2017 has been quite a year. From the twists and turns of Trump’s presidency to the unprecedented number of natural disasters and the myriad sexual harassment scandals, it’s a year that many will never forget.
It’s also been a memorable year for the industry. I examined the top-performing news stories of the year and noted a number of fascinating industry developments.
First off, stories on mergers and acquisitions have always had our readers buzzing, but this year has witnessed a veritable merger-mania involving many industry heavyweights.
It comes as no surprise that stories concerning the Big 3 would generate intense interest. “Hayward Acquired by Private Equity” and “Zodiac Merges with Global Heavy-Hitter,” both garnered major page views.
As a matter of fact, more than half of our top news stories of the year addressed company growth, as evidenced by the keen interest in stories such as “Leslie’s Acquired by New Investors,” “PoolCorp Makes Advances in Backyard Living Market” and “Poolwerx Takes on Dallas by Acquiring 50-year-old Dolphin Pools.”
Also noteworthy was a non-merger. Readers were eager to hear the “Chairmen of APSP, NSPF Explain Merger’s End.”
Of these, the one I’m most interested in following is the merger of Zodiac and Fluidra, because it’s a strategic move meant to make some waves. How will it impact the market share of the other two Big 3 manufacturers? We’ll be sure to keep a close eye on further developments.
The other half of our Top News Stories list is populated by a mix of product and people news. Many readers clicked on “Federal Pump Rule Established,” along with “In Memoriam: Ken Jacuzzi.”
Lastly, there was healthy interest in two PSN programs. The first, Top 50 Builders, fills some of the most popular pages on our website, followed by our annual roundup of new products.
And that brings me to this issue of PSN. This year’s crop of new products truly is indicative of the creativity and engineering talent that resides in our industry. From Alexa-enabled pool equipment to a
solar-powered anti-drowning system, we’ve got something of interest for all. I invite you to turn to page 46 to see for yourself.