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Finnish design and quality attract global interest: Drop Design Pool seeking sales growth abroad
Drop Design Pool, a Finnish company specialising in outdoor design spas, increased its sales dramatically last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the company is looking for growth in the international market, aiming to double its turnover.
For Drop Design Pool, 2020 was a highly successful year, although not one without challenges. The exceptional circumstances spurred the company, already known for its award-winning outdoor design pools, to record-high sales. With Finns no longer able to travel abroad, many wanted to invest in making their homes and holiday homes as comfortable as possible. Perhaps domestic travel and staycations are here to stay.
“Last year was very good for us: we saw a dramatic increase in sales”, says Ilkka Haapaniemi, CEO of Drop Design Pool.
However, at first the company faced difficulties in securing parts.
“We received a record number of calls asking for estimates, but because component deliveries from the US were delayed, we were not able to fully satisfy demand.”
With the markets recovering from the COVID-19 paralysis, pool part deliveries between continents have now more or less been restored.
Finnish design
Interest in outdoor pools has been on the increase in Finland for several years, and more and more Finnish homes now have an outdoor spa or hot tub. The relaxing qualities of water are widely known: hot water boosts circulation and soothes muscles, joints and the mind.
“In an outdoor pool, people are looking for comfort and elegant design, but also for ease of use”, says Haapaniemi.
“Our electrically heated pools are always ready for use and only cost about a euro a day to keep warm. The water only needs to be changed about three times a year.”
Customers also value Finnish quality and responsibility. All Drop Design Pool’s electrically heated pools are made in Finland, at the family-owned company Nordic SPA’s factory in Salo.
The company is committed to further improving the sustainability of its production and deliveries.
“We compensate for 100% of the CO2 emissions generated by our pool deliveries. We also use as many local materials as possible in manufacturing the pools, and we aim to increase the share of recycled and renewable materials we use in the future”, says Haapaniemi.
The company also promotes sustainability by donating to charity. In late 2020, Drop Design Pool donated 4.5% of its pool sales to efforts to protect the Baltic SeaLong live the Baltic Sea! By purchasing a Drop Design Spa you will participate in preserving the Baltic Sea.
International growth
The next step for Drop Design Pool is growth on international markets: the company’s goal for 2021 is to double its sales.
Drop Design Pool will be entering markets in Germany, the Benelux countries, Switzerland, Latvia, Russia and Spain. It also aims to increase its sales in the other Nordic countries, especially Sweden and Norway.
“The market for outdoor spas in Sweden is massive. We sold dozens of pools before we even showcased a single pool there”, Haapaniemi says.
Drop Design Pool’s key selling point is its unique design. Finnish design is internationally renowned, and the clean Scandinavian style of the pools clearly appeals.
“Finnish design interests people; we can say that for sure. Our design is very different from that of other outdoor pools, so we really stand out from the crowd.”
Drop pools appeal particularly to people looking for high quality and elegant style, both in Finland and abroad. The pools are beautiful as they are, but they can also be integrated into their surroundings for an even more discreet look, either by embedding them in a terrace or by panelling them with a material that blends in.
New technology is paving the way for an even greater chance of international success.
Haapaniemi: “Our pool technology is available worldwide, making it easy to find spare parts anywhere.”
Founded in 2015, Drop Design Pool is a Finnish design company that sells outdoor design pools and fire pit tables. The iconic Pisara pool in the shape of a drop was created by Finnish designer Nikolai Ruola. The company received the 2015 Design Deed of the Year award by the Association for Finnish Work. In 2020 the company’s turnover totalled EUR 2,7 million and it employed nine people.