Arctic Spas Explained

Blue Falls Manufacturing
Type:	Privately held company^[1]
Traded As:	Arctic Spas
Industry:	Hot tub manufacturing
Foundation:	Thorsby, Alberta, Canada
Location City:	Thorsby, Alberta
Location Country:	Canada
Locations:	157 Showrooms (2023)
Area Served:	Canada, United States, Europe, Middle East^[2]
Products:	Hot Tubs, All Weather Pools, Spas
Production:	Manufacturing Plant, Thorsby, AlbertaManufacturing Plant, Edmonton, AlbertaManufacturing Plant, Breton, AlbertaManufacturing Plant, Spokane, Washington
Num Employees:	250+
Divisions:	Corporate Retail, Authorized Dealers

Arctic Spas is Blue Falls Manufacturing's flagship brand of hot tubs, developed as a niche product for cold climates.^{[3] [4]} The hot tubs and all-weather pools are made and manufactured in Canada and the United States, and are sold in showrooms throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

History and growth

Blue Falls Manufacturing was founded in the late 1980s as Koko Beach Hot Tub Manufacturing in Edmonton, Alberta. It was purchased in 1997 by its current owners, who were employees of Blue Falls just before its sale in 1994. The new owners soon began producing the Arctic Spas brand.^[5]

In 2001 the company moved to Thorsby and constructed a 70000square feet facility (later expanded to 100000square feet), largely because land for a new factory was much cheaper in Thorsby than in Edmonton. In 2003, the company purchased a 90000square feet facility in Coleman, Alberta to manufacture some of their models, which would later close.^[6] The company would later open smaller plants in Edmonton, Breton, and Spokane, Washington.

The company relies on winter climate branding and energy-efficient technology; testing by provincial authority Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (then the Alberta Research Council) determined that Arctic Spas hot tubs were thirty percent more energy efficient than the competitors that they tested.

In early 2013 they launched a brand of swimming machine, called the All Weather Pool.^[7]

In late 2023, COLDTUB, a brand of cold water therapy tubs, partnered with Arctic Spas to start selling their products in authorized locations.^[8]

Overseas operations

The company focused on the European export market from the beginning, especially the colder climates of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. The company formed joint partnerships in order to maintain control of their brand.

They also opened a distribution centre in Ireland, which went into liquidation in 2007.^[9]

Arctic Spas has partnerships with Polarbad for the Scandinavian market, and Arctic Spas UK oversees the stores in the United Kingdom.

Industry recognition and awards

• June 2003: Recognized by Profit Magazine as being in the top 100 of Canada's Fastest Growing Businesses
• June 2004: Ranked by Profit Magazine as one of Canada's 100 Fastest Growing Businesses
• June 2005: Profit Magazine ranks BFM among Canada's Fastest Growing Businesses
• September 2005: Owners named Ernst & Young 2005 Entrepreneurs of the Year (Prairies Region, Manufacturing Category)
• January 2006: Ranks as one of Alberta's 50 Fastest Growing Companies
• February 2006: Named one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies^[10]
• May 2006: CAD designer Pete Van't Hoff wins International Business Award (Best Product Developer)^[11]
• June 2003 – 2012: Arctic Spas wins 5-Star Best Of Class Awards for the Pool & Spa Industry^{[12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]}
• October 2019: EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 Prairies winner ^[18]

External links

• Arctic Spas

Notes and References

1. Bloomberg Businessweek. Investing.businessweek.com. "Private Company Search." April 10, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223250/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/common/symbollookup/symbollookup.asp?region=ALL&textIn=Blue+Falls+Manufacturing&x=0&y=0&lookuptype=private Retrieved April 10, 2013.
2. Web site: Arctic Spas Dealer Locator . arcticspas.com . 9 November 2023.
3. Canon Communications LLC. ApplianceMagazine.com. "Arctic Spas designed for cold climates: It's always spa season." April 2005. http://www.appliancemagazine.com/np_print.php?article=6380 Retrieved April 10, 2005.
4. Mattern, Ashleigh. The Regina Leader-Post. "Hot tubs offer the ultimate in Relaxation." March 26, 2013. https://leaderpost.com/story_print.html?id=8154485 Retrieved April 10, 2013.
5. Flakstad, Nordahl. Canadian Plant. "Arctic Spas for northern exposure." April 16, 2010. http://www.californiabackyard.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Plant-Magazine-Article-on-Blue-Falls1.pdf Retrieved April 10, 2013.
6. Industry Canada, Small Business Branch. SME Statistics. "Blue Falls Manufacturing: Turning Market Knowledge into Competitive Edge." 2006, modified June 5, 2012. Web site: Archived copy . 2013-04-10 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130509090913/http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/eng/rd02454.html . 2013-05-09 . Retrieved April 10, 2013.
7. Newswire. http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1094719/an-all-weather-swimming-pool Retrieved April 29, 2013.
8. Web site: Coldtub . 2023-11-09 . Arctic Spas . en-US.
9. The Meath Chronicle. "Dunshaughlin-based firm goes into liquidation." September 29, 2007. http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/navan/articles/2007/09/22/670-dunshaughlinbased-firm-goes-into-liquidation/ Retrieved April 10, 2013.
10. Deloitte LLP. Canada's Best Managed Companies. "2005 Winners." https://www.canadas50best.com/en/meetourwinners/Pages/2005Winners.aspx Retrieved April 10, 2013.
11. Stevie Awards, Inc. The International Business Awards. "Blue Falls – Product Developer." http://www.stevieawards.com/pubs/iba/awards/171_1830_11289.cfm Retrieved April 10, 2013.
12. PoolAndSpa.com. "Arctic Spas Receives 2007 Best of Class Award." Web site: Archived copy . 2012-12-05 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121127023344/http://www.poolandspa.com/page5010.htm . 2012-11-27 . Retrieved April 10, 2013.
13. PoolAndSpa.com. "Poolandspa.com Announces The 2008Best Of Class Awards For The Pool & Spa Industry." Web site: Best of Class Awards for the Pool & Spa Industry 2008 - Poolandspa.com . 2013-04-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130117225010/http://poolandspa.com/page6113.htm . 2013-01-17 . Retrieved April 10, 2013.
14. PoolAndSpa.com. "Poolandspa.com Announces The 2009Best Of Class Awards For The Pool & Spa Industry." Web site: Best of Class Awards for the Pool & Spa Industry 2009 - Poolandspa.com . 2013-04-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130117194304/http://poolandspa.com/page6214.htm . 2013-01-17 . Retrieved April 10, 2013.
15. PoolAndSpa.com. "PoolAndSpa.com Announces The 2010 Best Of Class Awards For The Swimming Pool And Hot Tub Spa Industry." Web site: Best of Class Awards for the Pool & Spa Industry 2010 - Poolandspa.com . 2013-04-11 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130117214328/http://poolandspa.com/page6296.htm . 2013-01-17 . Retrieved April 10, 2013.
16. PoolAndSpa.com. "PoolAndSpa.com Announces The 2011 Best Of Class Awards For The Pool And Spa Industry." Web site: Best of Class Awards for the Pool & Spa Industry 2011 - Poolandspa.com . 2013-04-11 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130606132646/http://www.poolandspa.com/page6392.htm . 2013-06-06 . Retrieved April 10, 2013.
17. PoolAndSpa.com. "PoolAndSpa.com Announces The 2012 Best Of Class Awards For The Swimming Pool And Hot Tub Spa Industry." Web site: Best of Class Awards for the Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Spa Industry 2012 - PoolAndSpa.com . 2012-12-05 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130115175700/http://poolandspa.com/page6422.htm . 2013-01-15 . Retrieved April 10, 2013.
18. EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. 2019 Prairies Region Winner Manufacturing And Overall. "EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019." Web site: EY Entrepreneur. 2019-10-11 .