Since its launch in 2019, SpaFlo has established itself as a world-class stainless steel luxury spa, pool, and hot tub designer and manufacturer. SpaFlo fabricates, designs and engineers all their pools, hot tubs and swim spas at their UK production facility in Widnes near Liverpool.
SpaFlo is the brainchild of architecturally trained spa designer Richard Gowland, who worked in the spa industry for over 25 years before launching SpaFlo. From the start, the focus was on luxury high-end uber-personalised spas, pools and hot tubs.
The ethos of SpaFlo is to design bespoke pool and spa shells for the UK’s leading main contractors, spa consultants, pool builders and pool filtration companies for use in their projects, as well as the manufacture of custom-built hot tubs and swim spas that they sell directly to HNW residential customers.
The business has doubled in size year on year, with the growth continuing to build even after the Covid spike saw UK business soar and demand for at-home hot tubs and pools go through the roof. During Covid, the demand for hot tubs, like many other industries, really boomed; there were TV shows, hot tub renting services and more as people tried to bring entertainment into their homes.
Post-COVID, the commercial sector took note and with renewed interest projects for hotels, architects, and construction clients started to flow. SpaFlo has sustained its growth through a potent mix of innovation, elegant, personalised design and exemplary customer service.
Due to Richard’s long industry experience, his leadership in working with key materials including Stainless Steel and Glass and the significant increase in hyper personalised briefs Richard decided to form The Special Projects Division. One of the very first calls came from Sexy Fish, which Caprice Holdings owns.
The team was asked to create the water wall, an iconic feature in all the Sexy Fish restaurants. This one was made bespoke for their newly launched Sexy Fish restaurant in Manchester. This new division also created the Window Fronted Hot Tub inspired by a trip to Ibiza, where commercial hot tubs with glass fronts can be found.
This year, the company launched the UK’s first single shell and dual use luxury stainless steel Contrast Water Therapy hot tub. This type of activity and high-concept design help set us apart in the industry, all designed by the SpaFlo Special Projects Division, this was really our very first ‘off the shelf’ style product; Originally available to buy online for £40,000k (RRP) Critical features of the ContraSpa include immediate hot/cold contrast with access through integrated steps.
The spa has cold water as low as 5 degrees and hot water up to 40 degrees Celsius. It is made from sustainable stainless steel sourced in the UK from European mills. Fully Wifi controlled with touch screens and designed to resemble the SpaFlo logo, split into two halves. ContraSpa can be fully personalised to individual specifications.
The new spa is designed and made in the UK using sustainable, marine-grade stainless steel. ContraSpa was launched to the trade at SPATEX, where we worked closely with Olympian and one of the nation’s favourite pundits, Colin Jackson CBE. Colin took time out of his schedule to join us at SPATEX and help launch ContraSpa; he was the first person in the world to try the new concept.
Since then, SpaFlo has launched ContraSpa at a boutique London hotel, Bingham Riverhouse, secured national coverage including Mail on Sunday You Magazine, Evening Standard and City AM and had a stream of others try it, including Olympian Leon Taylor and Former England Rugby Strength and Conditioning Coach Tom Tombleson.
Richard Gowland comments: “We have had an exciting 2024. As a business, we are looking ahead, and our strategy is to continue to grow organically through innovation and our continued commitment to ‘Sanus Per Aquam’ or Health Through Water, developing our team of skilled craftspeople here in Widnes and building and designing luxury stainless steel swim spas, pools and hot tubs.”
