Jacuzzi facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Founder | Jacuzzi family |
| Headquarters |
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United States
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Bath and spa products |
| Owner | Investindustrial |
Jacuzzi is an American company famous for making hot tubs and other bath products. They are especially known for their hydrotherapy products. Hydrotherapy uses water to help people feel better.
The company's main office is in Irvine, California. Jacuzzi is also the biggest hot tub maker in Europe. They have eight factories there, with the largest one in Italy.
Seven brothers from the Jacuzzi family started the company in 1915. They were Italian immigrants living in Berkeley, California. At first, they made different products, including pumps for farms. In 1948, they created special water pumps. These pumps helped a family member who had rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that affects joints.
These water pumps were first used for medical reasons. But in 1968, they were put into a hot tub for fun and relaxation. Hot tubs became very popular. Jacuzzi then made more advanced models. The family ran the company until 1979. After that, it was owned by different companies. In 2019, Investindustrial bought Jacuzzi.
Because Jacuzzi hot tubs were so popular, many people started using the word "Jacuzzi" to mean any hot tub. It became like a common word for the product. However, "Jacuzzi" is actually a trademark brand name. It refers specifically to products made by the Jacuzzi company.
Contents
Jacuzzi's Story
How It All Began
The Jacuzzi company was started by seven brothers. Their names were Giocondo, Frank, Rachele, Candido, Joseph, Gelindo, and Valeriano. They came from a town called Casarsa della Delizia in northern Italy. Their family name was originally Iacuzzi. But when the first two brothers came to the US in 1907, their name was misspelled as "Jacuzzi."
By 1910, all seven brothers had moved to the US. More family members came when the brothers got a contract. They were asked to make propellers for US planes during World War I.
Jacuzzi started as a company that made machines. The brothers worked on a citrus farm. The farm owner was an early inventor in aviation. The brothers helped develop aviation products. They created an early wooden propeller that was curved. This was different from flat ones and was used in World War I. One of their first propellers is now at the Smithsonian Institution. They also made one of the first fully-enclosed cabins for airplanes. This plane was called the Jacuzzi J-7 and was used to carry mail.
In 1921, a mail plane crashed. Giocondo Jacuzzi was one of the passengers who died. After this, the brothers stopped working in aviation. They tried making other products. Their first successful product was a water pump. Rachele Jacuzzi created it in 1926. The company then made many different types of pumps.
From Pumps to Spas
In 1948, Candido Jacuzzi made a better pump for hydrotherapy. This pump was called the J-300. He created it to help his son, Ken Jacuzzi. Ken had rheumatoid arthritis. The pump helped him feel better between hospital visits. Candido patented the pump in 1952. He started selling it around 1955-1956 as a way to help with health. This pump was portable. It could turn any regular bathtub into a spa.
In 1968, Jacuzzi started making whirlpool baths. These baths had jets that mixed air and water. Roy Jacuzzi, a third-generation family member, developed this product. It was called the Roman Bath. This was the first whirlpool tub made for relaxation, not just for medical use.
Jacuzzi used famous people like Jayne Mansfield to advertise the tubs. They first became popular with Hollywood movie stars. In the 1970s, Jacuzzi products were shown on TV shows. Their popularity grew in California. The company began making bigger models. These could fit more than one person. They also added filters and heaters. This meant the tub did not need to be emptied after every use. By 1970, they were making family-sized spas.
By 1989, Jacuzzi had 2,200 employees. At first, Jacuzzi mostly sold products to builders. But in 1993, they started selling through stores. In the 1990s, Jacuzzi began selling products outside the US. They became popular in Italy and Spain. By the end of the 1990s, half of their sales were outside the US. Jacuzzi helped make bathrooms larger and more luxurious.
Changes in Ownership
By 1979, there were many Jacuzzi family members involved in the business. They had more and more disagreements. So, the company was bought by another company called Kidde for $70 million. Most of the Jacuzzi family members left the company. However, Roy Jacuzzi stayed on. He led the hot tub and bath part of the business.
In 1987, Kidde was bought by Hanson PLC. In 1995, Hanson made Jacuzzi and other brands into a public company. This new company was called U.S. Industries. In 2003, USI changed its name to Jacuzzi Brands. Later, Apollo Management bought Jacuzzi Brands. Then, in 2019, Investindustrial bought the company.
Over the years, Jacuzzi bought other companies. These included Sundance Spas and Hydropool, which also make hot tubs. They also bought companies that made pools and bath renovation products. Some parts of the Jacuzzi business were sold off. For example, the part that made pumps for farms and wells was sold in 2004. The plumbing division, Zurn Industries, was sold in 2007. Today, Jacuzzi owns brands like ThermoSpas, Sundance Spas, and Dimension One.
Images for kids
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Historic whirlpool bath, around 1969
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Historic Lowboy advertisement, around 1970
See also
In Spanish: Jacuzzi (empresa) para niños
