ProSun
Making Headlines Nationwide
by Judie Bizzozero
Florida also is home to many businesses making headlines for themselves within their respected industries. And the indoor tanning industry is no exception.
For St. Petersburg, Fla.-based ProSun, 2001 will bring even more recognition for its products, not only among Florida salon owners, but salon owners nationwide and worldwide.
What's In A Name?
ProSun has been making a name for itself in the U.S. indoor tanning market since 1979 when it began manufacturing its line of European-inspired tanning units. Tom Henkemens, who was the driving force behind the worldwide success of the Netherlands-based indoor tanning equipment maker HAPRO, founded ProSun in the United States.
Henkemens came to the United States to "retire," leaving HAPRO in the trusty hands of his son. However the tanning bug bit in 1979, and realizing the U.S. market's need for quality tanning equipment, he set up shop in St. Petersburg and began manufacturing tanning beds.
Today, ProSun has more than 100 employees and operates out of a 90,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The company has seen its business double many times over the years and has its sights set toward continued growth well into the next millennium, says Richard Albright, ProSun's director of sales and marketing.
To accomplish this task, the company offers a complete selection of commercial tanning units, including the Sapphire Series, the Lumina Series, the Superbed Series and the Delta standup Series. ProSun also produces a line of residential units.
With a strong presence in its backyard of Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas, ProSun has seen significant sales increases nationwide over the last few years. Yet, the company also is seeing a significant rise in sales to South American salons.
ProSun's equipment presence can be found in salons in North America, South America, Central America, Europe and Asia. Albright notes that the St. Petersburg office covers the territories of North America, South America and Asia, while the home office in the Netherlands handles business for most of Europe. Incidentally, the company also maintains offices in Germany and France.
"With our strong European ties to the Netherlands-based HAPRO, we have positioned ourselves to offer high-quality, European-influenced indoor tanning equipment worldwide," says Albright. "Over the past few years, our international presence has become bigger thanks to the trade shows and our relationships with our distributors."
A True Product Mix
The company's lineup includes 24- to 102-lamp configurations with price-points ranging from $2,000 up to the $30,000 range. The units boast durable state-of-the-art European-design technology with tubular steel frames and easy-to-reach components.
"We really take pride in the fact that our equipment is user friendly for operation and maintenance," says Albright. "We listen to feedback from our customers and refine our designs. For example, 10 years ago we invented the click strips to remove the acrylics easily when lamps need changing. Today, many companies have incorporated that feature because it helps the salon owner save time."
"This industry continues to grow every year, and the fact that ProSun offers such a vast variety of equipment has helped position us to satisfy every range of consumer-from the small one or two beds salons up to the full 25-bed salons," says Albright. "It's something we take a lot of pride in because many manufacturers don't offer diversity--they offer high-pressure or high-end or just the standard 24- or 28-lamp beds."
Albright says it is difficult to single out the best-selling bed because each sells well within its respected niche. The company's diverse product line allows salons to choose from a variety of equipment options.
He notes that the Delta Series of standup units are ideal for salons with limited floor space. Not only does the Delta offer a vertical lift system for head-to-toe standup tanning, but it also tans hard to reach areas and has less chance of promoting bacterial growth in the unit.
Hair salons prefer the Sapphire Series because they are proven 20-minute workhorses that hold up well and provide results. The true tanning salon typically will offer a number of ProSun equipment options for their customers--ranging from the Delta to the Lumina frontline of superbeds to the Superbed Series--the largest, most powerful and versatile money machines in the industry, says Albright.
ProSun's newest offering is the 520 Series, which began delivery to salons last month. The 520, part of the Superbed Series, debuted at the ITA World Expo in Nashville to phenomenal response from salon owners and operators.
The 520 builds upon ProSun's success last year with its 620 series that not only captured the interest of salon owners, but also that of Hugh Hefner who purchased two 620s for his Playboy Mansion.
"The response we received from the 620 inspired us to offer a compact version--the 520," he says. "For the quality and size of the equipment, it is a little more competitively priced in the low $20,000 range.
The new 520 Series features innovations in body cooling, a new HPS filter system, better component cooling and design contouring. Albright notes that the 520 is available in a selection of colors and boasts a new aromatherapy feature.
"The unit sprays a very light mist in the upper body area to give the tanner a relaxing and refreshing tanning experience," he says. "The unit comes equipped with a specific aromatherapy scent which is filtered through the body cooling system."
Plans currently are underway to offer an expanded selection of aromatherapy scents.
Another key feature of the 520 is its Heat Extraction System--not only does it cool the components inside the shell, but it also extracts the heat that comes from operating the unit.
"It has a venting system that takes the heat completely out of the tanning room, which is a huge benefit not only to the equipment operation but also to the client's comfort," he says.
The unit measures more than 91 inches in overall length and incorporates 27 160-watt bulbs in the canopy, 18 160-watt bulbs in the bench and four high-pressure lamps in the facial area. The 520 also comes equipped with a stereo system with preinstalled speakers that can be hooked up to the salon's system, adjustable control for both body and face cooling and a 2-year limited warranty.
A Solid Foundation
"He has really been involved in looking at our long-term planning and updating and implementing programs, such as our quality control program, to ensure future growth," says Albright.
To strengthen its hold on the market, ProSun also has invested heavily in its service and quality control departments. The company purchased new top-of-the-line diagnostic testing machines and has hired additional personnel to ensure that the products leave the manufacturing facility in full working order.
"Quality control is essential," says Albright. "We actually inspect every piece of equipment before it leaves the building. The equipment is turned on and run and must pass our stringent controls before it is shipped to the salon."
Additionally, ProSun's superior tech-support team always is available to help salons with any questions.
With ProSun's loyal following of salon owners, word-of-mouth is the company's best form of advertising.
The company also gives back to its customers in the form of its Referral Program. "We offer our owners an opportunity to show their equipment to other potential customers which, in turn, allows us the opportunity to do more business in different areas," says Albright. "The Referral Program rewards them with discounts and dollar incentives."
ProSun also is actively involved with industry publications, trade events and associations to help grow the indoor tanning industry.
"It's not one company that is a leader in this industry, but all of them," he says. "I think ProSun sets the standard for the future, but with assistance, ideas and suggestions from everyone we do it together."
