Core has grown to be one of the biggest and best spa cover manufacturers in North America
In a little more than a decade, Core Covers, a Mexico-based sewing manufacturer serving the home spa/hot tub industry has grown from start-up to an international industry leader. Located just across the U.S. / Mexico border in Tijuana, Mexico, in the mid-2000s Core’s small manufacturing plant began producing hot tub covers in support of the OEM output of hot tub manufacturers across North America. In the years since the business has taken off and Core has grown to be one of the biggest and best spa cover manufacturers in North America, in partnership with many of the hot tub industry’s top brands. Quality, innovation, and exceptional customer service have set the tone on this account.
Through a steadfast commitment to reliable performance, steady production, routine delivery, and above-and-beyond customer service, Atlas Molded Products has become an invaluable production partner to this rapid-growth enterprise. Atlas Molded Product's molded polystyrene is well-known for its strong performance as a thermal barrier in a lightweight, easy to work with material, making it the ideal insulation for hot tub covers.
Premium products demand premium performance, and a hot tub certainly qualifies as a luxury. Though straight forward in terms of design and functional purpose, hot tub covers play an important role in a hot tub’s overall performance. These covers accommodate a large, solid, insulated mass that sits on top of the tub to help maintain heated water temperatures when not in use. The cover significantly reduces the operational costs of keeping the water warm. For Core Covers, though the production process is not technologically complex, it is not without its challenges.
Core has built a large client base of OEM spa makers and a world-wide distribution network for after-market replacement covers and supplier partnerships have played an important part in mutual success. In addition to protecting against thermal loss, a hot tub cover needs to be lightweight and easily maneuvered as well as weather-resistant, UV resistant, and waterproof. Core prides themselves on their state-of-the-art production capabilities, premium quality materials, and never-say-no customer service attitude. Top-quality products and best-in-class service establish a well-worn path to success. The biggest challenge on this account has been keeping up with the steady demand for their products.
Finding efficiencies in any manufacturing process derives from an intense understanding of variables. In the case of these hot tub covers, streamlining production while still meeting established quality standards meant in-housing as much of the production process as possible and building reliable relationships with material suppliers.
Atlas molded polystyrene is a versatile, well-regarded insulation material used as a wall, roof, and foundation insulation in buildings and homes and in cold-chain packaging for pharmaceuticals and perishable foods and beverages. Molded polystyrene’s very low thermal conductivity is due to its closed-cell structure, which is 98 percent air. The air trapped within the cells is a poor conductor of heat. Atlas Molded Products can manufacture molded polystyrene across a range of strengths and a range of R-values from 3.2 to 4.5 per inch at 75°F to accommodate covers across multiple performance levels.
The lightweight nature of the molded polystyrene is also ideal. Core’s finished covers are easy to open and close, remove or put on by just one person from both inside and outside the tub. Molded polystyrene’s long-term durability is also beneficial; it does not easily degrade under the strain of rapidly changing weather, sunlight, time, or use.
Molded polystyrene is also easily cut and shaped. In this case, large quantities of foam are purchased in blocks and then individually cut to shape and size by Core using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) equipment. The CNC equipment allows Core to create infinitesimally precise patterns from the foam in any shape or size desired, saving great time and expense in the fabrication process.
Atlas’ continual focus was to provide unmatched service levels on pace with Core’s rapid growth. Over just a little bit more than a decade, Core has grown from a small-scale start-up to the largest producer of hot tub covers in North America. To keep up, Atlas is currently supplying multiple truckloads of molded polystyrene blocks every day, year-round. In partnership with Core, Atlas’ Tijuana production facility manufacturers and warehouses large volumes of molded polystyrene blocks in advance of need so there is always a steady supply ready. Over more than ten years of account services, the Atlas team has dovetailed with Core to understand production process, quality assurance methodologies, and fabrication schedules to constantly stay one step ahead of their needs.
Molded polystyrene from Atlas Molded Products is a versatile, effective solution-builder for a wide range of industries stretching from commercial construction to healthcare, industrial, packaging, and even luxury goods. Whether we are engaged in OEM production-scale processes like spa covers or one-off artistic sculptures, the team at Atlas Molded Products takes genuine pride in integrating with clients like Core Covers to understand specifics and build lasting relationships around mutual success. Over more than a decade of partnership, we have watched this start-up success grow to become an industry leader in spa cover manufacturing. Our client’s success is what drives Atlas Molded Products in our relentless determination to be the very best in molded polystyrene.
