From: Verdun Bailey – MD Ambassador Pools & Leisure

I am both proud and yet sad to announce the retirement of Rodney from Are You Swimming?, Parkgate, Southampton.

Rodney and June are new grandparents and as friends I know they will be spending more valuable time with their family and enjoying their fantastic motor home.

As a real character with his charm and whit, Rodney will be missed by us all but I’m sure, as I, we will all be envious of the goods time they will have together enjoying their well earned retirement.

I’m sure he will keep in touch.

The very best of luck.

As from the 1st April 2010 the premises will become the newest acquisition of the Ambassador retail division. This will form part of our Eastwardly expansion over the next few years. We will endeavour to make the transaction as smooth as possible and look forward to all of your continued help and support.

Due to our continued sucess and great expansion for 2010 we are looking for 2 new sales persons to help our current team explode into the UK market, and possible other ventures!

Looking for a New Career within the Pool & Spa Industry?

UK’s Leading Mail Order Company – 2 New Sales Roles

New opening for 2 sales persons in our exciting, active office in West Stour, Dorset. We have been part of the Ambassador Group since 2002 and have seen massive success in the mail order division!

In 2009 with most of the pool industry suffering we have seen a further growth across all divisions of nearly 30%. We firmly believe this great achievement could not have happened without our team of dedicated staff, whether sales, accounts or dispatch we value each of our staff and will continue to succeed.

So if you want to contribute towards a rapidly expanding family business please see the following job adverts and contact us if you want a career with 1st-Direct.

Technical Sales

A fantastic opportunity for a driven, talented sales person who can achieve a high level of sales. A technical mind is certainly required to enable you to contribute towards sales involving swimming pools and the necessary equipment i.e. filtration, chemicalisation, heating and pool construction (training will be given), working within our current sales team, dealing directly with end users of swimming pools and spas you will have excellent customer service skills. With new markets opening to us we will need a person with excellent capability to adapt to new systems – a great opportunity – challenging and rewarding. Key Skills required: Proven ability within pool industry, IT Literate, Excellent communication skills, Sales. Wages – Dependant on experience

Sales Person

A challenging yet rewarding role awaits the right person – ability to communicate with customers, process orders and follow set procedures correctly. A very diverse roll with many different aspects of administration, development although predominantly sales. A technical mind is certainly required to enable you to contribute towards sales involving swimming pools and the necessary equipment, (training will be given). Experience within the pool industry is not essential as training will be given however previous experience within the industry would be advantageous. Key Skills required: IT Literate, Excellent communication skills, Sales. Wages – Dependant on experience

For application form please contact 01425 477050 or email accounts@ambassadorpools.co.uk

Latham International, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of swimming pool panels, and one that we’ve used for years have decided to file for bankruptcy protection in United States.

Latham International, controlled by Pool Corp (SCP) says that it has seen a decline in sales of 75% from 2005 and simply could not continue to survive in this troubled economic time.

With current debts of around $148,000,000 this will no doubt have an impact on Pool Corp who control the company alongside Brockway Moran & Partners Inc.

“Commencing in 2007 and continuing today, the housing bust and deteriorating economic climate resulted in declining industry sales,” Latham International president and Chief Executive Officer Mark Laven said in a declaration filed with the bankruptcy court. “The continued downward spiral of consumer sentiment due to the state of the economy has contributed to the declining sales experienced industrywide.”

According to the filing, Latham were due to run out of cash in February.

As most of the industry will be now know 1st-Direct is moving forward in its growth and part of this journey includes forming a united group of online swimming pool retailers to offer protection and information to customers on accredited and trustworthy online pool retailers.

The online pool retailers have still yet to deicde on an official name for its united group of online pool retailers but we hope to have a presence in 2010.

If you have any suggestions on what to call it then please comment below.

1st Direct are very happy to announce this morning that we are cementing deals to supply new one piece pools from Leisure Pools in Australia.

These pools will be available to end users and trade customers alike.

A new website will be launched soon to offer these fantastic pools to the UK & Europe.

I talked a few weeks ago about the New Heat Perfector heat pump and I am pleased to say that we have now seen the unit on display at the European swimming pool show in Barcelona.

The unit has various improvement to make a very good contender in this ever more competitive market. The new Heat Perfector comes in a more subtle black colour, has digital easy to use controls, better insulated components for almost unrivaled low sound output and also solid removeable casing which better protects the sensitive fins making in nearly impossible to damage in transit and every day use.

This model will not be available to the UK until 2011 but we look forward to welcoming a new and improved big brother to the already fantastic Heat Perfector heat pump.

Images and technical spec to follow….

As from next year 1st Direct are please to announce that we will be launching a new product to the market in the way of a Calorex ground source heat pump.

Similar in principle to an air source heat pump, these Calorex units will be true to brand and display high quality build and efficientcies. The units source their heat from pipe laid in the ground and convert it into a very effective heat source all year round.

When it comes to ground source and air source heat pumps Calorex is the UK name that you want to strive for.

1st Direct is also in conversations to be in a position next year whereby we can offer government back grants to people who plan on installing ground source heat pumps reducing the cost significantly!

To find out more or to register interest in Calorex ground source heat pumps please email groundsource@1st-direct.com

Calorex heat pumps have been around for years and always known for their quality and efficientcy. Here at 1st Direct we have always supported the Calorex brand and explained to our customers that it is the Rolls-Royce of heat pumps but recently the Calorex has seen massive decrease in its market share as a result of imported products from other countries.

Calorex units have always been made in the UK despite attempts to move some of the Calorex manufacture to eastern Europe but with maintaining UK production comes high costs. We are wondering here at 1st Direct what the future will hold for Calorex, particularly in these troubled economic times.

How does a brand such as Calorex survive against progressing modern technology / advancements, cheap foreign labour, falling value of sterling and market saturation?

Calorex need to act quick in order to sustain a market in the UK and we wish them the best of luck and support. We have always pushed the Calorex units for the strengths and hope that we can continue to offer these units for years to come.

If you would like some advice on which heat pump to go for then please do give our technical team a call on 0844 247 0047 and we are always more than happy to help correctly spec a heat pump to your pool size.

World swimming pool giant Pool Corp which owns UK company SCP (UK) Ltd has just acquired another American swimming pool company called General Pool & Spa Supply Inc.

General Pool & Spa Supply Inc has a turnover of around $40 million and will help to continue the domination of this world super company who’s shares have dropped in value by over 75% in the past two years.

Wow – hasn’t the weather been lovely recently?!

It’s a shame that the weather was a couple of months late in coming but we are all enjoying it!

As such not very many of you have shut down your swimming pools yet trying to squeeze the last ounces of summer out of them. In order to help you through the winter we have decided to extend our winter debris cover offer through until the 31st October 2009.

Please use our online bespoke calculator or call for a winter debris cover quote on 0800 999 5050