Whirlpools

	The model SG-7303C whirlpool from S&G Qisheng can seat eight people. It has a 400w air blower and a 3kw heater.

The latest models boast intelligent control systems, hydromassage modes and shower panels, in addition to audio and video players.

Due to the absence of significant advancements in heating technology and in-house manufacturing capability, China suppliers of whirlpools and saunas continue to direct R&D toward integration.

Add-ons emphasize functionality, with companies expanding their products’ health-giving and relaxation options by introducing more therapeutic and entertainment features.

In this regard, TVs, radios, and CD and DVD players are quickly becoming mainstream in whirlpools. Saunas, on the other hand, are equipped with shower panels that have a hydromassage mode.

Makers are venturing further into the integration trend to strengthen competitiveness in the midrange and high-end segments, particularly in Europe. Demand from the region’s home spa industry is strong, especially for whirlpools. In fact, about 70 percent of China’s exports in this line already go to Europe.

Still under efforts to secure their upmarket position amid the growing popularity of sophisticated designs, suppliers are incorporating intelligent control systems and timers that enhance convenience.

Touch-screen monitors in whirlpools, for example, allow users to easily select or modify functions and water effects. An auto-detecting feature gauges water temperature and switches on the heating element if the reading falls below a preset level.

Releases from Shenzhen Keya Sauna & Swimming Pool Equipment Co. Ltd, one of the suppliers interviewed for this report, combine the functions of wet and dry saunas. They use steam as the heating element.

Aesthetics are also getting a boost through the growing use of colors. Previously available mostly in white, whirlpool tubs now come in various hues, including blue and green.

Multicolor lamps installed along the sides and embedded in the tubs provide illumination and enhance the water’s swirling effect when the whirlpool is switched on.

There are about 200 companies in China offering whirlpools and saunas, most of which started out by producing shower enclosures and bathtubs.

The industry is partly segmented with between 80 and 100 of these manufacturers, including S&G Qisheng Sanitary Ware Fty, focusing solely on whirlpools.

Production in approximately 60 percent of the supplier base, meanwhile, is split between the two lines.

Foshan Korra Sanitary Ware Products Co. Ltd is one such maker. Established originally in 1998 to manufacture shower enclosures, the company ventured into whirlpools in 2001. It now also offers saunas with acrylic, wood and tempered glass cabins.

Eighty percent of output at Kingston International Industries Ltd consists of saunas that use far-infrared light waves or stoves as the heating element. Outdoor-use whirlpools are also available. Half of Kingston’s exports are under OEM contracts. The rest carries the in-house KGT brand.

Most companies outsource materials, and key parts and components. Heaters and pumps are procured from North America. PMMA, used to manufacture whirlpool tubs, comes from the US.

Guangzhou Hotpool Sanitary Ware Co. Ltd purchases materials, electrical components and pipes from partner suppliers. These and other manufacturing inputs are assembled into whirlpools in two factories in Guangdong province. The plants have a combined area exceeding 70,000sqm.

Guangzhou J&J Sanitary Ware Co. Ltd sources acrylic from the US. The company offers outdoor whirlpools that can seat more than two people. Production, which exceeds 4,000 sets annually, is wholly export-oriented. Eighty percent of shipments bear CE certification and are sent to Europe.

Practically all whirlpool and sauna makers in China are exporters. Other than Europe, the Asia-Pacific region is a key destination.

Customs statistics for the eight months ending August 2008 show exports rising 20 percent from the same period in 2007 to reach nearly $1.8 billion.