Jacuzzi facts for kids
 |
|
| Private | |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Founder | Jacuzzi family |
| Headquarters |
,
United States
|
|
Area served
|
Worldwide |
| Products | Bath and spa products |
| Owner | Investindustrial |
Jacuzzi is an American company. It makes and sells hot tubs, pools, and other bath items. The company is best known for its Jacuzzi hydrotherapy products. These products use water to help people relax or feel better. Jacuzzi's main office is in Irvine, California. It is also the biggest hot tub maker in Europe. The company has eight factories there, with the largest one in Italy.
Seven brothers from the Jacuzzi family started the company in 1915. This was in Berkeley, California. They first made pumps for farms. In 1948, the Jacuzzi family made water pumps to help a family member. This person had rheumatoid arthritis, a joint condition. These water pumps were first a special medical product. But in 1968, they were put into a fun hot tub. Hot tubs became very popular. Jacuzzi then made more advanced models. The Jacuzzi family ran the company until 1979. After that, it was sold several times. Its current owner, Investindustrial, bought it in 2019.
The name "Jacuzzi" is a special brand name. It is a trademark for products like hot tubs and whirlpool spas. This means that using the name for business usually needs permission.
Contents
Jacuzzi's Story
How It Started
Seven brothers from the Jacuzzi family started the company. Their names were Giocondo, Frank, Rachele, Candido, Joseph, Gelindo, and Valeriano. They came from Casarsa della Delizia in northern Italy. Their original family name was Iacuzzi. But when the first two brothers came to the US in 1907, their name was misspelled as "Jacuzzi." All seven brothers had moved to the US by 1910. More family members came to the US when the brothers won a contract. They were asked to make propellers for US planes during World War I.
Jacuzzi first started as a company that made machines. The brothers worked on a farm that grew citrus fruit. This farm was owned by someone who invented early airplanes. The brothers offered to help make airplane parts. They created an early wooden propeller. It was curved instead of flat. This propeller 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. It was called the Jacuzzi J-7. This plane was used to carry mail.
In 1921, a mail plane crashed. Everyone on board died, including Giocondo Jacuzzi. After this, the brothers stopped working in the airplane business. They tried making several 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.
Water Therapy and Fun Tubs
In 1948, Candido Jacuzzi made a better pump for full-body hydrotherapy. This pump was called the J-300. He made it to help his son, Ken Jacuzzi. Ken had rheumatoid arthritis. The pump helped him between hospital visits. Candido noticed his son felt better after using a special tank at the hospital. Candido patented his pump in 1952. He started selling it around 1955 and 1956. It was sold as a way to help with health. This pump was portable. It could turn any regular bathtub into a spa.
In 1968, a new product was made: a whirlpool bath. This bath had jets that mixed air and water. Roy Jacuzzi, a third-generation family member, developed this product. It was called the Roman Bath. This is thought to be 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. They became very popular in California. The company started 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 each use. By 1970, family-sized spas were being made.
By 1989, Jacuzzi had 2,200 employees. At first, Jacuzzi mostly sold its products to builders. But in 1993, it started selling through stores. In the 1990s, Jacuzzi began selling outside the US. They sold a lot in Italy and Spain. By the end of the 1990s, half of their sales were outside the US. Jacuzzi helped make bathrooms bigger and more luxurious.
Company Ownership Changes
By 1979, there were 257 Jacuzzi family members involved in the company. They had more and more disagreements. So, the business was bought by Kidde for $70 million. Most of the Jacuzzi family members left the company. But Roy Jacuzzi stayed. He was in charge of the hot tub and bath part of the business. In 1987, Kidde was bought by Hanson PLC. In 1995, Hanson separated Jacuzzi and other brands. They became a public company called U.S. Industries. USI changed its name to Jacuzzi Brands in 2003. This company was then bought by Apollo Management. Later, Investindustrial bought it in 2019.
Since the 1990s, Jacuzzi has bought other companies. These include Haugh Products (above-ground pools) and Sundance Spas. They also bought Gatsby Spas, Hydropool (hot tubs), and Liners Direct (bath products). In the 1990s, Jacuzzi had too much debt. So, it sold businesses worth over $600 million. The part of the business that made industrial and irrigation pumps was sold in 2004. The plumbing part, Zurn Industries, was sold in 2007 for $950 million. Today, Jacuzzi owns brands like ThermoSpas, Sundance Spas, and Dimension One.
Gallery
-
A historic whirlpool bath from around 1969.
-
An old advertisement for the Jacuzzi Lowboy, around 1970.
See also
In Spanish: Jacuzzi (empresa) para niños
