D1 Spas Wins Prestigious Shingo Prize for Manufacturing Excellence

Friday, October 12, 2007

Vista, CA (October 12, 2007) – Dimension One Spas has solidified its trailblazing stance in the home spa and hot tub market with its recent 2007 Silver Medal Award at the Northwest Region Shingo Prize Conference, an accolade that makes the company the first hot tub manufacturer to receive the distinguished award. Lauded by Business Week as the "Nobel Prize of Manufacturing,” the Shingo Prize is North America’s premier manufacturing award and recognition program. The award, which honors world-class manufacturing through the implementation and practice of “lean” or efficient production principles, recognizes innovative companies like Dimension One Spas (D1 Spas), which have set an example by going “lean” in the manufacturing of swim spas and hot tubs.

The Shingo Prize is named in honor of the late Dr. Shigeo Shingo, the Japanese industrial engineer recognized as an engineering genius who helped create, train and write about the renowned Toyota Production System and related systems. The Prize was established in 1988 to promote awareness of important lean manufacturing concepts including improved quality and reduced production costs.

"Winning the Silver Shingo Prize is a huge achievement for Dimension One Spas," said Bob Hallam, founder and CEO of the company. "The award serves as an independent stamp of approval for everything we’ve been doing to improve all aspects of our swim spa and hot tub operations. Best of all, the processes we’ve instituted not only lead to efficient operations, lower costs and higher quality products, but they lead to a much higher level of customer satisfaction – and that’s the ultimate benefit.”

D1 Spas introduced lean manufacturing practices in 1996 after hiring Paul Yandell – a 25-year veteran of operations management – to oversee manufacturing, materials and operations as vice president, supply chain. He is also a lead instructor in the University of California San Diego’s Lean Enterprise program and serves on the western board of directors for the Association for Manufacturing Excellence. Under Yandell’s guidance, the company implemented a program that has led to significant improvements in D1’s swim spas and hot tubs, overall product quality, employee satisfaction, production lead-time, safety record and other key measures of quality and productivity.

About D1 Spas: With high tech and design innovations reminiscent of each year’s developments in the automobile industry, this award-winning, California-based hot tub company holds over 30 patents, more than any other hot tub manufacturer. The family-owned, $60 million a year business is known for introducing advances in materials science and water handling technology to bring customers the most advanced spas, swim spas and hot tubs in the world.

Founded in Vista, California, by Bob and Linda Hallam, D1’s spas and aquatic fitness products (swim spas) are sold through a network of more than 250 dealers in the U.S. and 450 dealers in 30 other countries worldwide. The company's four product lines include a range of home hydrotherapy and aquatic fitness products that meet a variety of needs: D1 Reflections®, D1 Bay Collection®, AFS- Aquatic Fitness Systems® and @ Home Hot Tubs®. Innovations include hydronomics (design based on human anatomy, ergonomics, acupressure, reflexology and fluid mechanics); a wireless, totally submersible hot tub stereo system; a spa-within-a-spa lounge chair and aqua massager; clean energy systems; and patented fountain and lighting systems. For more information please visit www.d1spas.com.