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Jacuzzi, Sundance, Caldera, Hotspot, Limelight Made In Mexico. Does Anyone Care?


Markee

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How did China get added in here? Many know Watkins manufactures Hot Spring spas in San Diego and about 40 miles away has a second smaller plant where they manufacture Hot Spot, Caldera, and Limelight. for that plant they can send over the goods from their warehouse, assemble them and return the spas. It is run by Watkins employees from the US side and some of the workers there were those previously working in the US who used to drive accross the border to work. Being in San Diego gives them a unique oppurtunity in that way. Its not like buying cheap products designed and made in China or any other place far ways where you have no control. Many also know Jacuzzi and Sundance are made in Mexico now. What I'm not sure of is why Markee had to throw that unrelated China curveball in there.

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Even if its made in America, you are still going to have other influences. Circuit boards diodes resisters plumbing fittings pillows knobs jets wires etc etc are ordered from somewhere and most of those id guess come from somewhere beyond our borders..

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Well it does matter to me because of the chemicals being used in other countries. I had a friend who once had this great idea of buying shoes from Mexico and selling them in the US. I was there when he got his first shipment and when he opens the boxes, the shoes smelled of gasoline. He learned after a few phone calls that they used straight gasoline to clean them.

The standards just aren’t good enough for me and the quality suffers. I’m learning now that my spa is one piece of crap with air hoses breaking off the fittings because they were cut and pulled too tight, the jets are leaking because of inferior caulking. And after watching some US factory videos of spas being assemble here in the US I realize that they didn’t even apply the foam correctly.

It’s going to cost me a lot of time and money to repair this and I think I would have been better off paying a little more for quality. And yes it true that the circuit cards are made outside, but thats a small piece compared the rest.

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I think there is a HUGE difference between a US company adding a facility south of the border and a Chinese company designing and building tubs. And if you want to SEE that difference, look at any Chinese hot tub.

B)

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I agree that there is a big difference between China and Mexico. The stuff coming from China is far worse. The only reason a company would shift operations to mexico is to save money. The turnoff is inferior quality though. You won't be able to convince me that the quality of a US made tub is the same as a tub built in Mexico. With the way the economy is in this country I would rather give my money to a US made product rather then to a company who outsorces there products to Mexico or any other foreign company

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How did China get added in here? Many know Watkins manufactures Hot Spring spas in San Diego and about 40 miles away has a second smaller plant where they manufacture Hot Spot, Caldera, and Limelight. for that plant they can send over the goods from their warehouse, assemble them and return the spas. It is run by Watkins employees from the US side and some of the workers there were those previously working in the US who used to drive accross the border to work. Being in San Diego gives them a unique oppurtunity in that way. Its not like buying cheap products designed and made in China or any other place far ways where you have no control. Many also know Jacuzzi and Sundance are made in Mexico now. What I'm not sure of is why Markee had to throw that unrelated China curveball in there.

Why does Watkins do this? Why not make the products in California only?

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I'm sure the the building being built in Mexico was a financial one. Do you feel that the quality and workmanship is the same on the tubs coming out of Mexico as the ones coming out of The US? The regulations can't be the same. In my personnal opinion I find the Hot Springs line to be some of the finest Hot Tubs I have ever seen. The Grandee is the nicest tub I have ever seen in person. The Hot Spot versions I'm not so familiar with so don't really have an opinion on those.

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Same design, same exact processes, same parts, same glue, same acrylic, same hoses, same controls, same fiberglass... as when built in San Diego, just not the same operators assembling them for the most part though some actually are the same. The spas are regulated based on where they are sold. UL and TUV (for those bound for Europe) determine how the spa must work no matter where they are built. There is no difference between Caldera's made perviously in the US and the ones made in Mexico and they're subject to the same standards as the Hot Springs made in San Diego. The plant was built new and if you went through it you would think you were in a US facility. As far as quality, thats a combination of the design, parts, operator workmanship and quality control systems. Watkins has been there a decade making them, they're not being made by novices. Its run by managers, supervisors and engineers that have worked for Watkins for years and often decades, literally.The quality is not suffering and a lot of that is because its really just 40 miles away so its not like its some remote site.

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In this global economy what does it matter. There are no quality issues from Watkins products made in mexico or Vista. Also I just read a article on what must be followed to be labelled made in USA. It is not easy as you think thank to our gov. Also think about all the parts that go into making the spa. Jet, pumps, controls, etc it might come from another country and then used to build a spa. There is just to many variables to look at. I am not saying it can't be done Made in the USA, but to stay competitive in the market things are outsourced.

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