SPATEC UK & Europe News

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STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS UNDERPIN SPA SUCCESS

More and more people are beginning to understand the vital role the operator/supplier relationship plays in the commercial success of a business. And the spa industry, which is evolving in a similar way to the fitness market, is no exception.

When the fitness industry was in its infancy, new operators relied heavily on market and trend information from suppliers, who guided, coached and advised how their products and services would enhance an operation. They understood the consumer flow needed for the business to work and, in some instances, would help their client with the operational processes to make the venture a success.

As a business reached maturity and the operator gained a better knowledge of their client base, their relationship with suppliers changed to become more operator-led.

The same thing is now occurring in the spa market. Many commercially successful spa operations are working in partnership with suppliers by sharing their vision and, in some instances, the commercial aspect of their business. This means that instead of offering a one-size-fits-all approach, suppliers can customise their services to truly fit the needs of the business. There are many cases of this in the fitness industry, where for example, training provider Lifetime has developed bespoke training packages for its clients rather than off-the-shelf products as is generally still the case in the spa market. Many equipment suppliers now use CAD to assist operators with the design of gyms and the positioning of equipment within them, and also bring in third parties such as software and retention specialists to support the needs of the operator.

These examples show that if everyone in the internal and external team share and understand the common goal, a strategic partnership ensues. And as the market matures, operators not only select suppliers on the value of their products, but also on their other services and how all these fit with the operator’s brand value and company philosophy.

With this in mind, SPATEC Europe, which is now in its second year, is concentrating on cementing and evolving the partnerships made in Malta last year. These are necessary to the future success of businesses in the spa industry, and as the inaugural SPATEC demonstrated, demand for such partnerships is ripe. As Gerard McCarthy, Sales Director of Dale Sauna, puts it: “The quality of the buyers, the facilities they represented, and their receptiveness and thirst for knowledge was unparrelled.”

NEWS - 22/11/2007

GROWING THE SPA INDUSTRY THE SPATEC WAY

Following the success of the inaugural SPATEC UK & Europe this year, Mclean Events International is pulling out all the stops to provide even further value at its forthcoming SPATEC event with an exciting mix of operators (buyers) and suppliers from the UK and European spa industry.
SPATEC UK & Europe aims to help develop the spa industry and expand the market by facilitating constructive and valuable interaction between the sector’s key decision makers and leading suppliers. It offers a successful formula of a two day forum of face-to-face meetings between 60 of the most prominent and progressive UK and European spa operators with more than 70 spa suppliers. Both buyers and suppliers choose who they would like to meet and are given a personal schedule of 20-minute meetings. These allow delegates to talk business and network in a way that is simply not possible with trade shows and conferences.
As such, it proved a successful launch pad for a number of companies this year, helping to further broaden the scope of the UK and European spa market.
Anne Semonin, the Parisian cosmetics brand, attended the event as part of its UK launch. The beauty brand secured some important contracts as a result of the event and enjoyed further success last week when its products sold out in just 35 minutes on the QVC shopping channel.
Meanwhile, the organic skincare company, Ila, took its first steps into the spa industry by attending SPATEC UK & Europe. With products made from 100 per cent chemical-free ingredients, its range of prototypes proved so popular with buyers that Ila now has contracts with both Marriott and department store chain, Fenwicks.
And professional hair care company, GHD, which was at conceptual stages for its GHD Spa range, used SPATEC to underpin what was to be launched several months after the event. Director, Dan Smith says: “I knew SPATEC would be the perfect opportunity to meet key decision makers that would ultimately endorse our innovations to take hair in spa to a new phenomenon; it would become the new religion”.
“Spa owners and operators tell us they want to see high-end, innovative products and this is precisely what we deliver at SPATEC UK & Europe 2008,” says Nigel Wallace, SPATEC’s Event Director “As well as providing a forum for debate on the key industry topics, the event aims to bring together the movers and shakers of the sector to facilitate innovative thinking, drive understanding and ultimately improve performance and progress of the sector”

NEWS - 22/11/2007

Latest News

• STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS UNDERPIN SPA SUCCESS

  More and more people are beginning to understand the vital role the operator/supplier relationship plays in the commercial success of a business. And the spa industry, which is evolving in a similar way to the fitness market, is no exception.

  NEWS - 22/11/2007

• GROWING THE SPA INDUSTRY THE SPATEC WAY

  Following the success of the inaugural SPATEC UK & Europe this year, Mclean Events International is pulling out all the stops to provide even further value at its forthcoming SPATEC event with an exciting mix of operators (buyers) and suppliers from the UK and European spa industry.

  NEWS - 22/11/2007

• SPATEC UK & EU 2008 - Book now to avoid disappointment!

  Following a successful SPATEC UK & EU event in Malta, 70% of the participating suppliers registered their attendance for SPATEC UK & EU 2008 whilst still at the event in Malta. In spite of the fact that this was the first event of its kind for the Spa Industry for the UK & Europe the reaction both from the buyers and suppliers attending was overwhelming. The feedback gathered shows that the suppliers feel that SPATEC is an excellent gateway to meet with Europe's most respected Spa owners and/or their respective purchasing professionals. If you wish to attend as a supplier we are offering an Early Booking Discount of 10% which is applicable for the first 20 bookings received before the 14th September. With so many re-bookings, availability is limited whilst we are also limiting the number of supplier companies per product category. If you wish to enquire about availability within your product category please contact David Zarb Jenkins on 00356 99448862 or email david@mcleaneventsinternational.com

  NEWS - 11/07/2007