Wil Harrington

Joined April 24, 2020

Articles 13

Company Offers Custom First Aid Kits

By Wil Harrington
Being in or around a pool, working or playing on a hot day or even driving to a job site presents unique safety hazards. Top Safety Products offers solutions for those moments where things do not go as planned. Incorporated in 1991 by Gerald Kutsop, Top Safety Products Company, Inc., assembles quality first aid kits,…

And…Action!

By Wil Harrington
In the digital age, customers and pool professionals can interact in more ways than ever before. Website building, marketing and general media play significant roles for many pool service and supply companies. One way pool pros can support their customers and the health of their business is through how-to videos. Kelly Skelton, director of marketing…

Some Like it Hot…or Cold

By Wil Harrington
With Fluidra launching its new Jandy VersaTemp Heat/Chill Pump lineup, this year is off to an innovative start. The VersaTemp’s intention is to provide solutions for pool professionals or owners who seek the dual benefits of pool heating and cooling. All units in the VersaTemp lineup come standard as both heat and cool models, which…

Heard it Through the Pipeline

By Wil Harrington
AquaStar Pool Products Inc., has been making equipment for pools, spas, water features and water parks since 2003 and is continuously striving for innovation. The vertically integrated company is capable of doing everything from designing initial engineering concepts to finishing and producing in-house, says Todd Pieri, chief operating officer. “We always listen to the industry’s…

Ionization with ECOsmarte

By Wil Harrington
Founded in 1994 in Richfield, Minnesota, ECOsmarte strives to offer environmentally friendly products, eliminating harsh chemicals from swimming pools and the environment through copper ionization. The founders of ECOsmarte were familiar with copper ionization from its use by NASA in the late 1960s, says marketing manager Mike Dewar. “(NASA) knew they couldn’t send chlorine up…

Simplified Chemical Control

By Wil Harrington
While commercial pools may vary in size, their needs remain similar. So when a product comes along that offers innovation and ease-of-use for all kinds of pools, professionals notice. The team at Sigura, headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, believes its Pulsar Precision calcium hypochlorite top feeder can provide a water-sanitizing solution that eclipses liquid bleach. Launched…

Pro-Approved Debris Catchers

By Wil Harrington
Poles and nets are important tools for pool professionals, but not all are created equal. Whether it is portability, maneuverability or durability, there are many factors to consider when selecting the right tools. Matt Brannon, owner of Freedom Pools in Northern Virginia, values durability when it comes to poles. “I had a yellow fiberglass pole…

Tools of the Leak Trade

By Wil Harrington
Leak detection can be an integral part of a pool professional’s repertoire. One of the most important aspects is knowing which tools to use to get the job done. Lance Anderson, owner of Anderson Manufacturing Co., a leak detection equipment manufacturer in Saint Paul, Minnesota, says there are multiple tools needed before a company can…

Yay for Yard Signs

By Wil Harrington
There are only so many ways to catch foot and motor traffic. Outside of full-size billboards, advertisement on service vehicles and signage at a company’s physical location, many companies use lawn signs. Lawn signs are a simple and direct strategy for advertising in the most visible area of a jobsite. Information as simple as the…

Public Pitch

By Wil Harrington
Commercial and residential pools have multiple, clear differences. Among those differences is the bidding process, which on the commercial side involves several noteworthy factors. Rick Woemmel, president of Bi-State Pool & Spa in O’Fallon, Missouri, bids his projects by estimating time they’ll be there and putting that into software, which takes into consideration overhead, profit,…

Strategic Spending

By Wil Harrington
Your marketing budget requires planning, flexibility Building a marketing budget can be tedious for pool professionals, but as Ian Schatte, marketing coordinator of Manning Pool Service in Houston, Texas, says, the best-laid plans require funding. Schatte prepares a quarterly budget for each department and a large umbrella marketing budget for the year, assessing its largest…