Jacuzzi® Hot Tubs, The Real Story
Jacuzzi® was formed in 1915, the oldest of seven brothers, Giocondo and his siblings were from Casarsa in Northern Italy, the older brothers migrated to California. Slowly the other brothers followed suit.
They started picking fruit from orchards to make a living before establishing a machine shop and manufactured a variety of things including airplane propellers, and were later commissioned to supply the United States Air Force during World War One. The wooden propellers went on to be known as the “Jacuzzi® toothpick”.
The brothers also designed the first enclosed cabin plane, the postal service used the plane to carry mail back and forth states, unfortunately on one passenger flight on July 14th, 1921 the plane failed in mid-flight and four people were killed including one of the Jacuzzi ® brothers.
The brothers then shifted gears and designed a pump that would lift water in volume and capacity, this also helped them on the farm to water crops and grow better fruit. Due to the success, it brought them as a family they decided to try and manufacture the pumps to sell and it was this that helped the company of Jacuzzi® grow.
In 1941 just before Ken Jacuzzi® (Candido son) turned 2 years old he contracted strep throat, which evolved into “rheumatic fever, which then evolved into juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Ken’s parents were told their son could be helped with the pain, however, he would not make it to 3 years old, so his life expectancy was very short.
Ken was being treated by a rheumatologist; he utilized the Full Immersible Hubbard Tank which was used for hydrotherapy. Ken would travel 50 miles to get therapy and every muscle and joint in his body were full of pain, once he had the treatment, his mother noticed that it did help. He was more comfortable, flexible, and pain-free, however, with the car journey home the pain ended up coming back and he was back where he started.
n 1956, Ken’s mother asked his father if he could come up with something to help relieve Kens pain without the need to travel a few times a week for treatment. So Candido set out to design a pump for a bathtub which was named the J300.
They invited the doctor to come and see Ken at home and to get his thoughts on the J300 pump, the doctor was amazed and suggested he could make them to market and sell for other people who could benefit from hydrotherapy.
I the 1950’s the game show “Queen for A Day” highlighted the J300 pump and its benefits, this almost became a sensation overnight and the Jacuzzi® brand was known all throughout the United States of America and sales were at a record number.
This innovative spirit was captured by Roy Jacuzzi®, a third-generation family member who had begun learning the business as a teenager. Sensing the American consumer's interest in health, fitness, and leisure activities, Roy invented and marketed the first self-contained, fully integrated whirlpool bath in 1968. By incorporating body jets into the sides of the tub, it became the bath that almost single-handedly created an industry.
Roy started to make bigger units and decided to also add filtration and a heating element to the Jacuzzi ®, and this is when the name “Hot Tub” was invented, this meant unlike the #Whirlpool baths before it, the new hot tubs could be used outside and still remain warm for the user, this was a real revelation.
Roy decided to sell the family business to Kidde Inc. In 1979, the whole family left the business at this point, only Roy remained, he continued to run the Jacuzzi ® operation.
Ken Jacuzzi® Passed away in January 2017 aged 75
In 2001 Jacuzzi® was launched in the United Kingdom, their longest-serving dealer Oyster Pools & Hot Tubs still resides at Raglan Garden center.
Written by Robert Ralph
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