Our History
A history made by innovation
Our legacy of innovation pales in comparison to the potential of our future. Watch as Bullfrog Spas®
continues to invent, design, engineer, and improve products and experiences that create peaceful lives.
1989
The Spark & The JetPak®
The son of a pool builder, David Ludlow had convinced his father to start selling hot tubs as popularity increased. However, a condition of doing so meant he would have to take every service call. This lead to the eventual repair of many leaks and malfunctions. There had to be a better way to engineer a more reliable spa. Dave, who would go on to found Bullfrog Spas®
, set his mind to innovative problem solving, a spirit we’ve had in our DNA ever since.
Dave Ludlow imagined a hot tub with modular jetted seat backs that would contain the jets and the bulk of the spa’s plumbing. This design placed most of the hoses and fittings inside the spa’s main body of water. If they happened to eventually develop a small leak, it wouldn’t affect performance or require costly repairs. These seat-back jet arrays would become what’s know today as the JetPak® .
Dave Ludlow imagined a hot tub with modular jetted seat backs that would contain the jets and the bulk of the spa’s plumbing. This design placed most of the hoses and fittings inside the spa’s main body of water. If they happened to eventually develop a small leak, it wouldn’t affect performance or require costly repairs. These seat-back jet arrays would become what’s know today as the JetPak® .
1996
The Beginning & Prototypes
Bullfrog International LC®
is officially established in Salt Lake City, UT and the Bullfrog Spas®
brand is born. The brand name is selected from amongst suggestions from early collaborators and employees for its memorable ring.
After exploring many initial prototypes and improving the unique and proprietary water delivery system, Bullfrog Spas builds its first production-ready spa, a six-seat spa with six JetPaks® and two jet pumps.
After exploring many initial prototypes and improving the unique and proprietary water delivery system, Bullfrog Spas builds its first production-ready spa, a six-seat spa with six JetPaks® and two jet pumps.
1997
The Debut
Bullfrog Spas receives safety listing certification from Underwriter Laboratories and the first 6 of many patents to come, clearing the way to begin selling spas with unique and revolutionary technology to the public. With safety certifications in place and testing completed on the initial model, Bullfrog Spas officially hit the market. (Combined Certified and Patented)
Bullfrog Spas formally debut with a full line of six spa models at the NSPI trade show in New Orleans, LA. The new line of spas and JetPak® technology receives numerous positive reviews and Bullfrog Spas is immediately positioned as an intriguing new entrant in the portable spas market.
Bullfrog Spas formally debut with a full line of six spa models at the NSPI trade show in New Orleans, LA. The new line of spas and JetPak® technology receives numerous positive reviews and Bullfrog Spas is immediately positioned as an intriguing new entrant in the portable spas market.
1997
The Advantage—Personalized Therapy
Although early versions of Bullfrog Spas®
now patented water delivery technology focused on reliability, it becomes clear that a major advantage of JetPaks®
is personalized therapy. Customers can now, for the first time ever in personal spas, customize their hydromassage experience at the time of purchase with the specific JetPaks®
they like best. In addition, their experience can now be further personalized at any time by moving JetPaks®
from seat to seat to suit individual preferences.
2002
Testing & Growth
Bullfrog Spas®
continues to improve upon the original design of both spa models and JetPak®
water delivery technology, ultimately arriving at a more ideal sized JetPak®
with minimized plumbing and a channel-free spa design that makes use of Jet Pods for each JetPak®
with 2 simple unions and a combination headrest and Jet Pod cap to hide the plumbing away.
Bullfrog Spas is recognized as the 4th fastest growing company in Utah and notoriety increases both within the industry and across North America with retailers and consumers as dealerships jump on board, excited to provide their customers the most innovative spa available.
Bullfrog Spas is recognized as the 4th fastest growing company in Utah and notoriety increases both within the industry and across North America with retailers and consumers as dealerships jump on board, excited to provide their customers the most innovative spa available.
2003
Expansion of Capabilities
Bullfrog Spas®
completes a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bluffdale, Utah that increases capacity and the ability to meet a growing demand for our innovative spa products.
Bullfrog Spas® expands markets by licensing JetPak® technology for customers in Australia and New Zealand. Expansion into Europe soon follows, having been selected to private label spas with JetPaks for Villeroy & Boch. Nearly 300 years old, the prestigious company enjoys a well-earned reputation for fine porcelain bath fixtures, kitchen wares, and now innovative wellness products.
Bullfrog Spas® expands markets by licensing JetPak® technology for customers in Australia and New Zealand. Expansion into Europe soon follows, having been selected to private label spas with JetPaks for Villeroy & Boch. Nearly 300 years old, the prestigious company enjoys a well-earned reputation for fine porcelain bath fixtures, kitchen wares, and now innovative wellness products.
2007
Industry-Leading Patents
Bullfrog Spas®
launches and patents an industry-first 100% wood-free unified base and support structure originally named the UniFrame. This ABS and composite structure proves superior in strength, lightness, thermal expansion properties, and element-beating durability.
2013
JetPak® Design
In likely the biggest leap forward in spa tech in a decade, Bullfrog Spas®
engineers an updated, even more efficient, water delivery system and new JetPak®
design. This much-enhanced JetPak technology eliminates traditional plumbing and introduces the H2Air Manifold, engineered to deliver both water and air to a variety of new jets available across 18 JetPaks®
.
In conjunction with the JetPak Therapy System® , Bullfrog Spas® launches all-new spa lines. A Series™ and R Series™ , luxury and premium lines respectively, grow to include 16 models total. A Series™ and R Series™ spas feature both new and legacy innovations and the 2 lines ultimately provide platforms for the introduction of many innovative spa features in years to come.
In conjunction with the JetPak Therapy System® , Bullfrog Spas® launches all-new spa lines. A Series™ and R Series™ , luxury and premium lines respectively, grow to include 16 models total. A Series™ and R Series™ spas feature both new and legacy innovations and the 2 lines ultimately provide platforms for the introduction of many innovative spa features in years to come.
2015Design Innovations
In cooperation with European partners at Villeroy & Boch, Bullfrog Spas®
introduces STIL™
, a clean and modern take on spa design that sets new industry aesthetic conventions. STIL™
creates a buzz in the design and architecture industy, going on to win both the iF Design award and the Red Dot Design award for product design excellence.
2017
Retail Systems
Bullfrog Spas®
builds on its history of innovative retail and dealer programs and solutions, bringing them together into a single informational platform called Power Per Square Foot. This innovative collection of dealer best practices would eventually evolve further to become the industry-leading model for optimal dealer performance.
In search of ever more effective retail experiences, Bullfrog Spas® spearheads initiatives for industry-first interactive retail displays and in-store technologies. These include large-format interactive touch-screen kiosks, full-size walk-in display spas, color selectors, and VR/AR sales experiences.
In search of ever more effective retail experiences, Bullfrog Spas® spearheads initiatives for industry-first interactive retail displays and in-store technologies. These include large-format interactive touch-screen kiosks, full-size walk-in display spas, color selectors, and VR/AR sales experiences.
2020
M Series™ Launch
Bullfrog Spas®
launches M Series™
, an elite luxury collection with first-of-their-kind layouts and features. M Series™
designs focus on more varied and versatile seating than ever before, enhanced personalization, and ease of care, combined with captivating aesthetics. M Series™
wins the prestigious Red Dot Design Award.
2020
Headquarters Growth
Continued innovations and tremendous market acceptance lead to steep growth, the need for greater manufacturing capacity, and room for future innovation efforts. In early 2020 Bullfrog Spas®
opens a new 286,000 square-foot headquarters facility in Herriman, Utah with space for manufacturing, warehousing, retail, offices, and more.
2022
Swim Series™ Launch
Bullfrog Spas®
takes on an exciting new product category, focusing on the development of larger vessels, which quickly become the innovation leader in terms of function and flexibility. Fun, fitness, and feeling better all become reality in a single all-season backyard experience. Facilities in Bluffdale are converted to be able to produce Swim Series™
and the first model’s launch to the public.
2023
A Series Redesign
Building on a legacy of personalized hydrotherapy, intuitive features, and reliability, the all-new A
Series™
features a revamped design, inside and out, with new features and technology that
significantly improve the hot tub experience. Each model in the A Series™
line is equipped with
JetPak Therapy System®
technology, which allows users to customize their massage experience by
swapping out different JetPaks®
to fit their therapy needs and preferences. The 2023 A Series™
features new jet technologies and 5 new JetPaks®
. The new line also includes improved ergonomics,
more variety in seat types and depths, new intuitive auxiliary controls, improved water features,
and the Simplicity™ Filtration System, which makes water care even easier.
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