There's no question that the pool and spa industry in the 21st century has largely been defined by technological advances that make things easier across the board. One example of this comes in the form of measuring pools for safety covers, liners and the like.
For years, liner and cover manufacturers have looked at the traditional AB method of sizing vinyl shapes — a two-man (or more) job, with chalk and measuring tape and lots of precious time — and said to themselves, “There has to be a better way.”
Thanks to their efforts, now there is. AQUA spoke to three manufacturers who have taken on this challenge — Merlin, Latham and Anchor — to illustrate how technology is continuing to make the industry better.
For Merlin Industries, this came in the form of their Drone Magix, an intriguing use of new drone technology to get the job done.
“We’ve been working on photogrammetry — photo measuring — for a few years,” says John Lucas, business operations manager at Merlin. “We wondered how you could use a camera, even as simple as the camera on your phone, to measure pools.”
But when they decided to explore drone technology, the photo quality in drone cameras was much better, Lucas says, which sent them on the path of drones versus phones. With this new development, pool pros can snap a single overhead drone photo and use it to both design and deliver a quote for homeowners.
But time isn’t the only thing new sizing technologies save. Latham’s Measure device uses advanced laser optics so a single technician can capture every pool dimension, cutting labor costs and freeing crews to take on more jobs.
“You can cut costs immediately by sending just one person to each jobsite, and have more projects in the works than you would if you required multiple people to help measure a pool,” explains Will Cappiello, vice president of product management at Latham.
With the elimination of pencil and paper from the process, the quote, order and manufacturing can go much smoother, as well. Instead of risking human error and perhaps the need to return to a homeowner’s backyard to repeat the process, new technology like this — tested and proven to be accurate — can supply pool professionals with numbers they can trust. It reduces the headache of a time-consuming process that was fraught with the possibility of wasted effort due to temporary brain lapses or burnout.
Of course, that’s the trouble with new technology, especially in an industry whose members are many times decades-long veterans of the craft. Many pool professionals find their technique and stick with it, unsure of the reliability of new methods.
“As manufacturers on the side of developing this new technology, we have no choice but to rely on perfection and deliver nothing short of excellence to the industry professionals we work with, and ultimately, their customers,” says Phil St. Germain, general manager of pool covers at Anchor Industries. Anchor developed their OneMeasure device to alleviate measuring hassles, using Leica laser technology.
“We know that the next generation to come up, both in and outside the industry, is going to be demanding technology at their fingertips. They grew up with it,” says Cappiello, “and we cannot fall behind.”
This article first appeared in the July 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
