_order4.asp?groupID=&industryID=75&subID=277&SIC=3999%2E992#>

<An article looking at the public?s concern about spa safety. (Fear
Factor ? Reflections. By Gary Phill. Pool & Spa News.) >
<http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NTB/is_16_42/ai_106389520>


<Search strategy:>

<"hot tub market" million>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22hot+tub+market%22+million>

<"hot tub market" million covers>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22hot+tub+market%22+million+covers>

<"hot tub owners"  survey>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22hot+tub+owners%22++survey>

<"demand for" "spa covers">
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22demand+for%22+%22spa+covers%22>

<"pool covers" revenues>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22pool+covers%22+revenues>


<Hope this helps.>

I am new to Google-Answer.  I believe that this is the most economical
method for micro business like mine to acquire vitally needed
information.  I would like to thank belindalevez-ga for a very
thorough and informative search.